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AMHERST, N.Y. –- For the seventh consecutive year, ˿����Ƶ College’s athletic training graduates have earned a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Board of Certification (BOC) exam, far surpassing the national average of 82.7 percent.

“Achieving this consistently high pass rate on the national certification exam reflects on the rigorous preparation and exceptional training ˿����Ƶ’s program provides our students,” said Dr. Michael Brogan, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “Our athletic training faculty are experts in the field and are committed to the success of our students throughout their ˿����Ƶ education and into their careers.”

BOC certification is the foremost credential in the nation for athletic training professionals. The exam tests knowledge, skills, and abilities in prevention and wellness, clinical evaluation and diagnosis, immediate and emergency care, treatment and rehabilitation, and organization and professional health and well-being.

To become a certified athletic trainer, a student must graduate with a degree from an accredited professional athletic training education program and pass the BOC exam. Once certified, athletic trainers must meet ongoing continuing education requirements in order to remain certified.

˿����Ƶ’s 2019 athletic training graduates who earned a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the NATA Board of Certification exam are Erin DeHeer of Des Moines, Iowa; Schneidie Delmas of Norwich, Conn.; Darlene Eckhardt of Eden; Liz Hauke of Binghamton; Bethany Lewis of South Otselic; Kendall Marshall of Malone; and Michelle Rivers of Niagara Falls. All of the newest graduates have secured positions in the athletic training field.

˿����Ƶ is the only private college in the Buffalo Niagara region to offer athletic training and is currently the only college in New York State to offer a professional master-level athletic training program that is in good standing with accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

Effective in 2020, the CAATE will transition the professional degree requirement to a master’s degree to become a certified athletic trainer.

“Having a well-established master-level program places ˿����Ƶ at the forefront of this new educational requirement,” said Dr. Rebecca Begalle, athletic training department chair/program director and assistant professor. “We are proud of our track record of success and look forward to evolving with the new curriculum standards, which will enhance the skills set in athletic training.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 23 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. In New York State, the demand for athletic trainers is expected to increase even higher to more than 27 percent.