On Oct. 15, the athletic training profession hosted a conversation titled “From Education to Practice: An Athletic Training Town Hall,” a 60-minute interactive conversation on the move from school or residency into a first professional role. The town hall discussed how new athletic trainers enter practice with strong knowledge, and what they most need is confidence – built through progressive autonomy, intentional onboarding and mentorship.
By Chris Smith, DAT, LAT, ATC
By Ciara Taylor, EdD, LAT, ATC, NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee Chair
By Pete Koeniges, DAT, LAT, ATC
By Michael Rice , MS, LAT, ATC
By Greg Garofalo, MS, LAT, ATC
In addition to salary and benefits, the 2026 NATA Compensation and Workforce Study looked beyond the paycheck to gain insight into the professional challenges and career perceptions athletic trainers are facing today.
By Dylan Orrell
The 2026 NATA Compensation and Workforce Study shows a profession that is increasingly diverse in where athletic trainers work and where they see opportunities for their careers to grow.
By Dylan Orrell
The 2026 NATA Compensation and Workforce Study provides an important look at compensation across the athletic training profession and the challenges athletic trainers continue to face.
Registration is open now through Feb. 6 for the June-to-June cohort of the new NATA Leadership Institute, a cohort-based program designed to intentionally develop leadership skills for athletic trainers across all practice settings.