Blog 1/Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers are also known as AT's. An athlete trainer has the job to be a health care professionals work who also work with physicians to help serve in the preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athlete Trainers are have very important jobs. They have to help care for the professional, college, secondary school and youth athletes, dancers, musicians and military personnel. Athletic trainers can work in schools, physician clinics, hospitals, and manufacturing plants.

Many ATs include formal instruction in injury/illness prevention, first aid and emergency care, assessment of injury/illness, human anatomy and physiology, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition. Most ATs have bachelors or masters degrees. Over 70% of certified athletic trainers hold at least a masters degree. You must also pass  the test administered by the Board of Certification. When training, trainers must work under the supervision of a physician. Certified athletic trainers are allied health care providers who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physically active. To become a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) one must graduate from a bachelors or masters degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) via the Joint Review Committee-Athletic Training (JRC-AT). Universities that offer CAATE accredited programs can be found here (click on Accredited Programs). This candidate must then pass the certification examination conducted by the Board of Certification (BOC). For additional information on becoming an certified athletic trainer please view the document Athletic Training Education Overview.

The salary of an athletic trainer is typically from $35,000 to $75,000 a year.