Health Career: Athletic Trainer
Who are athletic trainers, and what do they do?
Athletic trainers have the best seats in the house at sporting events. They are health professionals who work with athletes from sports teams and organizations to prevent, recognize, treat and rehabilitate sports-related injuries. They provide first aid and non-emergency medical services at sporting events and practices and help team members get the long-term medical help they may need.
How do athletic trainers typically spend their workday?
As an athletic trainer you will work with health professionals and all members of sports teams at a high school, college or professional sports level. You may also lead sports medicine clinics. You will commonly attend all of your team's practices and games and provide necessary medical care to the team's players, so your job will require some travel. Some of your duties include icing and rehabilitating minor injuries, dressing wounds and sprains and educating injured team members about appropriate rehabilitative care. You may teach health-related classes if you work for a high school or college sports team. At the college level, a team doctor oversees your work, and you will be expected to handle medical emergencies, including giving CPR and calling 911 for immediate medical help.
What does it take to be a good athletic trainer?
Do you like sports and are you interested in helping athletes stay healthy? Then you would make a great athletic trainer. You should be interested in learning about medicine and human anatomy, including muscle and bone systems. You should be able to make quick decisions under pressure, and you must also be willing to work irregular hours, including weekends and evenings, and frequently travel with your job.
What are some health-related jobs that are similar to that of an athletic trainer?
Licensed practical nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist.
Helpful links and more information:
- National Athletic Trainers’ Association
- AthleticTrainer.com
- Board of Certification — Athletic Trainer
- Athletic Training Fact Sheet
