You are
- a problem solver
- a people person
- patient and compassionate
Your desire: to help athletes and anyone who’s physically active recover from injuries.
But more than that …
Any accredited athletic training program can teach you the skills. But at Bethel College:
- You’ll learn how to ask the right questions to get to the best diagnosis.
- You’ll put your skills to immediate use on the field and the court.
- You’ll be able to explore the different directions athletic training can take you.
Career options abound
- Comparable course requirements allow a double major with health and physical education.
Bethel College’s athletic training program overlaps well with:
- teacher education
- biology
- natural sciences
Take a minute to explore what some of our athletic training graduates have done. Your success is our priority.
Bethel College’s athletic training education program guarantees:
- working with at least six different certified athletic trainers.
- a low student-to-clinical instructor ratio
A note on “Natural Sciences”
If you don’t want to commit to a single field of science, the Natural Sciences major is an option – available only by request at the end of your sophomore year and subject to approval by the department chair. You must complete at least 18 upper-level hours in one of the sponsoring departments: athletic training; biology; chemistry; computer science; mathematics; physics; or psychology.
Want to talk more with faculty and current students? Schedule a campus visit.
The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education accredited Bethel’s athletic training education program in 2004. Graduation from a CAATE-accredited program grants eligibility for the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer exam.
College sophomores entering the Athletic Training program Fall 2018 will be the last cohort to complete the bachelors of science degree in athletic training at Bethel College. The program is exploring a transition to Masters in Athletic Training as required by the Commission of Accreditation for Athletic Training Education. We will update this website as appropriate during the decision-making process.
For more information, see:
The following forms may be downloaded and printed for submission to Bethel College’s Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) director. Adobe Reader is required to view the application documents.
- ATEP application
- Health information
- Felony disclosure
- Technical standards
- Performance standards
Return all forms for ATEP application to: ATEP Director, Bethel College, 300 E. 27th Street, North Newton, KS 67117, by May 15 or September 15. You must have all forms completed and an endorsing ATC’s signature on the ATEP application and the technical standards form. All materials will be evaluated and all qualifying students will be scheduled for an interview. Within two weeks after the interview, you will be notified of your acceptance into the program.
Program fees
The ATEP charges the following fees (all are approximate totals):
- Background check fee prior to off-campus rotations: $35
- Program apparel fee (minimum one [1] game polo): $35–$50
- HPE281 Prevention and Care of Injuries course lab fee: $35
* Students are responsible for arranging their own travel to ACCK courses. Mileage reimbursement is available through the campus Business Office.
Internships/Research
The Athletic Training Education Program at Bethel College requires you to work with at least six different certified athletic trainers and other health-care professionals. Bethel College athletics programs (especially football, basketball, soccer and volleyball) provide a venue for practical experience, as do Newton High School and Hesston College. There are opportunities to do rotations with local physical therapists, general practitioners (medical doctors), physician assistants or EMS workers.
Bethel College athletic training students have the opportunity to work or do internships in a variety settings, including:
- Newton Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, Newton, whose staff includes Bethel College team physician and Bethel graduate Jennifer Koontz, M.D., MPH
- Via Christi Regional Medical Center, Wichita, which provides athletic training coverage to professional, collegiate and high school sports teams
- Newton High School, a Class 5A school with all Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA)-sanctioned sports except rodeo
- Hesston College
- Kansas Orthopaedic and Surgery Centers, Wichita
- Newton Medical Center
Recent research project topics have included:
- Various treatment options for patellar tendonitis
- Plyometric jump training program
- Core strength gain difference by gender
- Changes in blood pressure from weight training and supplement use
Accreditation
The following table is data collected on graduates of the Bethel College Athletic Training Program who have attempted the Board of Certification (BOC) for the Athletic Trainer Examination. The BOC Exam leads to national credentialing as a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), and State Licensure as an Athletic Trainer.
