Athletic Trainers

Athletic trainers are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to optimize activity and participation of patients and clients. Athletic training encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and intervention of emergency, acute, and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations, and disabilities.

Typical patients and clients served by athletic trainers include

• recreational, amateur and professional athletes;
• individuals who have suffered musculoskeletal injuries;
• clients seeking strength, conditioning, fitness, and performance enhancement; and
• patients referred by the physician.

Institutions where athletic training services are provided include

• athletic training facilities;
• schools (K12, colleges, universities);
• amateur, professional, and Olympic sports venues;
• clinics;
• hospitals;
• physician offices; and
• community, recreational, and fitness facilities.

Athletic trainers also work in environments such as the performing arts (groups/companies); industrial, commercial, governmental, military, and law enforcement work settings; the movie industry (on the sets); rodeos; extreme sports; and auto racing.

Athletic trainers work under the direction of physicians and are clinically and academically qualified to medically treat patients and clients of all ages in any physical setting. The U.S. Department of Labor and the American Medical Association classify athletic trainers as allied health professionals. Their official title is certified athletic trainer (ATC) or athletic trainer (AT). All certified or licensed athletic trainers must have a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited college or university to practice.

Athletic trainers receive a baccalaureate degree with an academic major in athletic training. The bachelor's degrees are in the premedical sciences, kinesiology, exercise physiology, biology, exercise science, or physical education. A similar graduate degree with a major in athletic training is also awarded for entry into the profession. Academic programs are accredited through an independent process by the Commission of Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

The following educational content standards are required for athletic training degree programs. As part of the Basic and Applied Sciences portion of the degree, students must receive formal instruction in the following specific subject matter areas: human anatomy, physics, human physiology, statistics and research design, chemistry, exercise physiology, biology, kinesiology/biomechanics, and rehabilitation.

The professional content of the degree must include formal instruction in the areas of risk management and injury prevention, pathology of injuries and illness, orthopedic clinical examination and diagnosis, medical conditions and disabilities, [Page 121]acute care of injuries and illnesses, therapeutic modalities, conditioning, rehabilitative exercise and referral, pharmacology, psychosocial intervention and referral, nutritional aspects of injuries and illnesses, and health care administration.

Nearly 70% of certified/licensed athletic trainer credential holders have a master's degree or higher advanced degree. Reflective of the broad base of skills valued by the athletic training profession, these master's degrees may be in athletic training (clinical), education, exercise physiology, counseling, health care administration, or health promotion. This majority of practitioners who hold advanced degrees are comparable with other allied health care professionals.

Athletic trainers are regulated and licensed health care workers. While practice oversight varies by state, athletic trainers practice under state statutes recognizing them as health care professionals similar to physical therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech language professionals, and others. Athletic trainers are generally categorized as physical medicine and rehabilitation providers. Athletic training licensure/regulation exists in 46 states, with aggressive efforts under way to pursue licensure in the remaining states and to update outdated licensure practice acts.

...