Episode 54: Sam Hughes - The Evolution of Athletic Training Education

How do you modernize athletic training education to meet the demands of the role in the current landscape? The past few years have seen a shift from rigid, hour-based clinical models to immersive, real-world learning experiences designed to create better clinicians.In this episode, hosts Andrew Rizza and Dr. Cameron Roth sit down with Sam Hughes, Director of Clinical Education and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Idaho, to explore how modern clinical education is evolving and what it takes to prepare athletic trainers for the realities of the job. Hughes shares how immersive clinical rotations, hybrid models, and increased autonomy are reshaping athletic training programs.The conversation dives into accreditation standards, patient-reported outcome measures, documentation challenges, and workforce shortages. Hughes also discusses the University of Idaho’s ISMaRT Clinic, where students take on full patient care responsibilities under supervision, and the upcoming shift toward more interprofessional collaboration with the "School of Health and Medical Professions" (SHAMP).MEET THE GUESTSamantha Hughes DAT, LAT, ATCDirector of Clinical Education in the Athletic Training Program at the University of IdahoClinical Assistant Professor in Movement SciencesTOPICS DISCUSSEDEvolution of athletic training clinical education to immersive, hybrid modelsUniversity of Idaho's iSMART clinic and student rotationsCAATE accreditation standards and patient-reported outcomes (PROs)Current challenges in clinical educationInterprofessional collaboration and the future of athletic training educationHIGHLIGHTS00:54 – The Evolution of Clinical Education02:37 – University of Idaho's Hybrid Approach03:48 – The Diversity of Athletic Training (Gen Med)06:02 – Sponsors: Met One Technologies & Get Raw07:04 – CAATE Accreditation Explained09:09 – What "Movement Sciences" Are11:21 – Ethics and Administration in Athletic Training12:39 – Scientific Writing for Publication and Patient Care13:33 – Changes in Student Expectations16:56 – The Importance of Patient-Reported Outcomes18:42 – Synthesizing, Analyzing, and Publishing Data20:08 – The ISMaRT Clinic21:31 – Comparing past vs. Present Clinical Standards23:33 – Feasibility of Overseas Rotations24:59 – Crossover with Orthopedic Surgeons in Training25:47 – Current Challenges in Clinical Education27:33 – Educating Students on Variable Workloads31:02 – The Shortage of Athletic Trainers33:20 – Alternative Education Paths35:59 – Advice for Athletic Trainers Interested in Educator Roles37:08 – Measuring Success for Students and Preceptors39:25 – E*Value Platform and Check-Ins for Tracking41:07 – Future of University of Idaho's Programs42:44 – Hughes' One Change for AT Education44:10 – Sam Hughes' Mission as an EducatorQUOTES:16:42 - “I think students are coming in, thinking things are busy work, and not understanding the ‘why’ behind something. And that's something that I personally, as an educator, have been trying to do, is give them that ‘why’.” - Sam Hughes28:58 - “I'm hopeful that before someone applies to an athletic training program, they look into the profession, they look into the mean salary, and they understand, ‘Okay, maybe this isn't the highest paying job,’ and then they come in with a passion of helping people.” - Sam Hughes41:56 - “Yeah, interprofessional collaboration, I think, is going to be really big and something we want to see across all healthcare professions. Because athletic training, our scope, is so broad, and we do so much, and sometimes I think we don't like to lean on other healthcare professions, but we want to make sure we create a well-rounded sports medicine team. And getting students that exposure early on in the classroom is going to only set them up for success later on.” - Sam HughesLINKS Samantha Hughes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-hughes-2204212b4 University of Idaho: https://verso.uidaho.edu/esploro/profile/samantha_hughes/overview School of Health and Medical Professions: https://www.uidaho.edu/health-medical-professions RELATED EPISODES:How Isokinetic Tech is Changing Rehab and Performance (Rob Potash) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEURDPIwEmk&t=1s SPONSORS: Met One Technologies - http://www.met1tech.comGet Raw - https://www.getrawshots.com DISCLAIMER The opinions presented on Behind the Sports Medicine are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any affiliated institutions or partners. The content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making any health or treatment decisions. Behind the Sports Medicine and its affiliates assume no liability for the accuracy or application of the information discussed.#AthleticTraining #ClinicalEducation #HealthcareEducation #CAATE #SportsMedicine