Four UNC Pembroke students passed the national Board of Certification examination for athletic trainers. It was the second consecutive year the program had a 100 percent passing rate.

UNCP’s seven-year-old Athletic Training Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Susan Edkins, program director, said the results are especially outstanding because the national passing rate hovers around 60 percent.

“This group was a joy to teach; they were focused, ambitious and supported each other,” Edkins said. “I am going to miss them because they brought a lot to the program.”

The Athletic Training Program is demanding and requires 975 clinical hours in the field. The students worked with UNCP athletic teams and at four of the five county high schools, Edkins said. In their junior year, athletic training majors are required to work in a physical therapy setting, and in a general medical setting in their senior year.

The Athletic Training Program had its best recruiting year in 2012, adding 14 students, Edkins said.

“Our students are our best recruiters,” she said. “Pamela Hughes organized a high school athletic symposium as her senior honors project. It was attended by 43 high school students from across the state. We plan to make it an annual event.”

This graduating class consisted of Emily Fowler, Stephanie Rousseau and Becky Albitz-Evans and Hughes. Hughes said the UNCP program is demanding, but she had help.

“Yes, it’s a difficult test,” she said. “We worked together and helped each other.”

Hughes, who was an Esther Maynor Scholar and a member of the Honors College, came to UNCP already committed to becoming an athletic trainer. Now, she she wants more.

“At UNCP, I worked as trainer for the football team, women’s soccer and at Red Springs High School,” the cum laude graduate said. “I will start next fall at UNC-Chapel Hill in the Master’s of Athletic Training program.”

Dr. Tommy Thompson, chair of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, called the 100 percent passing rate a “remarkable achievement.”

“We very proud of these students and our program,” Dr. Thompson said. “It’s a rigorous program. It also speaks to the quality of the entire Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department because many of their general requirements like anatomy and physiology are taught here - it was a team effort.”

For more information about athletic training at UNCP, call 910.521.6220 or email hper@uncp.edu.