• Athletic trainers help prevent and treat injuries for people of all ages.
• Their patients and clients include everyone from professional athletes to industrial workers.
• Athletic trainers specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.
• Athletic trainers, as one of the first healthcare providers on the scene when injuries occur, must be able to recognize, evaluate, and assess injuries and provide immediate care when needed.
• Athletic trainers should not be confused with fitness trainers or personal trainers, who are not healthcare workers, but rather train people to become physically fit.
• Athletic trainers try to prevent injuries by educating people on how to reduce their risk for injuries and by advising them on the proper use of equipment, exercises to improve balance and strength, and home exercises and therapy programs.
• They also help apply protective or injury-preventive devices such as tape, bandages, and braces.
• Athletic trainers may work under the direction of a licensed physician, and in cooperation with other healthcare providers.
• The extent of the direction ranges from discussing specific injuries and treatment options with a physician to performing evaluations and treatments as directed by a physician.
• Some athletic trainers meet with the team physician or consulting physician once or twice a week; others interact with a physician every day.
• Athletic trainers often have administrative responsibilities.
• These may include regular meetings with an athletic director, physician practice manager, or other administrative officer to deal with budgets, purchasing, policy implementation, and other business-related issues.

• Job growth will be concentrated in the healthcare industry, including hospitals and offices of health practitioners.
• Fitness and recreation sports centres also will provide new jobs, as these establishments grow and continue to need additional athletic trainers to provide support for their clients.
• Growth in positions with sports teams will be somewhat slower, however, as most professional sports clubs and colleges and universities already have complete athletic training staffs.
• The demand for healthcare, with an emphasis on preventive care, should grow as the population ages and as a way to reduce healthcare costs.
• Increased licensure requirements and regulation has led to a greater acceptance of athletic trainers as qualified healthcare providers.
• As a result, third-party reimbursement is expected to continue to grow for athletic training services.
• Athletic trainers will benefit from this expansion because they provide a cost-effective way to increase the number of health professionals in an office or other setting.
• In some States, there are efforts underway to have an athletic trainer in every high school to work with student-athletes, which may lead to growth in the number of athletic trainers employed in high schools.
• In addition, as more young athletes specialize in certain sports, there is increasing demand for athletic trainers to deal with repetitive stress injuries.
• As athletic trainers continue to expand their services, more employers are expected to use these workers to reduce healthcare costs by preventing work-related injuries.
• Athletic trainers can help prevent injuries and provide immediate treatment for many injuries that do occur.
• For example, some athletic trainers may be hired to increase the fitness and performance of police and fire-fighters.
• Job prospects should be good for athletic trainers in the healthcare industry and in high schools. Those looking for a position with a professional or college sports team may face competition.
• Because of relatively low turnover, the settings with the best job prospects will be the ones that are expected to have the most job growth, primarily positions in the healthcare and fitness and recreational sports centres industries.
• Additional job opportunities may arise in elementary and secondary schools as more positions are created.
• Some of these positions also will require teaching responsibilities.
• There are relatively few positions for professional and collegiate sports teams in comparison to the number of applicants.
• Turnover among professional sports team athletic trainers is also limited.
• Many athletic trainers prefer to continue to work with the same coaches, administrators, and players when a good working relationship already exists.

Other American Medical Association allied health professionals include Chiropractors; Emergency medical technicians and paramedics; Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses; Massage therapists; Occupational therapists; Physical therapists; Physicians and surgeons; Podiatrists; Recreational therapists; Registered nurses; Respiratory therapists;

• Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training
• Masters in Athletic Training
• Ph.D. in Athletic Training