How to become An Athletic Trainer

Part-Psychologist, First-Aider, Hydration Technician, Relationship Counselor, Personal Assistant: an Athletic Trainer learns to do it all for the athletes.

• Licensed Athletic Trainer
• Student Athletic Trainer

What do Athletic Trainers do?

An Athletic Trainer would typically need to:

• Plan and implement comprehensive Athletic programs compliant with government regulations to prevent injury and illness among athletes
• Advise athletes on the correct use of the equipment and ensure their health and safety
• Work with coaches, athletes, and medical professionals to evaluate the condition of the player
• Create exercise and nutrition plans and teach exercises to athletes to perform in-house or at home
• Speak to coaches, family members, and athletes to set health and fitness goals
• Educate players on proper techniques to exercise and play effectively in their sport, the lack of which can result in injury
• Apply tape, bandages, and braces to athletes before practices and games to help avoid injury
• Be one of the first healthcare providers on the scene when injuries occur on the field to assess the severity of the injury and provide necessary care
• Develop and carry out rehabilitation programs for injured athletes after ascertaining their goals
• Interact with the athletes to help them feel secure, motivated, and confident
• Design training and rehabilitation programs for athletes, monitor them during treatments, and refer them to another doctor or other medical staff members, if necessary
• Prepare and maintain records relating to condition and training, diet and treatment, and other doctors and insurance companies of the athletes under their care
• Travel to the hospital, rehabilitation center, and the athletes’ home when necessary
• Handle administrative tasks such as maintaining inventory, assisting with budgets, or restocking supplies

Depending on the sport, Athletic Trainers may spend most of their time working indoors or outdoors. Those who work in sports fields have to do so in all types of weather during games and events. They spend much of their time in the Athletic training room. Athletic Trainers usually report to a licensed physician and work in concert with other medical staff. They may meet with that physician once or twice a week or daily, depending on the setting.

Athletic Trainers work with people of all ages and all skill levels, from children to professional athletes to soldiers. Athletic Trainers may travel to games and events with athletes.

Athletic Trainers find themselves in different settings and different weather conditions that can warrant different attire. But, by and large, black khakis and a polo is the preferred day-to-day attire and also qualifies as game-day apparel for many Athletic Trainers.

Athletic Trainers working in hospitals and clinics may have a more regular schedule and often conduct outreach work at various locations. However, most Athletic Trainers work full time. Athletic Trainers who work with teams during sporting events may work evenings or weekends and travel often. If an Athletic Trainer works with a specific team, their hours will vary with the flow of the off-season, preseason, and regular season.

It is not uncommon for Athletic Trainers at the high school level to also work as a teacher, which during the season can require long hours in total (sometimes 60 to 70 hours a week).

Many Athletic Trainers work in various educational settings, while others may choose to work in medical institutions.

Athletic Trainers are generally employed by:

• Colleges & Universities
• Elementary & Secondary Schools
• Hospitals
• Fitness & Recreational Sports Centers
• Offices of Physicians & Therapists
• Rehabilitation Clinics or Corporations
• Law Enforcement
• Military
• Performing Artists or Professional Sports Teams

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for Athletic Trainers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Athletic Trainer.

• Long hours spent in standing while observing athletes during practice
• Frequent travel with teams away from home
• Stress due to potential for emergency care and quick decisions as well as the pressure to quickly get top athletes back from injury onto the playing field

By working with teams, Athletic Trainers learn the essential communication skills of working with Physicians, Coaches, Athletic Directors, and Athletes. Experience in sports medicine and orthopedic injuries will give you an edge over other prospects.

Athletic Trainers need at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Around 70 percent of Athletic Trainers have a master’s degree or a doctorate. Degree programs have classroom and clinical components, including science and health-related courses, such as biology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and nutrition. Post-professional and residency Athletic Trainers programs are viable options for prospective Athletic Trainers.

Athletic Trainers are sometimes confused with personal trainers, but the education, skillset, job duties, and typical patients of Athletic Trainers are quite different. Becoming an Athletic Trainer demands extensive education including graduating from an accredited Athletic training curriculum, as well as additional certification and licensing.

Successful certification programs serve and protect the public welfare by investigating individuals that practice outside of the program’s Code of Ethics. They help a profession secure its future by earning trust and respect.

A government-approved license or certification is a must as is CPR and First Aid Certification. You will be required to take a drug screening test. A successful candidate for certification must pass a rigorous examination.

Individual government entities do licensing, and typically require the passage of an examination and interview in addition to fulfillment of eligibility requirements, such as a minimum level of education, work experience, training, or the completion of an internship, residency, or apprenticeship.

Assistant Athletic Trainers may become Head Athletic Trainers, Athletic Directors, Physician or Hospital or Clinic Practice Administrators. In any of these positions, they will assume a Management role.

Job prospects will be best for candidates with a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited program and the requisite certificates and licenses.

Athletic Trainers working in colleges and universities may pursue an advanced degree to increase their advancement opportunities. Most employers offer on-the-job training. To retain certification, credential holders must continue taking medical-related courses and adhere to the standards of practice.

Athletic Trainers are where sports and medicine meet. Athletic Trainers have to invest in the success of the athletes under their care.

Athletic Trainers are required for more Athletic competitions than ever before as more emphasis is being placed on safety through regulation. With Athletic Trainers in place, sports teams and groups often can save money on insurance costs.

More than 50 percent of Athletic Trainers work outside of school athletic settings, providing services to people of all ages.

As an Athletic Trainer, your work continually keeps you on your toes. But one thing remains the same no matter what you’re doing: seeing athletes overcome their injuries and ultimately return to succeed in their sport is the best feeling.

You're entitled to nothing; you ought to be grateful for everything; you have to work for what you want. If you’re going to achieve great things, you’ve got to develop habits in small ways.