Integration of a Community Assessment Project (CAP) Into an AT Course

摘要

How often does an athletic trainer (AT) accept a position at a clinic, college, or high school without knowing anything about the community where he or she will be working? How can an AT learn about his or her future employment setting community? How can we prepare students to become familiar with and access an employment community? A community assessment project (CAP) provides one mechanism to teach athletic training students to gather data about a community's assets and needs. It helps the student get to "know and understand the community as a client" through exploration of the community's complexity, such as its culture, values, and norms. Understanding the community can help an AT to better appreciate athletes' and parents' attitudes and behaviors pertaining to health, wellness, injury prevention, and treatment.