At a glance: Athletic Training

Ohio Northern’s athletic training education program combines strong academics with a variety of clinical experiences and opportunities. Students begin hands-on experiences as soon as they enter the program, providing immediate exposure to the profession that increases as the students progress. Day-to-day assistance with pre-practice management, injury evaluation, rehab considerations and routine interactions with ONU team physicians create an excellent opportunity and environment to prepare our students for the “real world” experiences they will encounter after graduation.

Kurt Wilson
Head athletic trainer, assistant professor, head strength and conditioning coordinator

The mission of the Athletic Training Program at Ohio Northern University is to offer athletic training students the academic and professional services needed to become an entry-level certified athletic trainer and provide the university student-athlete with the highest quality of athletic health care. Our commitment is to the complete health and safe participation of Ohio Northern University intercollegiate student-athletes and provides athletic training students with a unique and comprehensive education and clinical foundation as it relates to the profession of athletic training. The groundwork of our program is to promote excellence in athletic training through scholarship, skill and professionalism. Visit our department's web site.

Degrees offered

Our students can earn a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree.

Distinctive features

ONU is an NCAA Division III, Ohio Athletic Conference institution
21 varsity sports: 11 men’s and 10 women’s
Students complete six clinical experiences during their sophomore, junior and senior years, experiencing a variety of athletics, injury-risk exposures and certified staff clinical instructors
Surgery and physician specialty observation opportunities
Direct involvement with allied health care specialists
Option to take a human anatomy (cadaver anatomy) course
Low student-faculty ratio and class sizes
ONU’s first-time BOC exam passing rate is higher than the national average
State-of-the-art modality and exercise equipment for clinical practice and proficiency

Facilities

Students and professors in the department of human performance and sport sciences (HPSS) have access to modern classrooms and computer facilities equipped with the latest hardware and software, plus a 1,300-square-foot athletic training room in the Sports Center complex and a 1,100-square-foot athletic training room in Dial-Roberson Stadium.

ONU Sports Center:

Three full-size gymnasiums
A six-lane, 200-meter indoor track
Eight volleyball courts
Eight basketball courts
Two racquetball courts
Three indoor tennis courts
25-yard, six-lane swimming and diving pool
Wrestling room
Dance and free exercise room
Weight room
Fitness room
Exercise physiology lab

Athletic training room

Locker rooms
Jogging path

Student organizations

Phi Epsilon Kappa, HPSS Majors Club

Program outcomes

Graduates of ONU’s athletic training education program will be able to:

Assist athletes in maintaining a high level of performance by recognizing and minimizing the risk of injury or illness and implementing the proper course of action.
Design and implement physical conditioning programs, conduct pre-participation screenings, design and fit protective equipment and promote sound nutritional practices.
Understand pathomechanics and the predisposing factors of injury and illness.
Assess pathology and severity of injuries, illnesses and conditions while maintaining patient confidentiality.
Execute initial care for life-threatening and non-life-threatening conditions, including appropriate referral and guidance to allied health care professionals to match service with need.
Educate staff, coaches, administrators and the community in standard immediate care procedures relative to athletic injury and keep current in changes/trends regarding such procedures.
Assess status of injuries, illnesses or conditions to determine appropriate treatment, rehabilitation or reconditioning needs and administer appropriate therapeutic modalities or therapeutic exercise.
Determine need for treatment/rehabilitation modification, continuation or discontinuation and apply functional criteria to evaluate readiness for partial or full return-to-play status.
Develop policies and procedures to promote safe athletic participation, timely care and legal compliance.
Develop a plan of action to provide routine and emergency health care for individuals and athletic activities/events.
Understand the requirements to maintain competence in and comply with the latest educational and regulatory issues in the profession through continuing education.

Professional placement

Sports medicine clinics, high school outreach, collegiate and professional athletic teams, public and private corporations and industrial facilities

Graduate schools

Eastern Kentucky University, Ohio University, Syracuse University, University of Alabama, University of Cincinnati, University of South Carolina, Western Michigan University, West Virginia University, Wright State University

Career opportunities

Certified athletic trainers find employment in almost any setting where a physically active population exists. This includes such places as secondary schools (both public and private), colleges, universities, professional sports, sports medicine clinics, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, military branches, and industrial and commercial facilities. Certified athletic trainers help active people prevent injuries from occurring, assist them in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and level of fitness, and help them return to activity should an injury occur. There are even athletic trainers in areas less known to many, such as professional motorsports (NASCAR), professional bull riding (PBR), professional dance companies and equestrian sports.

In the spotlight

Opportunities exist to pursue summer internships with professional organizations such as the NFL. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recognizes ONU’s strength and conditioning curriculum, and students are encouraged to pursue their certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) certification. Exposure to national championship event coverage such as NCAA Division III Wrestling and Indoor Track and Field Championships.