Duties and responsibilities
Clinical instructors are found in many healthcare fields, including athletic training. They normally observe between 10 to 12 students at a time and play an important role in the learning process of these students by connecting classroom learning to real-life situations. The typical duties and responsibilities of a clinical instructor will vary depending on how many years experience they have and the field they work in. However, clinical instructors can expect to:
- Supervise and provide instruction to athletic training students during clinical and/or field experience
- Have regular communication with the course administrators
- Carry out all course supervision in compliance with the policies and procedures of the university or college
- Provide assessment of athletic training students clinical proficiency
- Hold individual meetings with each student prior to the start of clinical experience
Qualifications
T0 become a qualified clinical instructor, you will be required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Many employers will also look for a masters degree in a related field.
Once this is achieved, clinical instructors must be certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) and will normally have to hold the relevant state licensing.
Skills and relevant work experience
Clinical instructors will need to have three years post-certification experience in athletic training. As well as relevant work experience, clinical instructors will also need to have to following skills:
- Communication skills in order to efficiently instruct and communicate with the students they are supervising
- Enthusiasm about athletic training and an enthusiasm about supervising and teaching students
- Teamwork skills are also key as clinical instructors will have to work closely with other healthcare and educational professionals
- Problem solving skills as clinical instructors will have to figure out ways to provide the most effective and beneficial supervision
Hours
Clinical instructors tend to work in medical facilities and education institutions, like universities and community colleges. They tend to work normal full time hours (8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday) or they may work on shift rotation to meet the needs of students.
Salary
According to Zippia Careers, the average annual salary of a clinical instructor in the United States is $90,671, with the bottom 10% earning less than $50,000 per year and the top 10% earning more than $162,000 per year. The highest paying jobs can be found in Nevada, California, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Progression
Clinical instructors progress from athletic trainers, and can progress to become head of departments.