Areas of Expertise: Professionalism; professional integrity; professional ethics; professional code of ethics; professional ethical adjudication and disciplinary actions; professional ethical issues; responsible reasoning for patient and non-patient encounters

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Dr. Schlabach is one of the foremost authorities on topics that advance the understanding of professional responsibility, specifically, legal, ethical, values, values-based-behavior, and regulatory dimensions of interprofessional health care practice through the integration of law, professional regulation, shared professional values, bioethical principles, codes of ethics, moral theory and responsible reasoning. 

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Dr. Schlabach is Professor Emeritus from Northern Illinois University where she served as a Professor and Program Director of athletic training. She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Doctor of Athletic Training Program at Florida International University and an Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Master of Science degree in Athletic Training at Old Dominion University. 

Dr. Schlabach earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education/Teacher Certification (1975) with a minor in Sports Broadcasting from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY.  After which she earned a Master’s of Science degree in Athletic Training from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (1977).  After 8 years of serving as the University of Mississippi’s first head women’s athletic trainer, she returned to the classroom to earn her Doctor of Philosophy Exercise Physiology at the University of Maryland (1991).

 

For the past twenty years, Dr. Schlabach’s professional scholarship and service has been in the area of professional ethics, values, and responsibility in athletic training.  Her work has been disseminated at the state, national, and international levels.  In fall 2020, the second edition of her academic text, Professional Ethics in Athletic Training, Practicing with Integrity; Leading with integrity, which she co-authored, was published.  Currently, Dr. Schlabach is the founding chair of the inaugural National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Professional Responsibility in Athletic Training (PRAT) Committee, which promotes awareness, analysis, action, and adherence relative to legal, ethical, regulatory, and professional standards issues in athletic training. After NATA Board of Directors Approval, the NATA PRAT, led by Dr. Schlabach, engaged in innovative research to identify the shared professional values (PV) among NATA members.  Results of that study will reflect enhanced integrity into the NATA Code of Ethics.  Dr. Schlabach has been able to apply her passion for professional ethics while serving as the NATA Chair for the Committee on Professional Ethics (2006-2013).

 

Dr. Schlabach is a 2020 inductee to the Ithaca College Athletics Hall of Fame.  In 2019, she was inducted into the prestigious National Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame.  Additional professional recognitions include the NATA Athletic Training Service Award, Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, and the Gail Weldon Award of Excellence.