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The Certified Athletic Trainer:

                      
   

Physical Therapy

                        
               

The certified athletic trainer (ATC) is an allied health care professional who is specialized in prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries that occur during sport or physical activities.

As part of a sports medicine team of health care professionals, the certified athletic trainer works under the direction of a licensed physician in cooperation with orthopedists, physical therapists, massage therapists, dietitians and others. Also, an ATC cooperates with athletics administrators, coaches and parents.

          
   

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Athletic Training

            
                         
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      Education Requirements:                      
                           
      To become a certified athletic trainer it is required at least a bachelor's degree, usually in athletic training, from an accredited undergraduate education program. The majority of athletic trainers, though, hold an advanced degree.

Entry-level education programs include formal instruction in areas such as:

  • Prevention of injuries and illness
  • Assessment and evaluation of injury/illness
  • Emergency care
  • Therapeutic modalities
  • Therapeutic exercise
  • Athletic training program administration
  • Human anatomy and physiology
  • Exercise physiology
  • Kinesiology/biomechanics
  • Nutrition
  • Psychology
  • Pharmacology
  • Pathology
  • Health care administration

Athletic training curriculum also include courses in:

  • Risk management and injury prevention
  • Pathology of injury and illnesses
  • Assessment and evaluation
  • Acute care of injury and illness
  • Pharmacology
  • Therapeutic modalities
  • Therapeutic exercise
  • General medical conditions and disabilities
  • Nutritional aspects of injury and illness
  • Psychosocial intervention and referral
  • Health care administration
  • Professional development and responsibilities

Part of the academic curriculum is the clinical experience which, under the supervision of an "approved clinical instructor", should be no less than two academic years. A clinical academic course could include a laboratory class, an internship, a practicum, and/or a field experience course. Settings for the clinical experience may be hospitals, emergency rooms, sports medicine clinics, high schools or universities sports events and athletic training rooms.

         
               
               
               
    Physical Therapy Solutions would like to "Thank" the community of Grayson County for their tremendous support regarding our athletic training program.  Without this type of support, Physical Therapy Solutions would not be able to provide free athletic training services for GCMS & GCHS.            
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                                                       
                Certification:                    
                                   
                After completing the required education programs, students must pass an examination by the Board of Certification (BOC) to become a certified athletic trainer.

The candidate must pass a three part exam: a written part with multiple choice questions; a practical section that evaluates the skill components of the domains within athletic training; and a written simulation test, consisting of athletic training related situations designed to approximate real-life decision making and evaluates athletic trainers' ability to resolve cases similar to those they might encounter in actual practice.

Once certified, the ATC must maintain continuing education (or CEU), and meet individual state regulatory or licensure requirements in most states.

          
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                                                       
                Job Settings and Responsibilities:                    
                                   
                The motto is "Where are people active? That's where you can find certified athletic trainers". Whether it is to assist injured athletes or prevent injury, to assist active people or help them stay healthy, a certified athletic trainer can find a field of practice. Here are some job settings as suggested by the NATA:
  • Secondary schools: Public and private secondary schools offer special job opportunities for ATCs. Parents and administrators are discovering the benefits an athletic trainer certified can offer in preventing and caring for injuries. Many of them also teach classes at the high school level.
  • Colleges and universities: Certified athletic trainers jobs in colleges generally fall into two categories: Athletic department and staff assignment.
  • Combination teacher/athletic trainer: Employment in this setting remains stable with little turnover. A majority of colleges and universities now require a master's degree for employment.
  • Professional sports: In this setting, certified athletic trainers work only one sport, such as football, baseball, basketball, hockey or soccer. Although teams operate only a few months per year, ATCs work year-round conditioning and rehabilitating athletes. Fewer jobs are available in this practice setting due to the limited number of teams.
  • Sports Medicine Clinics: This growing setting provides certified athletic trainers the opportunity to work with a number of different health care professionals and a diverse patient population. In addition to athletic injury rehabilitation, many clinics provide athletic training services for secondary schools.

Other possible athletic training employment opportunities include corporate health programs, health clubs, clinical and industrial health care programs and athletic training education programs.