Occupation Details
Athletic Trainers
Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$46,370.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$61,930.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$74,870.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
1,350
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
1,810
+46 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
158
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.3%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
More School - Graduate or advanced degree
Experience Requirements
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Training Details
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Certified Athletic Trainer
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Air splints
- Automated blood pressure cuffs
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Biofeedback equipment
- Body-fat calipers
- Cervical traction units
- Cold therapy equipment
- Crutches
- Desktop computers
- Elliptical trainers
- Emergency response stretchers
- Exercise bands
- Exercise bicycles
- Exercise treadmills
- Exercise tubing
- Face shields
- Fixed splints
- Free weights
- Goniometers or arthrometers
- Heat therapy equipment
- Hydrocollator heating units
- Knee immobilizers
- Laptop computers
- Lower extremity braces
- Lumbar traction units
- Medical examination protective gloves
- Medical scales
- Mouth guards
- Muscle strength dynamometers
- Neck braces
Technology
- BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
- Digital Coach AthleticTrainer
- Email software
- ImPACT Applications ImPACT
- Keffer Development Services Athletic Trainer System ATS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Premier Software Simtrak Mobility
- Scheduling software
- Spreadsheet software
- Web browser software
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- use medical equipment in direct patient care
- recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals
- motivate patients to practice exercises
- counsel patients concerning diet
- analyze patient activity
- communicate visually or verbally
- observe patient condition
- identify body response variations
- use emergency medical procedures
- use massage therapy procedures
- follow patient care procedures
- use first aid procedures
- administer medications or treatments
- wrap ankles, fingers, wrists, etc. to support muscles or ligaments
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.
- Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
- Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
- Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
- Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.
- Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
- Apply protective or injury preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, or braces, to body parts, such as ankles, fingers, or wrists.
- Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.
- Travel with athletic teams to be available at sporting events.
- Plan or implement comprehensive athletic injury or illness prevention programs.
- Inspect playing fields to locate any items that could injure players.
- Advise athletes on the proper use of equipment.
- File athlete insurance claims and communicate with insurance providers.
- Develop training programs or routines designed to improve athletic performance.
- Confer with coaches to select protective equipment.
- Massage body parts to relieve soreness, strains, or bruises.
- Accompany injured athletes to hospitals.
- Teach sports medicine courses to athletic training students.
- Lead stretching exercises for team members prior to games or practices.
- Conduct research or provide instruction on subject matter related to athletic training or sports medicine.
- Recommend special diets to improve athletes' health, increase their stamina, or alter their weight.
- Perform team support duties, such as running errands, maintaining equipment, or stocking supplies.