Where does an athletic trainer work?
Are you picturing them on the sidelines of a professional sports game, providing hydration or evaluating an injured player on the field?
While they may be most visible to you on TV, you might be surprised to find out that only 2% of ATs work for professional sports teams.
So where do the other 98% work? Athletic trainers care for athletes and patients in a wide variety of workplaces providing critical healthcare services.
Athletic Trainers Provide Health Care Everywhere
Image source: NATA¹
March is National Athletic Training Month and the theme for 2022 is “Providing Health Care Everywhere”. Check out where “everywhere” is in this infographic.
7 Places Athletic Trainers Provide Care
Athletic trainers have years of educational background that equips them to work in a variety of environments. Here are some of the places where you might find them:
- Colleges and Universities
- Secondary Schools (High Schools)
- Clinics and Hospitals
- Professional Sports
- Military and Law Enforcement
- Industrial and Commercial
- Performing Arts
1. Colleges and Universities
The largest share of Athletic Trainers work in colleges and universities according to the NATA.² It's no surprise that so many ATs work on campuses with the many collegiate sports programs available and the NCAA requirements colleges need to follow to ensure safe and healthy athletes.
University ATs primarily fall into two categories.
- Athletic department staff
- Combination teacher/athletic trainer
They may:
- Work with student athletes in collegiate sports programs
- Work with students who are part of intermural or club sports
- Work in an on-campus workout facility or training center
- Work within a university health and wellness program
- Stay on site for practices and games in case of injury
- Teach athletic training education classes
- Supervise athletic training students
Learn more about college and Olympic AT Michele Latimer in this interview!
2. Secondary Schools (High Schools)
Another significant percentage of athletic trainers work in secondary schools. Some teach classes in addition to serving as the school’s athletic trainer. Others work as athletic trainers for the high school and spend some time performing services for middle schools and elementary schools within the same school district.
While college ATs often work as part of a larger team, many high school ATs are the only athletic trainer at the school. This allows them to oversee a range of activities and their own athletic training space. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends having a certified athletic trainer in every high school. And parents and administrators are also discovering the benefits an AT can offer for students while preventing and caring for injuries.
High school ATs perform a variety of duties including:
- Evaluating injuries and creating treatment plans
- Monitoring injury rehab
- Consulting with coaches and physicians to ensure proper protocols are being followed
- Educating students on a variety of health issues
- Staying on site for practices and games in case of injury
Learn more about high school ATs in this article on Medco's Catalog Cover ATs... Union High School!
3. Clinics and Hospitals
Hospitals and clinics are a growing setting for athletic trainers. This unique field offers ATs the opportunity to work with a variety of different health care professionals and a diverse patient population. Athletic trainers work in hospitals, clinics and orthopedic, family, pediatric, physiatry and sports medicine practices.<sup>7</sup> In addition to patient injury rehabilitation in the clinic, many clinics also provide AT services to high schools or colleges in their area via outreach programs and even conduct coaches' workshops!
ATs in clinics and hospitals provide a range of services including:
- Performing evaluations on patients
- Educating patients on injury rehabilitation and ways to improve their overall health
- Sharing injury prevention measures
- Consulting with physicians on patient treatments helping to ensure the treatment plan is followed by the patient
4. Professional Sports
Fewer ATs work for professional sports teams simply because of the limited number of teams. But this is an exciting and challenging field that allows athletic trainers to help some of the best athletes in the world. While teams only play competitively for a few months a year, athletic trainers work with the athletes year-round on conditioning and rehabilitation.
Athletic trainers for professional sports teams often:
- Evaluate injuries and decide on a treatment plan
- Advise athletes on preventative measures to help them avoid injury
- Stay on site for practices and games in case of injury
- Keep up with the latest advancements in the AT field to help improve athletes’ health
5. Military and Law Enforcement
This emerging field is growing as each branch of the U.S. military is increasing its use of athletic trainers. Most ATs being hired by the military today are independent contractors or part of the Government Civil Service system.
Those in the military and in law enforcement typically have physically active careers that benefit from access to ATs. They can prevent, evaluate, and treat on-the-job injuries from sprains and strains to concussions. Plus, ATs can help keep minor injuries from turning into major ones. It makes them a great asset to police departments, the FBI, military branches, and fire departments.
Athletic trainers can be found in a variety of places in the military including:
- As part of the healthcare team for active-duty service people
- On and off base fitness and wellness centers
- Pre-enlistment readiness programs
- New recruit readiness programs
- Military school sports teams
While working for law enforcement agencies or military branches, ATs perform a variety of duties including:
- Evaluating injuries and creating treatment plans
- Providing information on injury prevention measures
- Treating chronic, overuse, and stress-related injuries
- Being on site for physical training, sports practices, and competitions, and more in case of injury
6. Industrial and Commercial
Industrial and commercial businesses are also seeing the benefits of having an athletic trainer, either as a full-time AT or through an outreach clinic. Athletic trainers in these settings can help improve employees’ physical health, reduce injuries, and lessen downtime when injuries do occur through return-to-work programs. They help ensure employees are happy and productive and save businesses time and money.
In industrial settings, ATs can evaluate workstation setups, provide rehabilitation on site, and share health and wellness information. While in office buildings, they can identify ergonomic problems, screen employees for potential injuries, and advise workers on stretches and exercises to improve their health.
When working in an industrial or commercial setting, athletic trainers:
- Evaluate injuries and determine a treatment plan
- Provide injury prevention information
- Educate employees on health and wellness topics
- Identify and resolve ergonomic issues
7. Performing Arts
The performing arts is another emerging field for athletic trainers. Dancers, acrobatic artists, and others in the performing arts often have highly active jobs full of jumping, sprinting, lifting, and tricks. Athletic trainers can help promote safety and health by keeping performers in peak condition for performances and shows.
As an athletic trainer at a performing arts center, duties include:
- Performing injury evaluations and creating a treatment plan
- Providing injury prevention information
- Treating repetitive-use injuries
- Being on site for practices and performances in case of injury
Health Care Everywhere Recap
Athletic trainers provide health care everywhere. They are an integral part of care teams in a variety of settings. While the 7 places mentioned above are common places where many ATs work, there are many other places and emerging settings ATs provide care.
If you’re interested in becoming an athletic trainer, there are a variety of options available to fit your needs. Some ATs work evenings and weekends while others work more “typical” 9-5 office hours. Some travel frequently with school or professional sports teams, while others are based in a clinic, hospital, or performing arts center. And some work with children and teens, while others work with adults. Athletic trainers have the flexibility to work in a variety of settings, depending on what suits your interests or needs best.
No matter where athletic trainers are, they are helping athletes feel good, perform better, and live their best. And for that we thank them and celebrate them this National Athletic Training month and all year round!
References
- National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (2022). National Athletic Training Month. NATA. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3IQfikB
- National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (n.d.). Job Settings. NATA. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3s3kJGh
- Kent State University. (n.d.). 7 Potential Career Opportunities for Athletic Training Graduates. Kent State University. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3ugvmIE
- National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (n.d.). Athletic Training Career Information. NATA. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3gaiPht
- Heidloff, D. (March 2013). 10 Places You Didn’t Know Utilized Athletic Trainers. Athletico Physical Therapy. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3odlz1W
- National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (n.d.). Health Care Admin/Rehab. NATA. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3HhGybD
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