Athletic Training - Indiana Wesleyan University

Athletic Training from Indiana Wesleyan University is a Campus Bachelor Physical Therapy degree that prepares you for a Healthcare career. WHAT DOES A CERTIFED ATHLETIC TRAINER DO? Look around you -- people these days are on the move. We're learning more, trying more and doing more. Consequently, when the level of physical activity increases, the risk for injury rises as well. That's where the certified athletic trainer comes in: whether it's an athlete of any age, an industrial worker performing physical tasks or even an average citizen delving into recreational athletics , the certified athletic trainer can help. Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are medical professionals that are experts in prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries that result from physical activity. Certified athletic trainers can help you avoid unnecessary medical treatment and disruption of normal daily life; if you're injured, they can get you on the mend and keep you on the move. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession, and the AMA recommends certified athletic trainers in every high school to keep America's youth safe and healthy. Specifically, the ATC specializes in six practice areas or domains: Prevention Clinical evaluation and diagnosis Immediate care Treatment, rehabilitation and reconditioning Organization and administration Professional responsibility As part of a complete health care team, the certified athletic trainer works under the direction of a licensed physician and in cooperation with other health care professionals, athletic administrators, coaches and parents. The ATC gets to know each athlete individually and can treat injuries more effectively. A certified athletic trainer's day may, for example, include these tasks: Prepare athletes for practice or competition, including taping, bandaging and bracing; Evaluate injuries to determine their management and possible referral; Develop conditioning programs; Implement treatment and rehabilitation programs. These duties require extensive knowledge and strong decision-making skills obtained through the certified athletic trainer's experience and education. WHERE DOES A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER WORK? Where are people active? That's where you can find certified athletic trainers. SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Public and private secondary schools offer special job opportunities for ATCs. Parents and administrators are discovering the benefits an ATC can offer in preventing and caring for injuries. Many certified athletic trainers also teach classes at the high school level although some secondary schools are large enough to employ athletic trainers for sport coverage only. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Employment in this setting remains stable with little turnover. A majority of colleges and universities now require a master's degree for employment. Certified athletic trainers' jobs in colleges and universities generally fall into two categories: - Athletic department staff/ sports coverage only - Combination instructor/athletic trainer PROFESSIONAL SPORTS: In this setting, certified athletic trainers work only one sport, such as football, baseball, basketball, hockey or soccer. Although teams operate only a few months per year, ATCs work year-round conditioning and rehabilitating athletes. Fewer jobs are available in this practice setting due to the limited number of teams although the expansion of professional sports and teams in existing leagues has increased opportunities for ATCs. SPORTS MEDICINE CLINICS and HOSPITALS: These growing settings provide certified athletic trainers the opportunity to work with a number of different health care professionals and a diverse patient population. In addition to athletic injury rehabilitation, many clinics and hospitals provide athletic training services for local secondary schools. PHYSICIAN OFFICES: This setting is unique in that ATCs work in a environment as a liaison between the physician and patient. ATCs in this setting assist in initial patient evaluation and assessment as well as follow up questions when the physician has left the treatment room. Many times these ATCs are able to assist in home exercise programs involving therapeutic exercises and rehabilitation. ATCs may also assist in diagnostic procedure scheduling and research endeavors. FITNESS CENTERS: ATCs in this setting focus their education of strength and conditioning to develop and maintain quality fitness routines with patients. Their knowledge in prevention serves to educate patients in areas of proper biomechanics and techniques with a variety of fitness and wellness programs. INDUSTRY: This newer athletic training setting is geared towards decreasing medical costs from musculoskeletal injuries suffered on the job site. ATCs in this setting work under the direction of a ?plant/factory doctor? and provide ergonomic instruction, injury treatment and rehabilitation View more details on Indiana Wesleyan University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Physical Therapy courses.