BWHS Athletic Training

The origin of Athletic training began in ancient Greece, however today the athletic training profession is radically different by comparison. Gone are the days when “trainers" were known mainly for carrying water jugs and acting as team managers. Today, Certified Athletic Trainer's (ATC's) are highly educated and unique health care providers who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physically active.

The Certified Athletic Trainer is an allied health care professional that is certified by the National Athletic Training Association Board of Certification (NATABOC).  ATCs serve as a liaison to the athlete, coach, physician and other members of the healthcare team. Specifically, the Certified Athletic Trainer's role delineation encompasses six domains:

1. Athletic Injury Prevention and Risk Management
2. Recognition, Evaluation and Assessment of Injuries and Illnesses
3. Immediate Care of Injuries
4. Treatment, Rehabilitation and Reconditioning
5. Health Care Organization and Administration
6. Professional Development and Responsibility

As a part of the complete sports medicine team, the Certified Athletic Trainer works under the direction of a licensed physician and in cooperation with other health care professionals, athletics administrators, coaches and parents.

*Information can be found in Wikipedia

Athletic Training Education Programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Entry level athletic training education uses a competency-based approach in both the classroom and clinical settings. Using a medical based education model, athletic training students are educated to serve in the role of physician extenders, with an emphasis on clinical reasoning skills. Educational competencies are bases on cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skill), affective competencies (professional behavior), and clinical proficiencies (practice oriented outcomes). Students must receive instruction in the foundational courses of human physiology, human anatomy, exercise physiology, kinesiology/biomechanics, nutrition, acute care of injury and illness, statistics and research design, and strength training and reconditioning. The student must be introduced to professional coursework that encompasses the following domains:

• Risk management
• Pathology of injury/illness
• Prevention and assessment of injuries/illness
• General medical conditions and disabilities
• Therapeutic modalities
• Strength and Conditioning
• Therapeutic massage
• Emergency medicine
• Weight management and body composition
• Psychosocial intervention and referral
• Medical ethics and legal issues
• Pharmacology
• Professional development and responsibilities

*Information can be found in Wikipedia

Employment as a Certified Athletic Trainer has expanded greatly from the traditional High School and Clinical settings.  Now you can find ATCs working in a wide variety of settings such as:

• High School/Secondary Schools
• Intercollegiate Athletics
• Professional Athletics
• Sports Medicine or Physical Therapy Clinics
• Military
• Industrial/ Commercial Settings
• Professional Dance Organizations
• Hospitals