Athletic Trainers

Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. Historically athletic trainers were associated with high school, collegiate and professional sports teams, but today’s athletic trainer can be found in almost any health care facility – from doctor’s offices to sports medicine clinics to hospitals. For more information about the profession of athletic training, visit the National Athletic Trainers’ Association website at www.nata.org.

Athletic Training Certification (ATC) is the entry-level credential required to practice as an athletic trainer. To become certified athletic trainers, students must graduate with bachelors or masters degree from an accredited professional athletic training education program and pass a comprehensive test administered by the Board of Certification. Once certified, they must meet ongoing continuing education requirements in order to remain certified.

For more information on athletic training education, go to www.nata.org and for specific details on certification, visit the BOC Web site  at www.bocatc.org.

Most states also regulate the profession of athletic training. For a list of states and regulation, visit www.nata.org.