Friday, June 16, 2023
Visit the CAATE at the NATA Symposia & AT Expo
The CAATE will be exhibiting at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA)’s Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 21-24 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Stop by booth #1004 to say hello and learn about CAATE updates, volunteer opportunities and more.
Upcoming CAATE Town Hall
Save the date! Join us for our next town hall, taking place Thursday, Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. EST. Click here to register.
New CAATE Workshops and Changes to Accreditation Conference Schedule
The CAATE is excited to announce changes to our educational content strategy and annual accreditation conference format.
The Board of Commissioners charged the Education Committee with reviewing the CAATE’s educational offerings and recommending changes to better meet the needs of our stakeholders. After careful consideration and review of the evolving needs of programs over the course of several months, the CAATE Education Committee, with the approval of the Commission, has decided to shift away from an annual conference model. In lieu of a full conference, the CAATE will be planning focused workshops to better serve the diverse needs of our stakeholders.
These workshops will allow the CAATE to provide more targeted and comprehensive sessions, catering to the specific requirements and stages of accreditation. The CAATE is committed to delivering the highest-quality information and materials that address the evolving landscape of athletic training education.
More details regarding the workshop schedule, registration process and specific topics that will be covered will be announced later this summer and into the fall.
If you have any questions or require further information on this transition, please reach out to support@caate.net.
2024-2025 Fees Announced
Application and accreditation fees for the 2024-2025 accreditation cycle for programs are now available to view on the CAATE website. In-depth application instructions and fee breakdowns are available at the following links:
Visit the CAATE Accreditation Standards Video Library
In case you missed it, the CAATE recently launched a video library as part of an initiative to create new resources for program administrators to aid in their understanding and implementation of the CAATE's accreditation standards. The 50+ videos contain information on each standard's intent, a summary of how to demonstrate compliance and common challenges programs face in an approachable format.
CATS 2023 Workshop Recap
The CAATE and the Association for Athletic Training Education (AATE) recently presented a Joint Residency & Fellowship Workshop at the College Athletic Trainers Society (CATS) 2023 Symposium in which program leaders were able to learn about the CAATE accreditation process for residency and fellowship programs, participate in group work and ask questions on accreditation. For those that couldn’t attend the workshop, details on initial and continuing accreditation can be found on our website.
Volunteer Spotlight: J’nai Pittman, MSEd, LAT, ATC, OTC
J’nai Pittman, MSEd, LAT, ATC, OTC, completed her athletic training residency program at Emory Healthcare in 2015, after which she was hired by Emory Orthopaedics to support a hand and upper extremity surgeon. After two years, she was promoted to clinic lead at Emory Sports Medicine Clinic, where she supports seven sports medicine physicians and 11 full-time athletic trainers and serves as a clinical staff supervisor and preceptor. Get to know J’nai, including her start in athletic training, volunteer work on the CAATE Residency & Fellowship Accreditation Council and the value accreditation can provide to programs and fellowships in the Q&A below.
What first sparked your interest in athletic training?
I discovered athletic training after tearing my ACL during a basketball game as a freshman in high school. I underwent an ACL reconstruction and as I rehabbed my knee, I was exposed to physical therapy. I’d always had an interest in the medical field, and while I found physical therapy to be interesting, once I discovered that with athletic training I could merge my love of the medical field with my love of sports, I really became enamored with the field.
What made you want to volunteer for the CAATE and what value do you think volunteering for the CAATE has brought to your career?
Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m pretty passionate about athletic training. I felt it was necessary to serve the profession that I care so much about. While I’m fortunate to work for an organization with a large number of athletic trainers, I felt it was extremely beneficial to engage with my peers from other organizations as well. Knowing that we all have the same goal of bettering the profession is icing on the cake.
You are a volunteer on the Residency & Fellowship Accreditation Council (RFAC). What project or initiative of the Council are you most excited to see come to fruition?
I’m currently part of a RFAC working group that is looking to develop a candidacy process for those interested in pursuing accreditation for their athletic training residencies or fellowships. The goal of creating a candidacy process is to provide programs with resources and support early on so that they can successfully achieve CAATE accreditation. I think it will really help those that are interested in developing new programs.
What excites you about the future of athletic training residency and fellowship education and athletic training specialists?
I’m really excited to see where specialty and sub-specialty training takes the profession. If we look to our peers in other medical professions, the future is bright! Historically, professions that engage in specialty education are much better for it and so are their patients.
What value does your accredited residency provide to the organization, residents and patients?
Emory Healthcare has truly benefitted from our residency program. Including myself, we have five Emory athletic training residency program alumni in leadership or senior leadership positions. Seventy-one percent of our surgical athletic trainers are residency-trained with all but one being alumni from our program. Our residents regularly participate in journal clubs, research projects and quality improvement projects that are mutually beneficial to both them and the organization. They engage in interprofessional education with medical learners from various levels including medical students, residents and fellows. Our patients reap the benefits of receiving care from individuals who are actively engaging in evidence-based practice and professional growth.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve found my volunteer experience with the CAATE to be really rewarding. In our meetings, we don’t always agree but there is always mutual respect and professional discourse. We challenge each other and value all points of view. It is one of the most inclusive environments that I’ve ever been a part of because the group values diversity of thought. I often look forward to the time the RFAC spends together and I take a lot away from our conversations. I’d encourage anyone who is interested in joining the CAATE to do so.
