Picture

2025 National Competition results video
*Study Information at bottom of page
*Final day to register is TBA

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MEDICINE COMPETITION

In an effort to reduce the high costs of creating a national championship, The American Academic Competition Institute (AACI) has created a unique online event to challenge the minds of high school students.
Our inaugural event was held in 2012.
Our Mission Statement
To celebrate the high school student’s knowledge of Sports Medicine/Athletic Training through a mentally challenging event.
 
Our Motto
The Celebration of Knowledge
Picture

Jostens is the official supplier of the AACI National Competition Champion Rings.
Click logo above for further information

2026 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MEDICINE COMPETITION

Event Date: 
Online Written Exam
  • May 2026 - TBA*  Testing times - 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (PST)
  • May 2026 - TBA Testing times - 7:00 am to 12:30 pm (PST)
  • Practical exams will be administered May/June - TBA   
  • School’s program director will submit request for time of exam on those dates.
 
Students Compete as part of their school team, as well as on an individual basis (or both). Teams consist of 8 to 15 students from a single school. Each team’s top eight highest individual scores will be utilized to create a “Team Average” for the school. Both Teams and Individual Competitors are separated into one of three divisions based on the number of registered students attending their school:
 
Students at schools that did not place in top the top 10 of their respective division can compete if that student placed in the top 25 overall at their competition.
       
Cramer Sports Medicine (Large) Schools Division:
Includes schools with enrollments of more than 1,999
 
Mueller Medium (Medium) Schools Division:
Includes schools with enrollments of 1000- 1,999
 
Henry Schein Small Schools Division:
Includes schools with enrollments of more than 1- 999
  • In the event of an enrollment discrepancy, the school in question must present a certified document with the school enrollment from the school administration/registrar at least 48 hours prior to the competition.
 
Team Eligibility:
All schools that have competed and been ranked in the top 10 of any division (or overall) of a state or regional sports medicine competition/challenge in the past 12 months prior to the AACI Competition date are eligible to compete.
 
Individual Student Eligibility:
Students who compete as members of their school’s team are also eligible to compete for individual awards. Individual students at schools that do not qualify for a team entry are eligible to compete for individual awards if the student competed in a state or regional competition/challenge in the 12 months prior to the AACI competition date and placed in the top 25th percentile at the event.
 
Testing:
The AACI National Competition consists of a 300-question online exam administered over a 2-hour time block. See the study guide for further information.
  1. The Written Exam
    1. Schools in session (not remote) must be proctored by two adults, one can be the program teachers
    2. Proctored schools will have up to 2 hours to complete the exam.
    3. All tests will be sent through an algorithm to check for potential discrepancies (cheating)
    4. Online Testing can be completed on dates listed above
      1. Teachers must request date for exam to be available to your school/students.
      2. Teachers must request time for exam to be available to your school/students.
    5. Topic information
      1. First Aid & CPR (new BLS standards)
      2. Emergency Procedures
      3.  Medical Terminology, Body Planes, Directions, Appropriate Terms etc.
      4. Legal Issues – Terminology (i.e. malfeasance, negligence etc.)
      5. Physiology
      6. Rehabilitation- including but not limited to; Therapeutic exercises & Modalities
      7. Anatomy/Evaluation Techniques for the following locations:
      8. Foot
      9. Ankle 
      10. Lower leg (structures ending at the proximal tibia and fibula) 
        1.  Soap Notes & HIPS format will primarily be used during the appropriate questions. 
        2. Anatomic Questions, Special Test Questions, MMT, A/P/R- ROM questions will consist of more major structures or structures that are more commonly seen injured in sports, including nerves, myotomes, dermatomes, etc.
  2. The Practical Exam :
    1. A live video practical will be administered to the top 10 students in each division via Video Conference (Zoom/FaceTime/Teams/etc.)
    2. Practical Exams will be completed via FaceTime/ Zoom/ etc. As done with nationals
    3. Judges will be Athletic Trainers who have volunteered.
    4. The test would be administered via a judge remotely via an online streaming video source (again FaceTime, Zoom, Etc.)
    5. Instructions will be sent to the instructor/teacher by the coordinating judge48 hours prior to practical exam.
    6. As the teacher, you would be given a list of supplies to have ready.
    7. The list will be sent out at a later time.
    8. If your student is at home, he/she will be given a list of supplies readily available at home as well
    9. Practical’s will begin after all Exams are completed.
    10. Practical’s will end on May/June - TBA

STUDY INFORMATION
For further information re: the national competition go to the contact us page