Clinical Soft Skills

Are We Expecting Too Much from Athletic Training Programs When It Comes to Soft Skills?

Athletic training education has evolved rapidly in recent years, placing increasing pressure on programs to produce graduates who are not only clinically competent but also professional, adaptable, and effective communicators. But are we asking too much of academic programs when it comes to developing these so-called soft skills?

In their 2016 study, Carr and colleagues explored the traits athletic training preceptors find most desirable in students. The top characteristics weren’t about clinical techniques or medical knowledge—they were about initiative, professionalism, communication, dependability, adaptability, and confidence (without arrogance).¹ These are essential qualities for future clinicians, but they are also deeply contextual—learned through observation, reflection, and mentorship, not just through lectures or rubrics.

Despite this, many programs find themselves trying to formally teach and assess professionalism because accreditation standards require it. CAATE emphasizes integration of affective competencies such as ethical behavior and interpersonal communication, but these expectations often lead to checklists or reflections that attempt to measure something better developed through experience.

That’s where preceptors come in.

Clinical preceptors serve as the bridge between academic learning and professional practice. According to Eiroa and Konin (2021), effective preceptorship depends on skills like clear communication, consistent feedback, role modeling, and the ability to create a supportive learning environment.² When preceptors intentionally engage in mentorship, they become the key drivers of professional socialization—the process by which students internalize the norms, values, and behaviors of the profession.

So, perhaps the question isn’t whether programs or preceptors are responsible for teaching soft skills—it’s how they can share that responsibility more effectively.

• Programs should introduce professionalism, self-awareness, and communication frameworks early, setting expectations for behavior and reflection.

• Preceptors should reinforce these behaviors in the clinical setting, modeling how they play out in real-world interactions with patients, coaches, and colleagues.

Ultimately, professionalism isn’t something that can be mastered in a classroom. It’s caught more than it’s taught—absorbed through observation, guided practice, and feedback from engaged preceptors. Academic programs can plant the seed, but preceptors nurture the growth.

As Eiroa and Konin point out, developing skilled preceptors is not optional—it’s essential to bridging the gap between didactic knowledge and clinical competence.² If we want future athletic trainers to embody professionalism and empathy, we need to invest as much in preceptor education and support as we do in curriculum design.

References

1. Carr WD, Volberding JL, Jucovy J, Horsley S, Terry C. Characteristics of athletic training students that preceptors find desirable. Athl Train Educ J. 2016;11(1):27–35. doi:10.4085/110127

2. Eiroa K, Konin JG. How to be an effective preceptor: A literature review. Int J Allied Health Sci Pract. 2021;19(2):Article 4. doi:10.46743/1540-580X/2021.2045

scd 10/2025