Thank You to Our Volunteers
The CAATE would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to its 2022-2023 volunteers. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to advancing the athletic training field forward.
Board of Commissioners
- Eric Sauers
- Toni Torres-McGehee
- Richard Valachovic
- Steven Cuff
- Bonnie Van Lunen
- Gary Hanna
- Randy Leite
- Eric Lippincott
- Kysha Harriell
- BC Charles-Liscombe
Professional Accreditation Council
- Luzita Vela
- Dani Moffit
- Amanda Tritsch
- Bart Anderson
- Jessica Barrett
- Ryan Krzyzanowicz
- Mary Meier
- Christopher Viesselman
- Carlitta Moore
Residency and Fellowship Accreditation Council
- Hollie Walusz
- Jim Reidy
- Becky Bedard
- J'nai Pittman
- Amy Valasek
- Chad Clements
- Drew Duckett
- Kacey Ohlemeyer
DEIA and Leadership Development Committee
- Toni Torres-McGehee
- Karlita Warren
- Lynette Carlson
- Revay Corbett
- Tamaria Hibbler
- Corey Oshikoya
- Jeri Zemke
- Mimi Nakajima
- Daima (Esi) Atinkah
- Jeffrey Kawaguchi
Education Committee
- Lindsey Eberman
- Jessica Edler Nye
- Stacy Walker
- Gail Samdperil
- Nikki Harris
- Jamie Mansell
- Zachary Winkelmann
- Stephanie Naylor
- Carrie Baker
- Alanna Dennison
- Taylor Wilmoth
- Jim Reidy
Finance & Governance Committee
- Richard Valachovic
- Eric Sauers
- Toni Torres-McGehee
- Randy Leite
- Bonnie Van Lunen
International Committee
- Alvaro Garcia-Romero Perez
- Mark Gibson
- Enda Whyte
- Patrick SH Yung
- Richard DeMont
Peer Review Committee
- Ryan Krzyzanowicz
- Shawn Felton
- Dani Moffit
- Kelley Henderson
- Jolene Henning
- Amanda Benson
- Jessica Barrett
- Layci Harrison
- Cordial Gillette
- Brittany Clason
Physician Advisory Council
- Steve Cuff
- Monty Cavanagh
- Alysia Green
- Jon Schultz
- Amy Valasek
Residency and Fellowship Peer Review Committee
- Drew Duckett
- Nicholas Hattrup
- Rory McHardy
Residency and Fellowship Standards Committee
- Kacey Ohlemeyer
- Stacey Hardin
- Gail Samdperil
- Daniel Dobrowolski
- Justin Young
Review Committee
- Jessica Barrett
- Kelley Henderson
- Shellie Acocello
- Jim Moore
- Rob Sipes
- Linda Bobo
- Scott Lawrance
- Barbara Blackstone
- Scott Heinerichs
- Douglas Mann
- Tona Hetzler
- Scott Dietrich
Standards Committee
- Bart Anderson
- Laura Kunkel
- Alejandra Merrimann
- Quinton Sawyer
- Kristen Schellhase
- Kaori Tamura
- Amanda Tritsch
- Elizabeth Leon Zaragoza
ATCAS Advisory Group
- Nate Newman
- Jason Etcell
- Michelle Odai
- LesLee Taylor
- Ashley Thrasher
- John Giampietro Vairo
- Nicole MacDonald
Changing Landscape WorkGroup
- Randy Leite
- Chris Ingersoll
- Scott Heinerichs
- Joan E. Rocks
- Barbara Long
CHEA WorkGroup
- Mark Merrick
- Louise Fincher
- Eric Lippincott
- Toni Torres-McGhee
- Eric Sauers
Congrats to Initially Accredited and Continuing Accreditation Programs
The CAATE would like to congratulate the athletic training programs who received initial and continuing accreditation since April 24, 2023.
Initial Accreditation
- Huntingdon College
- Immaculata University
- Indiana State University
- Kansas State University
- Northern Illinois University
- University of Central Missouri
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- University of Mississippi
- University of Mobile
- University of West Florida
- UT Health San Antonio - Residency
Continuing Accreditation
- Central Connecticut State University
- Florida International University
- Illinois State University
- Lock Haven University
- Missouri State University
- Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
- University of Montana
- University of Nevada - Las Vegas
- Western Carolina University
- Wichita State University
View Recent Issues of ‘Research to Clinical Practice’
Catch up on the latest issues of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Foundation’s “Research to Clinical Practice” newsletters: April 2023 (use of tracking technology), May 2023 (the athletic trainer’s role in mental health) and June 2023 (transgender patient care).
Upcoming Dates
June 21-24: 74th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo
August 24: CAATE Town Hall