The Athletic Trainer (AT) is a healthcare professional who works in collaboration with a physician to address the needs of physically active individuals. Recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as an allied health profession, the AT’s role is distinct from that of a personal trainer or physical therapist. Their work is centered on the prevention, diagnosis, and intervention of emergent, acute, or chronic injuries and medical conditions. This field requires a structured academic foundation and a rigorous certification process to ensure practitioners provide safe and effective patient care.
The Mandatory Educational Requirement
The minimum educational standard for new athletic trainers is a professional Master of Athletic Training (MAT) degree. This requirement transitioned the field from the previous bachelor’s degree standard to ensure a higher level of medical knowledge and clinical competency. The MAT program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) to qualify a graduate for the national certification exam.
Prospective students typically enter the MAT program after completing a bachelor’s degree, often in a related field like exercise science or kinesiology. They must satisfy specific science prerequisites such as anatomy and physiology. The graduate program generally spans four to six semesters over two years, providing an intensive balance of classroom instruction and extensive clinical experience. Clinical experiences are a required component of the CAATE-accredited curriculum, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings under supervision.
Professional Certification and State Licensure
After graduating from a CAATE-accredited MAT program, the next step is passing the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. This comprehensive, national test assesses a candidate’s knowledge across the five domains of athletic training practice. Successfully passing the BOC exam is required to earn the Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) credential, which is the recognized certification for the profession.
While the BOC provides national certification, nearly all states require athletic trainers to obtain a separate state license or registration to legally practice. The ATC credential is a prerequisite for state licensure in most cases, though state requirements vary. Maintaining the national certification status is an ongoing process that requires Certified Athletic Trainers to complete continuing education units (CEUs) to ensure their knowledge and skills remain current.
What Athletic Trainers Do
Athletic trainers provide comprehensive patient care spanning five core domains of practice.
Five Core Domains of Practice
- Risk reduction and wellness promotion
- Clinical evaluation and diagnosis
- Immediate and emergency care
- Therapeutic intervention
- Healthcare administration
This scope of practice allows ATs to manage a patient’s care from the moment of injury through their full return to activity.
The employment settings for athletic trainers are diverse, extending far beyond the traditional sidelines of professional sports. Common environments include secondary schools, colleges and universities, and sports medicine clinics. Increasingly, ATs are found in non-traditional settings such as hospitals, physician offices, corporate and industrial workplaces, military, and performing arts groups. In these roles, they serve as an accessible healthcare provider for active populations.
Core Skills and Competencies
Success in the athletic training profession requires a combination of clinical knowledge and strong interpersonal abilities. The work demands sharp decision-making skills, as ATs must quickly and accurately assess the severity of an injury to determine the appropriate next steps for patient care. This often occurs in high-stress situations, requiring the ability to perform calmly under pressure.
Strong communication is paramount, as ATs serve as a liaison between the patient, physicians, coaches, and parents. They must convey medical information clearly while also demonstrating empathy and compassion for patients struggling with physical and emotional setbacks. Organizational skills and physical stamina are also important, given the administrative duties and the long, irregular hours often associated with covering practices and events.
Career Outlook and Compensation
The profession shows a positive trajectory, with employment projected to grow 11 percent from 2024 to 2034, a rate much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 2,400 job openings each year. Demand is rising not only in traditional sports settings but also in emerging areas like industrial safety and healthcare clinics, where ATs manage injury prevention programs for employees.
Compensation is influenced by factors such as work setting, geographic location, and years of experience. The median annual wage for athletic trainers was $60,250 in May 2024. While the lowest ten percent earned less than $45,380, the highest ten percent of earners made more than $84,100 annually.