The 21st-century college student: implications for athletic training education programs.

OBJECTIVE: With the onset of the 21 st century and increasing student diversity, institutions of higher education must become more attuned to the challenges, concerns, and needs of students entering the professions of athletic training and sports medicine. This review discusses the characteristics of the 21st-century college student. DATA SOURCES: The sources for this information were courses of study in the authors' doctoral programs from 1980 to 1994. DATA SYNTHESIS: In the 21 st century, students of increasingly diverse ages, races, cultures, ethnicities, and classes will enter the professions of athletic training and sports medicine. Institutions of higher education that recognize the needs of their nontraditional students will be better able to serve these students. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS: To effectively serve the 21st-century student, institutions of higher education must provide multicultural training, flexible schedules, accelerated programs, and learning experiences that are both practical and tangible.