Athletic Training Education Journal; 2009;4(2):52-65 52 ©by the National Athletic Trainers ’ Association, Inc. www.nataej.org Clinical Reasoning in Athletic Training Education: Modeling Expert Thinking

Objective: To address the need for a more definitive approach to critical thinking during athletic training educational experiences by introducing the clinical reasoning model for critical thinking. Background: Educators are aware of the need to teach students how to think critically. The multiple domains of athletic training are comprehensive and complex. Thinking is the fundamental connection between didactic and experiential components. Therefore, clinical thinking must be viewed as a critical part of experiential education in athletic training. Description: Research from educational journals in medicine, physical therapy and athletic training, as well as relevant texts, were searched to investigate the theoretical and practical underpinnings of clinical thinking models. Definitions, applications, and the historical underpinnings of the clinica