The Professional Values of Program Directors and Head Athletic Trainers: The Impact of the Hidden Curriculum

Abstract

Context: Athletic training education programs (ATEPs) promote the development of foundational behaviors of professional practice. Situated in the context of professional values, ATEPs are challenged to identify outcome measures for these behaviors. These values are tacitly reflected as part of the hidden curriculum. Objective: To ascertain the importance of professional values as perceived by program directors and head athletic trainers at professional ATEPs located in the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers' Association (GLATA) district. Design: Cross-sectional survey design. Setting: 77 ATEPs in GLATA and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Participants: We surveyed a convenience sample of program directors and head athletic trainers from CAATE-accredited ATEPs in GLATA. We partitioned the 146 participants by their professional role: program director (PDs), head athletic trainer (HATs), and program director/head athletic trainer (PD/HATs). Main Outcome Measure(s): We measured differences among PDs, HATs, PD/HATs relative to their unfamiliar values, important values, top three ranked values, and perceived importance with articulating professional values. Results: Altruism and aesthetics were identified as the 2 most frequently unfamiliar values among PDs and HATs, whereas PD/HATs identified 1 value, altruism. Truth/honesty and integrity were the most frequently selected values by PDs and HATs. Truth/honesty and respect were the most frequently selected values by PD/HATs. Truth/honesty was ranked the most important value by HATs and PD/HATs. Truth/honesty and integrity were tied as the number one ranked value by PDs. There was a significant difference in ranking between PD and PD/HAT in regard to the professional values of truth/honesty and integrity. Conclusion: Truth/honesty, integrity, respect, accountability, and caring are important professional values of ATEP PDs, HATs, PD/HATs in GLATA. It is important for the NATA to explicitly articulate professional core values.