| 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 3-yr aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduates attempting the exam: | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Grads passing on 1st attempt: | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| BC 1st time pass rate: | 100% | 100% | 100% | 66.7% | 100% | 50% | 33% | 57.1% |
| BC overall passing grads: | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| BC overall pass rate: | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 50% | 66% | 71.4% |
| National average 1st time pass rate: | 82.3% | 80.8% | 80.7% | 82.7% | 83.6% | 80.8% |
Graduation Rate
| 2015–16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 3-yr aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of students graduating from the program: | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Student graduation rate (%): | 100% | 40% | 100% | 73% |
Employment Rate
| 2015–16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 3-yr aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of students employed as an athletic trainer: | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Student employment rate as an athletic trainer (%): | 0% | 0% | 67% | 25% |
| Number of students employed in other fields: | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Student employment rate in other fields (%): | 33% | 50% | 33% | 38% |
| Number of students not employed due to enrollment in another academic program: | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Student not employed rate due to academic enrollment (%): | 67% | 50% | 0% | 38% |
Program Retention Rate
| 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 3-yr aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Enrollment | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
| Students not graduated—retained from previous year | 5/5 (100%) | 6/6 (100%) | 5/6 (83%) | 94.1% |
Careers
Bethel College is an approved Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) program. Bethel’s Athletic Training Education Program was granted initial accreditation in September 2004. Graduation from a CAATE accredited program allows the graduate to be eligible for the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer examination. Many of our graduates pursue further studies in nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant and other allied health care professions.
Post-graduate careers include:
- athletic trainer
- nurse
- physical therapist
- physician assistant
- other allied health care professions
Notable Alumni
- Chad Hershberger – ’07
- Chad stayed in the medical field after college, using his athletic training degree to find a job as a technology consultant for a surgical company in Wichita.
- Taylor Morris, ATC – ’15
- Intern Athletic Trainer, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS
- Brooke Powers, ATC – ’15
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer, William Jewell College, Liberty, MO
- Tanner Steingard, ATC – ’15
- Doctorate in Physical Therapy Student, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- Steph Shorgren, ATC – ’14
- Doctorate in Physical Therapy Student, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS
- BJ Heffernan, ATC – ’14
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
- Emily Gundy, ATC – ’13
- Doctorate in Physical Therapy Student, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
- Jeremiah Howington, ATC – ’13
- Athletic Trainer, Newton, KS
- Whitney Steingard, ATC – ’13
- Doctorate in Physical Therapy Student, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- Jacob Stucky, ATC – ’13
- Doctorate in Physical Therapy Student, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS
- Kellen Goertzen, DPT, ATC – ’12
- Physical Therapist, Salina Physical Therapy, Salina, KS
- Kristen (Lohaus) McGregor, MS, ATC – ’12
- Athletic Trainer/Sports Specialist, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center-Semper Fit, San Diego, CA
- Rachael (Bachman) Correll, DPT, ATC – ’11
- Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Associates of Emporia, Emporia, KS
- Megan Fowler, MS, ATC – ’11
- Head Athletic Trainer at Hesston College, Hesston, KS
- Whitney Hiebner, PA-C, ATC – ’11
- Physician Assistant, Pratt Regional Medical Center, Pratt, KS
- Marcus Maust, NREMT-P, ATC – ’11
- Firefighter/Paramedic, Augusta County Fire Rescue, Verona, VA
- Emily (Kliewer) Regehr, PA-C, ATC – ’10
- Physician Assistant, Rausch Medical Clinics, El Dorado, KS
- Mallory (Haedt) Valenstein, ATC – ’09
- Athletic Trainer, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
- Chad Hershberger, ATC – ’08
- Athletic Trainer, Mid-America Orthopedics, Derby, KS
- Jodi (Enz) Runge, DPT, ATC – ’07
- Owner and Physical Therapist, Foundations Therapy, Newton, KS
- Mary (Leichty) Gingerich, BSN, ATC – ’06
- Registered Nurse-Orthopedics, Salem State Hospital, Salem, OR
- Erica Stevens, ATC – ’05
- Athletic Trainer, Pratt High School, Pratt, KS
- Major requirements for Athletic Training:
- 52 hours
A Natural Sciences major is an option if you do not want to commit to a single field of science. This major is available only by request at the end of the sophomore year and must be approved by the department chair. You must complete at least 18 hours in one of the sponsoring departments (athletic training, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics and psychology); 18 hours must be upper-level from the departments listed.
