Athletic Trainer

Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.
Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.

Important Qualities

Compassion. Athletic trainers work with athletes and patients who may be in considerable pain or discomfort. The trainers must be sympathetic while providing treatments.

Decision-making skills. Athletic trainers must make informed clinical decisions that could affect the health or livelihood of patients.

Detail oriented. Athletic trainers must record patients’ progress accurately and ensure that they are receiving the appropriate treatments or practicing the correct fitness regimen.

Interpersonal skills. Athletic trainers must have strong interpersonal skills in order to manage difficult situations. They must communicate well with others, including physicians, patients, athletes, coaches, and parents.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		97%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		96%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		93%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		90%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		90%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		88%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		87%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		83%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		82%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		81%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		78%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		76%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		76%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		74%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		74%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		71%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		95%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		72%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
		56%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		83%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		83%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		70%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		56%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		72%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		72%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		69%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		69%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		69%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		69%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		66%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		60%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		53%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		53%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		53%	Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
		53%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		59%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		59%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		57%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		55%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		55%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
		54%	Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
		54%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		52%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.

Maintain medical facility records.

Perform clerical work in medical settings.

Process medical billing information.

Train medical providers.

Clean facilities or equipment.

Maintain clean work areas.

Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.

Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.

Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.

Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.

Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.

Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.

Evaluate patient outcomes to determine effectiveness of treatments.

Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.

Develop exercise or conditioning programs.

Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

Advise athletes, coaches, or trainers on exercise regimens, nutrition, or equipment use.

Develop exercise or conditioning programs.

Advise athletes, coaches, or trainers on exercise regimens, nutrition, or equipment use.

Inspect work environments to ensure safety.

Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.

Train medical providers.

Advise athletes, coaches, or trainers on exercise regimens, nutrition, or equipment use.

Treat patients using alternative medical procedures.

Consult with others regarding safe or healthy equipment or facilities.

Maintain medical equipment or instruments.

Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		97%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		97%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		95%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		93%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		92%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		90%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		86%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		86%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		85%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		83%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		82%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		80%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		77%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		76%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		74%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		73%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		72%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		72%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		72%	Exposed to Disease or Infections - How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
		71%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		66%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		66%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		65%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		65%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		65%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		65%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		64%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		61%	Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
		60%	Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
		53%	Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
		100%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		97%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		97%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		91%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		81%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		79%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		75%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		75%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		73%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		70%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		68%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		67%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		65%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		63%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		62%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		61%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		59%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		58%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		58%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		56%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		55%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		55%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		53%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		52%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

What Athletic Trainers Do

Athletic trainers carry out rehabilitation programs for injured athletes.

Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.

Duties

Athletic trainers typically do the following:

Apply protective or injury-preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, and braces
Recognize and evaluate injuries
Provide first aid or emergency care
Develop and carry out rehabilitation programs for injured athletes
Plan and implement comprehensive programs to prevent injury and illness among athletes
Perform administrative tasks, such as keeping records and writing reports on injuries and treatment programs

Athletic trainers work with people of all ages and all skill levels, from young children to soldiers and professional athletes. Athletic trainers are usually one of the first healthcare providers on the scene when injuries occur on the field. They work under the direction of a licensed physician and with other healthcare providers, often discussing specific injuries and treatment options or evaluating and treating patients, as directed by a physician. Some athletic trainers meet with a team physician or consulting physician regularly.

An athletic trainer’s administrative responsibilities may include regular meetings with an athletic director or another administrative officer to deal with budgets, purchasing, policy implementation, and other business-related issues. Athletic trainers plan athletic programs that are compliant with federal and state regulations; for example, they may ensure a football program adheres to laws related to athlete concussions.

Athletic trainers should not be confused with fitness trainers and instructors, which include personal trainers.

Work Environment

Athletic trainers held about 33,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of athletic trainers were as follows:

Educational services; state, local, and private	40%
Hospitals; state, local, and private	18
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists	15
Fitness and recreational sports centers	3
Self-employed workers	3

Athletic trainers also may work with military, with law enforcement, with professional sports teams, or with performing artists.

Athletic trainers may spend their time working outdoors on sports fields in all types of weather.

Work Schedules

Most athletic trainers work full time. Athletic trainers who work with teams during sporting events may work evenings or weekends and travel often.

Getting Started

Education:

54%

Master's Degree

37%

Bachelor's Degree

How to Become an Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers must be licensed or certified in nearly all states.

Athletic trainers typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and master’s degrees are common. Nearly all states require athletic trainers to have a license or certification; requirements vary by state.

Education

To enter the occupation, athletic trainers typically need a degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Although some jobs are available for workers with a bachelor's degree, many athletic trainers have a master's degree.

Admission into athletic trainer master’s programs generally requires a bachelor's degree with completion of coursework in science and health. Master's degree programs have classroom and clinical components and include instruction in areas such as injury prevention, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition.

High school students interested in postsecondary athletic training programs should take courses in anatomy, physiology, and physics.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Nearly all states require athletic trainers to be licensed or certified; requirements vary by state. For specific requirements, contact the particular state’s licensing board.

The Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC) offers the standard certification examination that most states use for licensing athletic trainers. Certification requires graduating from a CAATE-accredited program and passing the BOC exam. To maintain certification, athletic trainers must adhere to the BOC Standards of Professional Practice and take continuing education courses.

Advancement

Assistant athletic trainers may become head athletic trainers, athletic directors, or physician, hospital, or clinic practice administrators. In any of these positions, they will assume a management role. Athletic trainers working in colleges and universities may pursue an advanced degree to increase their advancement opportunities.

Job Outlook

Employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,700 openings for athletic trainers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Sports programs at all ages and for all experience levels will continue to create demand for athletic trainers. With high levels of participation by children and youth in individual and team sports, athletic trainers will be needed to manage emergency and non-emergency situations that arise. The popularity of college sports and continued participation by student athletes will increase demand for these workers to help athletes prevent and recover from injuries and perform at their highest level.

Meanwhile, growing numbers of middle-aged and older people are remaining physically active. Their continued activity will likely lead to an increase in athletics-related injuries, such as sprains. Athletic trainers will be needed to provide sophisticated treatments in injury prevention and detection.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about athletic trainers, visit

National Athletic Trainers’ Association

For more information about accredited athletic training programs, visit

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education

For more information about certification and state regulatory requirements for athletic trainers, visit

Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of athletic trainers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Coaches and Scouts	Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts evaluate athletes as possible recruits.	Bachelor's degree	$44,890
Chiropractors	Chiropractors evaluate and treat patients' neuromusculoskeletal system, which includes nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.	Doctoral or professional degree	$75,380
EMTs and Paramedics	Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$39,410
Exercise Physiologists	Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs that help injured or sick patients recover.	Bachelor's degree	$51,350
Massage Therapists	Massage therapists treat clients by applying pressure to manipulate the body's soft tissues and joints.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$49,860
Occupational Therapists	Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.	Master's degree	$93,180
Physical Therapists	Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.	Doctoral or professional degree	$97,720
Physician Assistants	Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.	Master's degree	$126,010
Recreational Therapists	Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based medical treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.	Bachelor's degree	$51,330
Respiratory Therapists	Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, because of a chronic condition such as asthma.	Associate's degree	$70,540

Athletic Trainer

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Athletic Trainers Do

Duties

Work Environment

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become an Athletic Trainer

Education

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Advancement

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations