What does an Athletic Trainer do?
Athletic Trainers attend games and practices to prevent and train emergency and acute injuries. They evaluate the severity of injuries before providing medical care. Athletic Trainers can offer all types of basic emergency medical care, including CPR, applying bandages or even taping joints depending on the severity of the injury.
Athletic Trainers also work with Athletes in the athletic training rooms to evaluate their progress, manage their rehabilitation and help them complete preventive therapy programmes. They can work in multiple settings, including schools, rehabilitation clinics, the military and performing arts programmes.
Athletic Trainer skills and qualifications
Athletic Trainers should be social individuals who socialise with others easily. They should also have kind, generous, compassionate and empathetic personalities in order to assist others. A successful Athletic Trainer will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications that typically include:
- Excellent listening skills with the ability to understand the needs and desires of Athletes
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills and the ability to weigh options and choose the best one
- Empathy and the ability to understand the challenges that Athletes face
- A detail-oriented and active learning mindset
- Ability to analyse athletes and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a great passion for sports
- Ability to maintain emotional control under stressful conditions and act quickly in cases of emergency
Athletic Trainer experience requirements
Athletic Trainers often require at least five years of demonstrable experience working with elite Athletes, individual Athletes and groups at the levels of NCAA Division 1 or Special Operation Forces (SOF) operators. Candidates with experience as Certified Athletic Trainers or contract employees in the British Army or Royal Marines can qualify for the position, provided the experience is recent. They must also have experience providing first aid, massages and physical therapy techniques and using equipment for patient care.
Athletic Trainer education and experience requirements
The minimum education requirement for an Athletic Trainer is a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, exercise science or another related field. Most employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree in an athletic-related field and a certification from the National Certification Agency for Athletic Training. Some employers may also require candidates to possess certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Athletic Trainer salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an Athletic Trainer in the UK is £22.59 per hour. Individual salaries depend on factors like experience, education, location and company.
Job description samples for similar positions
If an Athletic Trainer job description sample is not quite what you’re looking for, here are other job description samples that may fit your needs:
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
