Your Transition To Practice Guide

Starting your career as a newly certified athletic trainer is exciting, but it can also bring real anxiety. You’re stepping into high-stakes environments, learning to function as a health care professional with autonomy for the first time. Your compensation, work-life balance or uncertainty about your setting don’t need to add to those concerns. This broad list of tools will support you through interviews, compensation evaluation, workplace expectations and professional growth. Read on for more resources designed to help you navigate your early career. 

Tools To Help You Navigate Your First Year

Interviewing With Confidence: Finding the Right Fit

Developed by the NATA Early Professionals’ Committee, these evidence-based interview questions can help you identify workplace culture, growth opportunities and supervisor expectations.

Key Takeaway: Thoughtful questions prepare you to assess whether a potential employer is the right fit for you. Interviews are a two-way conversation: the employer evaluates you, but you also evaluate their culture, expectations and support. Ask about day-to-day expectations for your role and what long-term potential opportunities it holds for your career down the road. 

Understanding Compensation Beyond Salary

Co-developed by EPC and the NATA Career Advancement Committees, this compensation white paper breaks down compensation, including benefits, CEU support, retirement, workloads and advancement expectations.

Key Takeaway: Compensation includes more than just salary, and you should evaluate the full package, including benefits, retirement contributions, paid leave, continuing education support, wellness programs and other fringe offerings. Understanding these pieces to make informed career decisions to set up success in your future years.

Safety First: Emergency Action Plan Expectations

The NATA Emergency Action Plan Development and Implementation in Sport Emergency Action Plan Position Statement outlines what every setting must have for safe emergency response.

Key Takeaway: Every sport setting needs a written, venue-specific EAP to ensure rapid, coordinated care. An effective EAP prepares responders for any catastrophic injury by outlining roles, emergency equipment locations, communication procedures and EMS access details. Refer to this document to make sure your EAP is patient-focused and up to date.

Evaluating Different Job Settings

The NATA Timely Topics event “The State of Athletic Training Employment and the Early Professional” outlines expectations in secondary schools, clinics, colleges and emerging settings to help you pick the right environment for you. 

Key Takeaway: Early professionals thrive when they assess their values and align roles accordingly. Self-reflection – to understand your personal values, goals and non-negotiables – is critical to choosing or changing jobs. With more than 40 practice settings and a rapidly expanding market, you can narrow overwhelming options by identifying what matters most, from schedule needs to professional development opportunities.

Quick Tips for a Successful Transition To Practice

• Seek mentorship early. 
• Check out the NATA Member Resource Library (members only) and NATA Now to brush up on soft skills. (Not an NATA member? Find out how NATA membership could serve you.) 
• Continue developing clinical and communication skills.
• Advocate for yourself during onboarding.
• Engage with the AT community on NATA’s Gather platform.

Start Your Athletic Training Career With Confidence

You’re not in this alone: NATA’s resources can help you navigate job decisions, advocate for fair compensation, prepare for emergencies and build a sustainable career path.

Learn more about how NATA supports athletic trainers, and explore our resources, networking opportunities and advocacy efforts.