44 years of "the journal".
OBJECTIVE
To review the 44-year history of theJournal of Athletic Training.


METHODS
We examined the 179 issues of the Journal and selected 9 years (every 5 years beginning in 1957) for a page-by-page analysis of content. We interviewed 8 former Editors and Editors-in-Chief and drew upon our own experiences during a combined 56 years of association with the Journal. The Journal has undergone significant changes in both structure and quality; its growth mirrors the growth of the athletic training profession. During its infancy, the Journal relied greatly on reprints from other journals. Now, most authors are certified athletic trainers, sharing the results of their own scholarship.


CONCLUSIONS
The Journal, like the athletic training profession, is alive and strong. It has become an independent leader in the dissemination of athletic health care information.
Knight
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Brigham Young University, Provo UT.
Thompson
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