An athletic trainer is not the same thing as a coach. As an athletic trainer, you will not be teaching sports or coaching teams. Instead, it will be your responsibility to ensure that your client’s injuries are treated, when they occur, or that injuries are prevented. In order to enter this field, you will need an Athletic Training Degree.
At the very least, you will need a bachelor’s degree, however a Master’s degree is better, and a doctorate is even preferred. It is also important to note that this is a very competitive field. Often, professional sports teams hire just one athletic trainer for the entire team. Many larger high schools will also have an athletic trainer on the payroll.
While it will not be your job to coach a team or an athlete in their chosen sport, it will be your job to properly train these athletes to help them avoid injury. Should they receive an injury, it will be your job to diagnose the injury and to treat it. You must also provide rehabilitation services for serious injuries.
Most states have licensing regulations for athletic trainers, and you will need to check with the state that you work in to make sure that you meet the requirements and obtain the license. In most cases, this license is obtained through the Board of Certification, or BOC. You must have the minimum required education in order to sit for the examination, and pass the examination to receive your certification.
With an athletic training degree, you can expect to make a decent living, but the more education that you have, the more you can expect to earn. The average income for an athletic trainer with a Master’s Degree is just $39,640 per year, and those with a Doctorate earn about $60,000 annually.
Athletic Training Degrees Resources
Course Title: Master of Science in Athletic Training
Name of Company: Seton Hall University
Location: South Orange, New Jersey, United States
Description: This is a master’s degree program, designed for those who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree, and the program focuses on medical care for athletes more than anything else.
Resources: http://www.shu.edu/academics/gradmeded/ms-athletic-training/index.cfm
Course Title: Athletic Training
Name of Company: Ohio State University School of Allied Medical Professionals
Location: 453 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, United States
Description: This is a competitive, three year program. The program only admits about 25 students each year, which results in intense instruction due to the small class sizes.
Resources: http://amp.osu.edu/AT/1346.cfm
Course Title: Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training
Name of Company: Barry University
Location: 11300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami Shores, Florida, United States
Description: This program results in a bachelor’s degree, and takes four years to complete, preparing the student for a career in the care of athletes, including prevention, rehabilitation, and assessment of injuries and condition.
Resources: http://www.barry.edu/athletictrainingbs/
Course Title: Kinesiology: Athletic Training
Name of Company: Ohlone College
Location: 43600 Mission Boulevard, Fremont, California, United States
Description: This program results in an Associate of Science in Athletic Training, which requires two years of study. This program should be taken in preparation of transferring to a four year program for a bachelor’s degree.
Resources: http://www.ohlone.edu/instr/kinesiology/
Course Title: Master of Science in Athletic Training
Name of Company: Shenandoah University
Location: 1460 University Drive, Winchester, Virginia, United States
Description: Through this master’s program, the student will be assigned to one of the college sports teams for hands on training.
Resources: http://www.su.edu/
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