What is Athletic Training exactly?
Athletic Trainers have been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as Allied Health Care professionals since 1990. Athletic trainers (ATs) are highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athletic trainers work under the direction of a physician as prescribed by state licensure statutes.
Athletic Trainers (ATs) are sometimes confused with personal trainers. There is, however, a large difference in the education, skillset, job duties and patients of an athletic trainer and a personal trainer. The athletic training academic curriculum and clinical training follows the medical model.
Athletic trainers must graduate from an accredited baccalaureate or master?s program, and pass a National Board of Certification Exam that is governed by the NATABOC. Once certified, all ATs must maintain continuing education units (50 hours) biannually.
On average, 70% of ATs have a master?s degree and currently there is a new mandate to make the entry level degree for all future AT students a Masters Degree starting in 2022. All current ATs will be "grand-fathered" and will not be required to obtain a Masters Degree if they do not currently have one.
The undergraduate training for all Certified Athletic Trainers requires extensive clinical hours requirements (specific to each individual academic institution) and is built upon the Five Main Domains of Education in Athletic Training:
- Injury/Illness Prevention and Wellness Protection
- Clinical Evaluation and Diagnosis of Injuries
- Care
- Treatment, Management and Rehabilitation of Injuries/Conditions
- Organizational/Professional Health & Well-being
The traditional job setting for an AT would be as a part of an Athletic Department in a high school or a college/university. Currently, however there are several common job settings including but not limited to:
- Public and private secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and Olympic sports
- Youth leagues, municipal and independently owned youth sports facilities
- Physician practice, similar to nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists and other professional clinical personnel
- Rural and urban hospitals, hospital emergency rooms, urgent and ambulatory care centers
- Clinics with specialties in sports medicine, cardiac rehab, medical fitness, wellness and physical therapy
- Occupational health departments in commercial settings, which include manufacturing, distribution and offices to assist with ergonomics
- Police and fire departments and academies, municipal departments, branches of the military
- Performing arts including professional and collegiate level dance and music
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