After years of discussion and brainstorming, the NATA Council on Practice Advancement will hold the first-ever NATA COPA Con 2021 Virtual Conference on Practice Advancement live from 2 to 6 p.m. CST March 26 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST March 27, and on-demand through April 27.

Focusing on the physician practice and health care administration settings, the goal of COPA Con 2021 is to shape attendees into better leaders in the clinic and hospital spaces and provide them with strategies to better showcase their value to employers.

Hiring athletic trainers to care for local public safety departments is gaining momentum in cities across the U.S. Because of the support and funding necessary to incorporate athletic training services into government budgets, finding their place in smaller communities to provide care might be intimidating to ATs. 

By Ellie Daniels, MSAT, LAT, ATC

The athletic training profession equips ATs with a diverse set of skills that allows them to work throughout health care. While some athletic trainers work directly with patients and athletes in the clinical setting, others can be found in hospital administration and occupational health.

Leah Friedland, MS, ATC, is the program leader for Workforce Health and Safety at Northwestern Medicine Hospital.

Athletic trainers have found themselves in unique positions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been able to work alongside other health care professionals assisting in a variety of capacities. Whether checking temperatures, testing possible coronavirus-positive people or integrating telehealth, ATs have proved their value.