Athletic Trainers-Certifications and Functions – Part 1

An athletic trainer is a health professional who is trained to help prevent injuries and to treat injuries in people of all ages. An athletic trainer should not be confused with a personal trainer. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement to become an athletic trainer. There are quite a few athletic trainers that will hold a master’s degree or even a doctoral degree.

Upon completion of their education, forty six states require the student to pass a rigorous certification exam. This will give them a license to work as an athletic trainer in their state.

Once a trainer is licensed, he or she must continue to take courses in medical related topics to continue their certification. The certified athletic trainer must take a total of 80 hours of continuing education credits every three years to keep their certification.

An athletic trainer will work under the direct supervision of a physician and in collaboration with other members of a professional health care team. The function of the athletic trainer is to help prevent injuries in athletes. The athletic trainer is also responsible for assessing injuries as they occur during a game or practice. The trainer will also work with the athlete to get him or her rehabilitated without further injury.

They can work in a variety of settings. One place you may find athletic trainers is at a secondary public or private school setting. The American Medical Association recommends that an athletic trainer be present in every high school for sports teams.

Resources:

Indiana Wesleyan University: MS Athletic Training

http://www.iwusuccess.com/program-detail.php?id=40&utm_source=GoogleAdwords&utm_medium=SEMTextAd&utm_campaign=LocalAES-SEM-MSAT

West Liberty University: Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training

http://westliberty.edu/prospective-students/bachelor-of-science-in-athletic-training/?gclid=CIfalP-OircCFYPd4AodO3QAlA

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control: Athletic Trainers

http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/regs/docs/61-96.pdf

Metropolitan State University of Denver: Athletic Training

http://www.msudenver.edu/hps/majorsconcentrations/athletictrainingmajor/

American medical Association: Athletic Trainer

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/40/ah03-athletic-trainer.pdf

MayoClinic: Athletic Training