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How do I get into athletic training?

I am a sophomore in highschool and I am highly interested in sports medicine, more specifically athletic training. I don't know where to even begin for this profession and am looking for guidance!

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Rachael’s Answer

Hi Molly, I have been an Athletic Trainer for 5 years and here is what I recommend. Some high schools offer an Intro to Athletic Training/Sports Medicine course taught by their athletic trainer. Ask your guidance counselor if that is an option at your school. When I was in high school the only class offered was an intro to athletic training course where we learning basic taping, emergency care skills, first aid and CPR certification etc. I can imagine high schools are now offering more elective courses for those who would like to go into healthcare in the future. Additionally, talk to the athletic trainer at your high school about opportunities for shadowing and ask them questions about the field of athletic training. Some high school athletic trainers allow students to shadow or help out as "student assistants" with tasks like filling water, setting up the field for practices, taping, wound care and first aid. Talking to your athletic trainer about the profession and what their day to day is like in this job can help you decide if this is a career you'd like to pursue.

Additionally, check out resources on the CAATE website. This is the commission on accreditation of athletic training education, they have resources for what athletic training is, what we do, accredited undergraduate and graduate programs, etc. Good luck!

Rachael recommends the following next steps:

Check out CAATE website
Talk to your highschool athletic trainer about their career and the profession
Look into sports medicine courses offered at your high school
Thank you comment icon I appreciate this, thank you for the advice. Molly
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Chris’s Answer

For some quick background, I have been an athletic trainer for seven years, and I am currently the coordinator of clinical education for athletic training at a university in northern Kentucky.

Athletic training just moved to an entry-level masters degree. This means that you would need both an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree in order to become a certified athletic trainer. rachele‘s answer is very good. All I would add is that you should find an accredited program that has a 3+2 option. This means that you would be able to complete both your undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. The shaves one year from a more traditional route of getting a four-year undergraduate degree and a two-year graduate degree.

With respect to Paul, his answer is absolutely incorrect. Athletic training is an allied healthcare profession. We are recognized as healthcare providers. Physical education teachers and sport coaches are not the same as an athletic trainer. I believe he is referring to personal trainers or even strength and conditioning coaches.

While all of the careers that have been mentioned here fall under the sports medicine umbrella, each of them have a very distinct pathway.

Chris recommends the following next steps:

https://caate.net/
https://nku.edu/academics/chhs/programs/graduate/athletictraining.html
Thank you comment icon Chris, thank you! Molly
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Alan’s Answer

Hi Molly, I have been an Athletic Trainer for over 40 years and have been involved in all aspects of Athletic Training from high school to professional sports. I treat injured performers on Broadway and have been working with performing artists for many years. Many high schools do have a beginning athletic training class that would be beneficial to investigate if your school has one. Many high schools also do internships with students as student trainers.

There are many different aspects of athletic training that you might not be aware of. Those can be found on the NATA website under COPA. You may be surprised to see things you had not thought of that may be interesting to you. You might also want to consider Physical Therapy school as that can also land you in the same field, but may give you additional opportunities.

Feel free to reach out anytime if you'd like to.

Alan
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the advice. Molly
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Paul’s Answer

Athletic training is a good field to work in but it is not considered medical care in the USA. The easiest way for you to find the proper path for you is to seek out any physical education teachers or coaches that you know and ask them for recomendations for the best path f or you to follow2.Paul S.Treuhaft, MD, MA
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