Athletic Trainers
Additional Information
Duties
The following are typical duties of an athletic trainer:
- Tape, bandages, and braces can be used to protect or prevent harm.
- Injuries should be spotted and evaluated.
- First aid or emergency treatment can be given in the event of an emergency.
- Implement injury-recovery programs for sportspeople.
- Implement comprehensive strategies to reduce the risk of athlete injury and sickness.
- Perform clerical duties, such as maintaining records and compiling reports on injuries and treatment plans.
People of various ages and ability levels can be helped by athletic trainers, from infants to soldiers, and even professional athletes. When an injury occurs on the field, athletic trainers are often the first medical professionals on the scene. Working alongside a qualified physician, they often discuss particular injuries or treatment alternatives or evaluate and treat patients as ordered by the physician. There are certain athletic trainers that have regular consultations with a team doctor or consulting physician.
There may be frequent meetings between an athletic director and a trainer to discuss budgeting, buying, policy implementation, and other business-related concerns. In football, for example, an athletic trainer could make sure that the rules regarding concussions in players are followed by the team. Athletic trainers are responsible for making sure that these rules are followed.
It is important to distinguish between athletic trainers and fitness instructors, including personal trainers.
Education
In order to work as an athletic trainer, you'll normally need a bachelor's degree from a recognized athletic training education program (CAATE). Many athletic trainers have a master's degree, despite the fact that some positions are open to those with a bachelor's degree.
A bachelor's degree in science or health is usually required for admission to sports trainer master's programs. Teaching methods include both classroom and clinical components, as well as education in injury prevention, therapeutic techniques and nutrition.
Anatomy, physiology, and physics should be required courses for high school students interested in pursuing a career in sports training after graduation.
Registration, Certification, and Licenses.
The licensing or certification criteria for sports trainers differ from state to state. Consult the licensing board in your state for further information on specific criteria.
In most jurisdictions, athletic trainers are licensed via the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers (BOC). The BOC test and a CAATE-accredited curriculum are the only requirements for certification. Athletic trainers who wish to keep their certifications must adhere to the BOC Standards of Professional Practice and pursue ongoing education.
Characteristics of Critical Importance
Compassion. An athletic trainer's job includes working with athletes and patients who are in substantial pain. While providing therapy, trainers need to be compassionate.
The ability to make decisions. Patients' health and well-being are at stake when athletic trainers make therapeutic choices.
Focused on specifics. To be effective, athletic trainers must keep detailed records on each of their patients' development and confirm they are receiving the proper therapies or following the suitable exercise program.
The ability to interact with others. In order to deal with tough situations, athletic trainers need good interpersonal skills. Athletes and their parents, as well as physicians, patients, and coaches, must be able to communicate effectively with them.
Advancement
It is possible for assistant athletic trainers to advance to the positions of head athletic trainer, athletic director, or medical director in a facility such as a hospital or clinic. They will be in charge in one of these capacities. If you're an athletic trainer at a college or university, you may want to consider pursuing an advanced degree.
Pay
The median annual wage for athletic trainers was $60,250 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $45,380, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $84,100.
Job Projections
Employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.