Career Blog: Athletic Trainer

Athletic Trainers

Work:

Athletic trainers are highly qualified health professionals who are trained to prevent, recognize, manage, and rehabilitate injuries that result from physical activity. Athletic trainers can help you avoid unnecessary medical treatment and disruption of normal daily life; if you're injured, they are trained to work with your healthcare provider to get you on the mend and keep you on the move. 

Salaries:

• Youth sports (up 41%, to $46,296)
• Professional sports (up 31%, to $50,515)
• High schools (up 16%, to $42,442)
• Hospitals (up 15%, to $54,292)
• Performing arts (up 15%, to $56,135)
• Government settings (up 9%, to $50,71

Working Conditions:

Athletic trainers work environment isn't always the same. Athletic trainers may work under a licensed physician and work with other health care providers. The high school, college or professional team that the athletic trainer works gives an idea of the work environment. Many athletic trainers work indoors most of the time like at indoor sport events or at an office and others work outside at outdoor sport events or practices. Being an athletic trainer requires standing for long period of time, working with medical equipment and being able to walk, run, kneel, stoop or crawl. Trainers must be able to travel for sports team. Schedules for athletic trainers vary because of work settings. Athletic trainers that work in an office or private practice usually work about 40-50 hours per week with nights and weekend off. Athletic trainers that work in hospitals or clinics may spend part of their time working at the hospital or clinics, and the other part of their time they working at other locations such as high school or colleges helping any athletes that are hurt or got hurt during practice that day. They also go to high schools, colleges or commercial businesses to provide athletic training services and talking to them about preventing injuries. certified athletic trainer works under the direction of a physician and in cooperation with other healthcare professionals, athletics administrators, coaches and parents. The certified athletic trainer gets to know each patient/client individually and can treat injuries more effectively.

Athletic Trainers Professional Settings:

• Professional and collegiate sports
• Secondary and intermediate schools
• Sports medicine clinics
• Hospital emergency rooms and rehab clinics
• Occupational settings
• Performing arts
• Law enforcement and military 
• Physician offices   

References:

http://www.nata.org/athletic-training

http://caate.net/becoming-an-athletic-trainer/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletic_training