Common Pitfalls with Accreditation Evaluations

1
Common Pitfalls with Accreditation Evaluations
Deacon Carl R. Cramer Ed.D., RKT, ATC/L Professor
and Director Athletic Training Programs Barry
University Miami Shores, Florida
2
STEP ONE

• Do not plan a hurricane in the middle of your
  site visit.

3
Step One Continued

• Read the self-study instructions at least three
  times.
• Do exactly what it says to do.
• Start Self-Study Process no less than two years
  before visit.
• Documentation is everything.
• All statements in self-study MUST be supported by
  documentation.

4
STEP ONE CONTINUED

• Avoid redundancy-no duplicate files-cite pages
• Documents for self-study should be kept as a part
  of regular annual program operation, not a panic
  preparation to achieve or maintain accreditation.
  TEAM EFFORT!!!

5
STEP ONE CONTINUED

• Make your compliance with each standard blatantly
  obvious. Do not make the team look for proof and
  not be able to easily find it.
• This is a time for brutal self-honesty. It is
  better for you to cite yourself and fix it before
  the team gets on-campus than to have them find it
  when you have no proof of compliance.

6
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Inconsistency between catalog, website, brochure
  and student handbook
• No student liability insurance
• No physical exam, HepB Vaccine/TB test

7
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Technical standards not assessed by Medical
  Directorchanges in student status not documented
• Modalities not all calibrated annually
• No position statements in EAP in ATS Handbook

8
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Syllabi not all included, not revised in years
• Syllabi course description not same as catalog
• No daily/weekly schedule on A.T major courses
• First responder nightmare

9
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Work study conundrums-Double dipping and
  supervisionJob description? State federal law?
• Program admissions requirements not published in
  catalog, website, brochure, handbook

10
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Evaluation of students-What is a 1 or a 3 or a 5?
• What is required to go on to the next level?
• All criteria to be used in considering student
  success or failure not in writing and available
  to the students

11
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Assessments not specific to level in program
• Technical standards requirement not in catalog,
  website, brochure and handbook
• ATHLETIC TRAINING
• ATHLETIC TRAINER???

12
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Subject matter not covering all
  competencies/proficiencies
• Prerequisites not followed or non-existent in
  sequence of courses
• Content delivery not clearly documented-course
  materials

13
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• Achievement not documented
• Not enough medical specialty exposure
• Changes not made to improve effectiveness

14
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• General medical experience in orthopedic office
• Program director load-released-time low-25
• Inadequate (non-existent) supervision of ATSs
• Not enough faculty/ACIs to teach everything

15
Most Frequently Seen Problems

• No goals and objectives for program
• Affiliation agreements inadequate-Liability
• ACIs/CIs Overloaded at job site
• No OSHA annual update/CPR PR not maintained

16
Rejoinder

• Againfollow the directions exactly!!!
• Observe page limit
• Less is more but give what is asked for
• As with the self-studywe are planning to or
  going to does not count if it relates to a
  standardIt must all be in place when the
  visitors come or in the rejoinder if cited as NC
• Dont be late!!! 30 days is 30 days

17
Summary

• Follow the directionsit is your recipe for
  success
• Dont do it aloneexperts on campus???
• A standard is a standard
• Be clear and be obvious
• Dont make the site visit team guess
• We are all part of a great process to ensure
  quality for our studentsthe future of Athletic
  Training

18
Questions???

• I don't want to overreach myself, but I would
  say that this expresses the essence of what I
  consider to be my standard at this time.
• Pope Benedict XVI

19

• THANK YOU
• FOR YOUR INTEREST AND ATTENTION!!!!
• SEATA 2006