Athletic training is a profession that has received increasing attention in the past 30 years. In the 1990's, certified athletic trainers were officially recognized as allied health professionals by the American Medical Association. Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) specialize in the prevention, recognition, management, and rehabilitation of injuries resulting from involvement in physical activity. The ATC specializes in the following specific practice areas: prevention of athletic injuries; recognition, evaluation, and immediate care of athletic injuries; rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries; health care administration; and professional development.
The certified athletic trainer works as a part of a complete health care team, specifically working under the direction of a licensed physician and in cooperation with other health care professionals. The ATC also works with parents, coaches, and athletic administrators to ensure that the participant is receiving appropriate medical assistance and care.
Certified athletic trainers are employed in a variety of employment settings. Public and private secondary schools offer job opportunities for ATCs, as parents and administrators discover the benefits of an ATC in the prevention and care of athletic injuries. Many ATCs in this setting will also teach classes at the high school level. In the colleges and universities jobs are available as a staff ATC with the athletic department, or as a teacher/athletic trainer. In the professional sports, ATCs are employed to work with the one sport on a year round basis, supervising conditioning and rehabilitation programs during the off-season. Sports medicine clinics are a growing setting for the employment of ATCs who work with a diverse patient population ranging from athletes, workers injured on the job, to the warrior athlete. Certified athletic trainers can also find employment opportunities in corporate health programs, health clubs, clinical and industrial health care programs, military and law enforcement training, and athletic training education programs.