Athletic Training is a new profession, one that's less than 100 years old. Its only natural that the profession is still adapting and expanding to fit the expected standard of healthcare professionals. These adaptions though can be confusing. It seems that there's always a "next step" that is "optional" but everyone seems to be doing. This can make aspiring young professionals to feel overwhelmed and incomplete as a professional. Young professionals who are credentialed end up going for additional credentialing or additional school because they feel they need to in order to be considered a competitive applicant. On the flip side, employers and other health care professionals don't always understand the differences between the credentials, and education pathways, making it hard to determine the value each applicant may bring based on the pathway they selected to take.
Because of this it is crucial that athletic trainers fully understand the pathway options and the purpose and value that the optional credentials provide so they can clarify for employers and demonstrate the worth of each pathway and credential.
So to make it easy for everyone, I am going to summarize the main pathways one can take in athletic training.
In 2020, the athletic training profession made the transition from a bachelors degree requirement for certification to a masters degree requirement. So for example, In order to obtain my credential, I went to college for 4 years, majoring in Athletic training and taking athletic training specific courses my last two years of undergraduate school. When I graduated I had sat for the board of certification exam, and passed so upon proof of graduation I was considered a certified athletic trainer.
Now, however, those wishing to become certified must graduate from a Professional Masters Degree Program (PM). Typically the individual will obtain their bachelors in a kinesiology or sports science related field, this is usually a requirement of the new programs, or just a easy way to obtain the necessary prerequisite classes. The PM program is similar to my last two years of my bachelors. The individual will be in athletic training specific courses, while assigned to a clinical site to obtain clinical experience hours.
In the last semester of their masters, the students will sit for their Board of Certification Exam. When the student passes, they must submit proof of graduation to the BOC and then they will receive their BOC credential number. All that's left to become a practicing clinician is to obtain the applicable state credential, whether that’s a certification or licensure.
While at this point the individual is completely certified and ready to enter the work force, there are many advanced training and education pathways available for those looking for increased experience or training. While these are not required, some professional and college teams and settings prefer some type of advanced training before hiring.
The most well known of these advanced opportunities is the Post-Professional Masters Program (PPM). The PPM program is available to learners who are already credentialed as athletic trainers. The idea is based off of the old pathways however, with the premise that a master's degree expands the depth and breadth of the applied, experiential and propositional knowledge and skills of athletic trainers through didactic, clinical and research experiences. Typically, after completing a CAATE accredited bachelors program, young professionals would become graduate assistant athletic trainers and complete a PPM. This provided the young professional with advanced education and training for little to no cost, in exchange for the student working part time as an athletic trainer for the school. With the transition from the bachelors programs to PM programs, PPM programs around the country are beginning to dissolve.
Another popular option for both newly certified athletic trainers and those who are graduating from PPM programs, is to do a residency program.
A Residency is a formal educational program that offers structured curricula and mentorship, including didactic and clinical components, to educate athletic trainers in a specialty area.
CAATE Approved Specialty Areas Include: Prevention and Wellness, Urgent & Emergent Care, Primary Care, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation, Behavioral Health, Pediatrics, Performance Enhancement. This is different from the degree seeking programs in that their individuals are full time employees, and the educational component is integrated into their work and practice. These positions should pay a normal salary, since the individuals are considered employees, though we know there are many issues surrounding underpaying positions in the profession.
Current Approved Residency Programs and their Specialty:
Fellowships are often used interchangeably with residencies, though they are not the same thing. A Fellowship is a post-professional training program in a highly specialized area of athletic training used to further focus the clinician's area of specialization. Fellowships differ from residencies because they require formal training beyond the successful completion of a residency program. Fellowships are more designed to help individuals become further specialized and more prepared to become a clinical expert in their field of study.
Academic Doctoral Degree is the highest degree awarded by universities and is usually the credential necessary for appointment in academia, typically as a tenure-track faculty member or as a research scientist. The length and requirements of the academic doctoral degree depend on the degree being earned and the university's requirements. Typically, some sort of dissertation or doctoral research is required.
Clinical Doctoral Degree is a post professional degree requiring both a research and clinical component that develops knowledge and skills within a certain discipline to provide service or care within the scope of a particular profession's clinical practice. These are commonly known as DAT programs and tend to be at least 2 years. This doctoral degree focuses more on the clinical experience and implications side of athletic training, unlike the academic doctoral which is necessary for athletic trainers wishing to take the teaching or research scientist route of athletic training.
Many of these advanced degrees and programs provide their students and employees opportunities to obtain Specialty Certifications. Specialty certifications are voluntary post-professional education and training in which an athletic trainer demonstrates they have met defined standards beyond that required for professional-level certification.
Some Examples of Additional Specialty Certifications that Athletic Trainers typically obtain are: Graston Certification, CSCS, Dry Needling, Phlebotomy etc.
References:
(1) www.bocatc.org
(2) www.nata.org
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