The CAATE is specific as to their requirements for those professionals willing to serve in clinical education. The following slides will give you some information on what it takes to become a clinical instructor, the credentials that you must hold to qualify, and the respective role that you will play in the lives of the athletic training students that you are mentoring.

A Preceptor is a BOC Certified Athletic Trainer with a minimum of one year of work experience as an athletic trainer, and who has completed Preceptor training. BOC certified athletic trainers who wish to be a Preceptor (e.g., graduate assistant), but who have less than one year of clinical experience, must be supervised by a more experienced Preceptor. A Preceptor provides formal instruction and evaluation of clinical proficiencies in classroom, laboratory, and/or in clinical education experiences through direct supervision of athletic training students.

Note that other content experts (e.g., exercise physiologists, nutritionists, mental health counselors, physicians) can be used to teach and evaluate those Clinical Proficiencies that fall within the domain of their professional expertise. However, a Preceptor must evaluate the students' ability to integrate these skills into professional practice.

Reference: Standard IB1c(1)(a)(b), Education Council FAQ
B3.2 Preceptor Qualifications
A Preceptor must:

• B3.21 be credentialed in a health care profession as defined by the American Medical Association or American Osteopathic Association
• B3.22 be an ATC ® or appropriately credentialed health care professional for a minimum of one year, and
• B3.23 not be currently enrolled in the athletic training education program at the institution