Any athletic trainers out there

[WDWMom]

DD17 wants to go into athletic training. She is looking at schools in Michigan (where we live). We have appts. to meet with all the athletic training directors at the 4 schools she is interested in. What are some good questions we should be asking them? She has asked the AT at school what she thinks, but we would like more information. DD has already been accepted to all 4 schools and can not decide. Program is going to be a key issue at this point.

TIA

 

[golfgal]

Ask how many students the program accepts, how soon they start working with the athletes, what is the GPA standard to stay in the program, do they travel with the team right away, when do they start that. What duties are expected of them and when would they start? Any certifications they want them to have--EMT possibly? Are they allowed to do homework during practice as long as they aren't working with any athletes.

I was an athletic trainer for a small college. It is a LOT of hours--we were fortunate enough to be able to do homework during practice times but there were many weeks, especially during basketball and volleyball that I "worked" 40 hours--practice and travel times included.

 

[WDWMom]

Can I ask what do you do now? WHy are you no longer a trainer? I'm guessing from your siggie that you stopped because you became a Mom.

Did you go to a small school or larger, private or public?

 

[golfgal]

Yes, I stopped because I became a stay at home mom. I went to a small private college and this was in the early, early years of athletic training. Most colleges didn't have athletic trainers then and certainly no high schools. It is a great job but long hours. It works well with small children because you can be home most of the day with them but once they start school, your hours start in the afternoon and go most evenings if you are working for a school. There are plenty of jobs in clinic settings that are more 9-5 though.

 

[tennisfan]

I am the UK equivalent of an Athletic Trainer, I wish I got my qualification in the States as I would have more oppertunities for work now.

Unfortunately it is very slow to take off here in the UK.

Good luck to your DD

 

[duketennisgal]

Be sure to ask how many "hours" are required each year of the program. My sister was in an AT program and she had no clue the amount of time it would take, she was also on one of the school sports teams so the combination of the two was nearly impossible. I believe one semester she had to do 90 hours outside of her normal class schedule.

 

[Aristomommy]

I'm in physical therapy and I work with a lot of ATCs. Some are dual certified as PT/ATC. There has been a trend to do away with ATCs in the rehabilitation clinics because their services are not billable. The service they provide is valuable to the clinics, but there are less and less ways to recoup the cost. Do the schools offer a two track program for PT and ATC? This may be another option to consider for job security. Of course there are other options for ATCs than clinics, but this has been a big part of rehab that is no longer available. State laws are changing to limit the use of ATCs.

 

[WDWMom]

Thanks everyone. I think eventually she wants to work at a high school or college. Or possibly actually "train" athletes. We have a place here in town that does that. It is a program (no idea on the cost) that just trains high schools student in bulking up and improving performance.

She's hoping to run track wherever she goes, but I doubt she would be able to do it all four years with this program.