Career in Athletic Training

"Here she comes around the last curve she's just about to break the world record for fastest mile run by a woman. Almost there, and she's done it! But wait, she's on the ground, gee whiz I think her knees gave out!" How is this girl going to get better? What should she do to fix this? An athletic trainer would be able to answer these questions and help this girl get back into the best physical condition possible so she could run again. The following are key parts of the Athletic Training career, including, but not limited to: requirements of education and colleges that offer programs; basic job titles and responsibilities; employers; benefits, hours, annual income; extending the job experience. An Athletic Trainer is by definition "a medical professional who prevents, assesses, treats, and rehabilitates injuries." These professionals are recognized by the American Medical Association, and are part of the Allied Health Services. Athletic Trainers must be mature enough to handle emergency circumstances, such as an unexpected injury, distraught athletes and parents. They must know how to prevent injury, or evaluate an injury in order to care for and rehabilitate the injured party ("Defining" 1). Now, every good career person must have an education, and Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a well known college for becoming an Athletic Trainer. It has a competitive, nationally accredited, Athletic Training program so that after the first two years of college a student must apply for a position. It also has an excellent fitness facility. Curriculum generally includes "assessment and evaluation, acute care, general medical conditions and disabilities, pathology of injury and illness, therapeutic exercise, therapeutic modalities, r...

... middle of paper ...

...st popular career extensions or changes among Athletic Trainers. The time it would take to add another degree to a resume would depend on the type of degree or certification required and the college or university attended. However, adding more degrees tends to make a person more qualified and wanted in higher paying positions, just keep in mind that higher paying positions also take more time. Athletic Training can be a very rewarding career if someone is ambitious enough to go far. The author of this paper no longer wants to become an Athletic Trainer anymore because higher pay is harder to achieve, and an extreme amount of time would be needed to get into the highest pay bracket. I think this career would be better for single, healthy people, or an athletic family that does not mind the parent being away for periods of time on, whichever, weekends, days or nights.