Career Research Paper on Athletic Trainer

Introduction

The career I am researching is athletic training. I have had a love for athletic training since high school and decided to pursue this career path in college as well. The objective of this paper is to delve into the academics needed for the job, as well as the certifications, salaries, and much more information that people searching for the same type of job could find useful. The paper will include the education requirements, the certifications needed, details about the career, and how the career has evolved through the years.

Education and Certification Requirements

The current education requirement to be an athletic trainer is a bachelor’s degree; however, it was recently decided that you will need to have a master’s degree. “More than 70% of athletic trainers hold a master’s degree”. Therefore, if you currently hold a bachelor’s degree, you might be pushed to now complete a master’s program to catch up to the current number of graduates that hold a master’s degree. To be able to graduate with an athletic training degree, you should have completed “Biology, Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Statistics, Exercise Science or Exercise Physiology, and Nutrition” during your college journey. To grow your connections within the athletic training field, you should begin to shadow different athletic trainers in the area you are thinking about working in to get a hands-on look at what you will be doing when you graduate. Doing work shadows is a great way to meet people who are doing the same type of work you are considering for the future.

To become an athletic trainer, you must graduate with your degree and pass a test given by the Board of Certifications (BOC). You must meet the requirements set by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education to be eligible to take the exam to become a certified athletic trainer. “Candidates have a total of 4 hours to complete the exam” (BOC 26). The exam has 175 multiple-choice questions, a mix between scored and unscored questions, with the unscored questions being experimental. After the multiple-choice questions, candidates are given scenarios with 5 questions to answer based on each scenario. Some reputable organizations that provide the certifications are the Board of Certifications and the Commission of Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.

Career Opportunities and Work Environment

With an athletic training degree, you can pursue many different occupations. Some of the jobs you can obtain include “High School Athletic Trainer, Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, Team Physician, Exercise Physiologist, Sports Dietician, etc.” The list of jobs is extensive; having an athletic training degree does not mean you can only be an athletic trainer at a high school or university. The degree offers more diverse opportunities. Common patients that athletic trainers work with are athletes, and athletic trainers mostly report to the team physician if advice is needed for an injury. Common work environments include football games, basketball games, soccer games, and practices for most sports, among others. As the number of injuries in sports has increased, the demand for athletic trainers has risen. Athletic trainers have been known to work in many environments beyond the outdoors, with some working alongside physicians as well.

Third-party reimbursement is affected by different insurance companies in athletics based on the services they provide. The average salary for an athletic trainer is reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to be $49,280 per year, and the opportunity for advancement is based on the amount of education completed and the experience gained. Some positive aspects of athletic training include watching various types of sports and helping injured individuals rehabilitate to play again. However, some negative aspects are that you stay busy with many athletes and must manage interactions with multiple people simultaneously.

Social Trends and Future of the Profession

Some effects that social trends have had on the profession include the misconception that medication can fix all problems when physical activity could resolve many issues. However, many people prefer quick fixes through medication. Additionally, some believe that maintaining a poor diet and not working out can still lead to a healthy lifestyle, which is not the case. The profession has changed over the last decade, with increased knowledge about injuries compared to 10 years ago. These advancements have made it easier and less painful for athletic trainers to treat and diagnose injuries. Future changes could include the development of robots capable of taking digital x-rays and diagnosing injuries without human intervention, potentially pushing athletic trainers into other roles. Athletic training will continue to be needed as the number of people playing sports increases, leading to more sports-related injuries.

Conclusion

Athletic training is a broad occupation that includes many different jobs beyond merely being on the sidelines watching for injuries. The demand for athletic trainers is rising as the population grows and more people engage in sports. To be an athletic trainer, one must undergo extensive schooling and training. Researching the field has increased my interest in exploring more information about the career, solidifying my desire to become an athletic trainer, especially knowing that there are various career options available, even outside traditional outdoor settings.

References

Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC). (n.d.). Examination information. Retrieved from www.bocatc.org

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). (n.d.). Accreditation standards. Retrieved from www.caate.net

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Occupational outlook handbook: Athletic trainers. Retrieved from www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/athletic-trainers.htm