Become an Athletic Trainer
What is an Athletic Trainer
Athletic Trainers (ATs) are healthcare professionals with Master's level education who work under the direction of or in collaboration with physicians. They provide services including primary care, injury prevention, wellness education, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation. ATs work in various settings such as:
- Secondary schools
- Colleges and universities
- Professional sports organizations
- Performing arts organizations
- Occupational health settings
- Military and law enforcement agencies
- Sports medicine clinics
- Physician offices and hospitals
- Higher education and research facilities
Begin Your Journey at Sierra College
While Sierra College doesn't have a direct Sports Medicine path, we do provide an AA for transfer and a Certificate of Achievement in Kinesiology.
Please reach out to the Athletics and Kinesiology Success Center Specialist for details.
Interested in volunteering in sports medicine as a student? Gain hands-on experience while learning injury prevention and management. As a volunteer, you'll assist the ATs with tasks like:
- Taping
- First aid
- Traveling with football teams
- Setting up and covering home athletic events and practices
- Administering rehabilitation programs
Continue Your Education
Education
Athletic Training is a Master's-level program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
Accredited AT programs cover a range of subjects including:
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Exercise physiology
- Kinesiology/biomechanics
- Emergency care
- Injury/illness prevention and evaluation
- Therapeutic modalities and exercises
- Injury rehabilitation
- Nutrition
- Psychology
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Athletic training program and healthcare administration.
In addition to coursework, students participate in supervised clinical experiences with certified ATs.
Certification
Certified ATs meet the criteria set by the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers (BOC). This includes completing required coursework, clinical hours, and obtaining a master's degree from a CAATE-accredited institution before taking the certification exam. Once certified, ATs need to complete fifty hours of medically related continuing education every two years and follow a code of ethics.
For more information about accredited programs, visit CAATE
For more information about athletic training, visit NATA.