What is an Athletic Trainer?

 

An athletic trainer is a medical professional who has completed a Master’s program in athletic training. This provides them with an athletic trainer certification, and makes them experts in a great number of areas. They specialize in the prevention of injuries and promoting wellness, recognition/evaluation/diagnosis of injury, immediate and emergency care of injuries, therapeutic interventions, rehabilitation, and reconditioning of injured individuals, and being qualified in healthcare administration and professional responsibility. The subjects you will study in your college program have a medical focus. They include anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, athletic training, nutrition. preventing injury, assessing injuries, therapeutic modalities, first aid, emergency care, psychosocial strategies, and healthcare administration. You may also do a clinical rotation with an athletic team. Once you graduate from an accredited program, you can sit for the certification exam conducted by the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. The test is not only of knowledge, but also on your ability to apply it, make decisions, and perform appropriate actions.