Look around you - people these days are on the move. We're learning more, trying more, doing more. And when the level of physical activity increases, the risk for injury rises as well. That's where the certified athletic trainer comes in: whether it's an athlete of any age or an industrial worker performing physical tasks or even an average citizen delving into recreational athletics, the certified athletic trainer can help.

 

Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are medical experts in preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating 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 can get you on the mend and keep you on the move.

 

Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession, and the AMA recommends certified athletic trainers in every high school to keep America's youth safe and healthy. Specifically, the ATC specializes in five practice areas or domains:

 

. Prevention of athletic injuries

. Recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries

. Rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries

. Health care administration

. Professional development

 

As part of a complete health care team, the certified athletic trainer works under the direction of a licensed physician and in cooperation with other health care professionals, athletics  administrators, coaches and parents. The ATC gets to know each athlete individually and can

treat injuries more effectively.

 

A certified athletic trainer's day may, for example, include these tasks:

 

. Prepare athletes for practice or competition, including taping, bandaging and bracing;

. Evaluate injuries to determine their management and possible referral;

. Develop conditioning programs;

. Implement treatment and rehabilitation programs.

 

These duties require extensive knowledge and strong decision-making skills obtained through the certified athletic trainer's experience and education.

 

 

Where Does a Certified Athletic Trainer Work?

Where are people active? That's where you can find certified athletic trainers.

What Education Does a Certified Athletic Trainer Need?

 

Students who want to become certified athletic trainers must earn a degree from an accredited athletic training curriculum or meet other requirements set by the BOC. A growing number of universities are gaining accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

 

Accredited entry-level education programs include formal instruction in a variety of 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

 

Classroom learning is enhanced through clinical education experiences. Under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer, students further develop their knowledge and skills in a wide range of settings, including scholastic sports, interscholastic sports, sports medicine clinics and other venues where ATCs work.

 

Many students earn their certification after completing the entry-level program. They continue their studies, however, at an NATA approved graduate education program.

 

 

 

 

 

What are the Qualifications to Become a Certified Athletic Trainer?

 

Certifying athletic trainers ensures high standards of professional practice. Certification by the NATA Board of Certification (BOC) is the entry-level credential and is required by most employers. To be eligible to sit for the certification exam, students are advised to earn a degree from an accredited entry-level athletic training curriculum. Students pursuing the internship route to certification, which will no longer be available in 2004, should consult the BOC website at

<www.BOC.org> for details about eligibility.

 

After interested candidates have met the curriculum requirements, they must then pass a three-part test administered by the BOC. The exam includes three sections:

 

·         Written

·         Written simulation

·         Practical

 

Those who pass the exam are certified, and their certification is retained as long as they meet the continuing education requirements set by the BOC. Continuing education requirements include:

 

·         Completion and reporting of a predetermined number of continuing education units including recertification in CPR at least once in each three-year term

·         Adherence to the BOC Standards of Professional Practice

·         Submission of annual BOC CEU maintenance fee or payment of NATA annual dues

 

Continuing education requirements are meant to insure that ATCs stay current in the advancements in athletic training. The purposes of the requirements are that ATCs continue to:

 

·         Obtain current professional development information

·         Explore new knowledge in specific content areas

·         Master new athletic training-related skills and techniques

·         Expand approaches to effective athletic training

·         Further develop professional judgment

·         Conduct professional practice in an ethical and appropriate manner

 

 

State Licensure & Regulation

 

In addition to certification, athletic trainers must meet individual state licensing requirements in a growing number of states. To determine if these added requirements apply, certified athletic  trainers must check with the states in which they practice.

 

 

What Financial Aid is Available for Education?

 

Students who are interested in an athletic training career can explore financial assistance through their educational institution's financial aid offices. These offices have information about many  possible sources of aid:

 

·         Scholarships

·         Basic educational opportunity grants

·         Federal educational opportunity grants

·         College work/study programs

·         National defense student loans

 

In addition, the NATA offers scholarships for its members through the NATA Research & Education Foundation. The Foundation has three scholarship categories:

 

·         Undergraduate for college students in their junior year

·         Curriculum for college students in the junior year of a curriculum program

·         Postgraduate for college students in the final year of undergraduate education or graduates of an undergraduate program

 

 

What is the National Athletic Trainers' Association?
 

NATA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing, encouraging and improving the athletic training profession. Through its commitment to improving athletes' health and well-being, NATA promotes excellence in athletic health care through public awareness and education.

 

When athletic trainers join NATA, they gain a variety of services:

 

·         Annual Meeting & Trade Show: The largest athletic training trade show in the United States, this four-day event includes educational workshops and clinical sessions featuring nationally recognized sports medicine experts.

 

·         NATA Publications: The monthly NATA News highlights national, regional and local news and includes articles on the latest issues affecting certified athletic trainers and other sports medicine professionals. The quarterly Journal of Athletic Training contains in-depth clinical and scientific research articles by experts in sports medicine as well as regular sports medicine columns.

 

·         Government Relations: NATA's government relations department monitors all levels of government for new legislation and initiatives that affect athletic training. The department also provides information on specific legislation and regulation to help NATA members understand  how the legislative process affects them.

 

·         Job Referral Services: NATA offers the most comprehensive athletic trainers' job referral service in the United States. Accessible by phone or computer, this service lists job openings in all athletic training settings and locations.

 

·         Public Relations: NATA has an extensive public awareness and education program to keep health care professionals and others up-to-date on the latest athletic training advances through press releases, brochures, videos, a speaker's bureau and an international public relations campaign.

 

For more information, contact:

NATA
Attn: Membership
2952 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247
214-637-6282
Fax 214-637-2206
www.nata.org
webdude@nata.org