Physician's Knowledge and Perceptions of the Roles and Responsibilites of Athletic Trainers

Abstract

This study sought to determine physicians' knowledge and perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of athletic trainers, within the State of Oklahoma. It was also the purpose to determine if a difference in the level of knowledge existed among physicians with a sports medicine background when compared to physicians without a sports medicine background. To determine whether or not there is a gap in the knowledge of physicians in regards to specific performance domains of the athletic training profession. Data was reported by mailed questionnaire, developed adapted from the Role Delineation Study for the Entry Level Athletic Trainer, 5th Ed. and validated by this researcher specifically for this study. It was found that physicians with a background in sports medicine have an understanding and appreciation for the educational background and qualifications of certified athletic trainers as allied health care professionals. The results of the study could not determine that general physicians, or physicians that do not have background in sports medicine, poor understanding regarding the educational background and qualifications of certified athletic trainers as allied health care professionals. It was found that a significant difference existed in three performance domains within the athletic training profession when comparing the responses of physicians that do and do not have a background in sports medicine.