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What is Athletic Training?
Athletic training is an essential element of medical support for athletes from all areas of sport. The on-the-field medical setting is a unique aspect that sets the athletic trainer apart from all other medical fields. An athletic trainer must work in various areas and complete evaluations in non-traditional medical settings such as sporting venues.


The Certified Athletic Trainer
The Certified Athletic Trainer is a highly educated and skilled, dedicated professional specializing in athletic health care. They are willing to put in a vast number of hours to provide the best possible medical care. In addition to the daily management of the sports medicine program, the athletic trainer is responsible for teaching and is an educational resource for health, physical education, life management skills and science classes. In cooperation with physicians and other allied health personnel, the athletic trainer functions as an integral member of the athletic health care team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs and other athletic health care settings. Often the athletic trainer is monitoring athletic events four to six nights a week balancing multiple events and practices.


Certification and Credibility
Established in Kansas City in 1950, The National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA) is the professional governing body that represents over 25,000 certified athletic trainers. Following college graduation, the student athletic trainer is required to sit for written, practical and assimilation tests to gain national certification from the NATA. The athletic training profession has been recognized by the American Medical Association as an official allied health profession. To further gain recognition and acceptance by the medical community, more than 30 states require or have pending legislation requiring national certification and state licensure for the practice of athletic training. The state of Pennsylvania has required that all athletic trainers practicing in the state be certified, maintain continuing education requirements, and be registered with the state department Bureau of Professional and Occupation affairs.