What Is an Athletic Trainer in Sports Medicine?

Athletic trainers in sports medicine provide immediate and ongoing medical care to athletes who suffer injuries. These health professionals are integral to sports programs at the collegiate and professional level. Duties include providing highly specialized injury care, prevention methods, rehabilitation and nutritional guidance. Athletic trainers practicing sports medicine earn several educational degrees and must pass a certification examination administered by a national governing body.

  1. Job Description

    • Athletic trainers in sports medicine are accredited health care professionals recognized by the American Health Association. Athletic trainers practicing sports medicine are required personnel during sporting events at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. Trainers are usually the first medical person to treat a player injured during a sporting event. A trainer's main role is to assess and treat injuries and oversee rehabilitation. The profession is governed by the National Athletic Trainers Association, which certifies all practitioners.

    Education

    • Athletic trainers practicing sports medicine are required to earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. More than 70 percent of athletic trainers hold a master's degree, according to the NATA. Large universities and well-known medical schools provide athletic training and sports medicine curriculum as a major course of study. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 350 college and universities offered these educational majors in 2009.

    Salary

    • Approximately 25,000 people are employed as athletic trainers in the U.S., according to the NATA. Starting salaries average between $22,000 and $35,000 per year. A 2009 BLS wage survey shows the national average annual salary for athletic trainers is more than $44,000. Athletic trainers working in sports medicine programs and at the college and professional levels earn sigificantly higher salaries. Job growth is expected at 37 percent annually through 2018, according to the BLS.

    Additional Requirements

    • A prospective athletic trainer working in sports medicine must pass a rigorous and comprehensive examination administered by the NATA. A trainer cannot work in sports medicine without passing this certification examination. Trainers are required to attend continuing education courses--including those in anatomy, physiology, anatomy, kinesology and nutrition--to remain certified.

    Other Roles

    • Athletic trainers perform daily clinical tasks, including injury protection and prevention, emergency care and injury rehabilitation. Athletic trainers meet with physicians many times to discuss and evaluate patient treatment and implement rehabilitation plans. Adminstrative duties are also part of the work routine.

    Misconceptions

    • An athletic trainer practicing sports medicine is often confused with personal trainers, who provide physical fitness services at local gyms or fitness centers. However, athletic trainers are highly educated and trained health care providers who are supervised by physicians and directly administer and evaluate medical treatment.

    Work Environment

    • Athletic trainers in sports medicine work on the field, sidelines and in locker room treatment areas. They should expect to have longer hours as their responsibilities grow. Athletic trainers practicing sports medicine at the Division I collegiate and professional levels can work six to seven days per week depending on the sports season. Workdays might last up to 12 hours.