Pre-Athletic Training Advising

ATHLETIC TRAINING

Advisor: Dr. Virginia Wilcox 
vwilcox@wesleyancollege.edu

Career Description

Athletic trainers (ATs) are highly qualified, multi-skilled, health care professionals who render service or treatment under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician in accordance with their education, training, and the state's statutes, rules and regulations.  As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.  Athletic trainers provide medical services to all types of patients, not just athletes participating in sports, and can work in a variety of job settings. Athletic trainers relieve widespread and future workforce shortages in primary care support and outpatient rehab professions. Athletic trainers improve functional outcomes and specialize in patient education to prevent injury and re-injury. Athletic trainers are able to reduce injury and shorten rehabilitation time for their patients, which translates to lower absenteeism from work or school and reduced health care costs. 

Athletic trainers are sometimes confused with personal trainers. There is, however, a large difference in the education, skillset, job duties, and patients of an athletic trainer and a personal trainer. The athletic training academic curriculum and clinical training follows the medical model. Athletic trainers must graduate from an accredited baccalaureate or master’s program. Seventy percent of ATs have a master’s degree. Athletic trainers are licensed or otherwise regulated in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

Becoming an Atheletic Trainer 

Although there are undergraduate programs in athletic training, there is an effort to move this profession to one that requires a master's degree or higher for certification. All new programs in athletic training will be graduate degrees. Students interested in this field should plan on applying to a program which will provide a master's degree in athletic training (MAT). These programs are competitive and require a strong undergraduate GPA (generally 3.0 or higher) and extensive patient contact experience. Master's degree granting programs are generally 2-3 years in duration. Training education uses a competency-based approach in both the classroom and clinical settings. To become a certified athletic trainer, a student must graduate with a bachelor's or master’s degree from an accredited professional athletic training education program and pass a comprehensive test administered by the Board of Certification (BOC). Once certified, athletic trainers must meet ongoing continuing education requirements in order to remain certified. 

Coursework

Students should consult the graduate school of their choice to determine coursework and clinical observation requirements. Wesleyan's Pre-Athletic Training Advisor, Dr. Virginia Wilcox can assist with a coursework and experiential learning plan designed to maximize preparation for this graduate degree. Internship experience with a certified athletic trainer is a requirement for post baccalaureate programs. The number of hours and type of experience required are unique to each program. Common majors for students applying to these programs include biology and psychology, but any major with the requisite coursework is acceptable. Typical courses include the following (*note that Nutrition is offered by our partner institution Mercer University or via the College Consortium courses available on WesPortal):

Course and Semester Hours

• General Biology  4 hours
• General Chemistry  4 hours
• Physics  4 hours
• English  3 hours
• Anatomy and Physiology  8 hours
• Psychology  3 hours
• Statistics  3 hours
• Nutrition  3 hours*

 

 

Sample Coursework Plan*

YEAR ONE Fall Semester	YEAR ONE Spring Semester
BIO 110	Gen Ed Electives/PSY 101
Gen Ed Electives	MAT 220
WISE 101	Foreign Language
MAT 140	Major Coursework
Foreign Language	-
YEAR TWO Fall Semester	YEAR TWO Spring Semester
CHM 101	Gen Ed Electives/ENG 111
BIO 210	BIO 211
Major Coursework	Major Coursework
Gen Ed Electives	PDE/Internship with Athletic Trainer
YEAR THREE Fall Semester	YEAR THREE Spring Semester
PHY 115	Major Coursework
PDE/Internship with Athletic Trainer	Gen Ed Electives
Major Coursework	Internship with Athletic Trainer
Gen Ed Electives	-
YEAR FOUR Fall Semester	YEAR FOUR Spring Semester
Major Coursework	Major Coursework
Gen Ed Electives	Gen Ed Electives
Internship with Athletic Trainer	-

 

Four Year Timeline

First Year  

• Discuss with first year seminar advisor the courses to be taken during the first year. 
• Attend meeting with pre-athletic training advisor to obtain needed materials and ask questions
• Make draft of coursework and internship plans for next four years

Second Year

• FALL: Finalize coursework plan and internship plan with advisor
• SPRING: Inquire about internship opportunities with Wesleyan athletic trainer or other AT professionals. 
• Consult NATA website to obtain more information about this field. 

Third Year

• FALL: Familiarize yourself with all requirements and deadlines for each school to which you are applying
• Identify prospective references, begin work on essay, begin work on application
• Engage in additional internships with athletic trainers to achieve required hours
• Prepare for the graduate exam required for your school of interest
• SPRING: Take the graduate exam required for your school of interest
• Engage in additional internship if clinical hours are not met
• Continue to maintain a competitive GPA

Fourth Year

• FALL: Apply Early – Deadlines vary depending on the school, so pay close attention to all instructions and send your application well in advance of the deadline. 
• Prepare for interviews
• Finish Strong

 

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Resources for Pre-Athletic Training Students

The resources below may be helpful for students preparing for a career in health care. The Center for Career Development can help students with deciding which path fits them, as well as with strategic career planning, creating resumes/CVs, writing personal statements, and more.

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education

This site provides resources about the process of becoming an athletic trainer, and lists the graduate programs that have been accredited by the CAATE. (Students must graduate from an accredited program to eligible to sit for the BOC credentialing examination, which many states require.) Website

ATCAS

Students can use this platform to apply to multiple athletic training programs with only one application. Not every athletic training program uses this platform, and some require that students apply both through the platform and to the college directly. Make sure to check specific program requirements. Website

National Athletic Trainers' Association

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) is the professional membership association for certified athletic trainers and others who support the athletic training profession. They have great resources for students interested in this field. Website

NATA Research and Education Foundation

The NATA Foundation champions research, supports education, and enhances knowledge to optimize the clinical experience and outcomes within the diverse patient populations served by the athletic training profession. The NATA Foundation awards undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral scholarships. Website

ExploreHealthCareers.Org

This site is designed to help students begin their journey towards a career in the health professions. It provides exploration tools and career information on fields including athletic training, sports medicine, allied health, and more. Website

Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society

The PFATS is a professional association representing NFL athletic trainers. They offer a scholarship specifically for undergraduate and graduate ethnic minority athletic training students (female athletic training students are especially encouraged to apply). In addition to receiving a financial grant, each student selected will have the opportunity to work at an NFL summer training camp. More details may be found here.

 

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Gaining Experience as a Pre-Athletic Training Student

Many programs require students to complete and document a certain number of shadowing/observation hours under the supervision of an athletic trainer (some programs require shadowing one or two separate athletic trainers, some specify that the shadowing be in specific settings, and others do not require it at all). Make sure you research desired programs early, and know their requirements. Many programs also require that applicants be CPR, AED, and First Aid certified.

Wesleyan's Center for Career Development can help you prepare a resume and practice your professional introduction as you get ready to contact organizations about shadowing, volunteer, or internship opportunities.

Local/Statewide Opportunities

• Shadow Wesleyan’s athletic trainer.
• Shadow an athletic trainer at another university, such as Mercer University (former Wesleyan students have had great shadowing experiences there).
• If you’re looking to expand the types of shadowing experiences you complete, the most common way to find them is to contact athletic trainers directly. Start with your network - you can often shadow an athletic trainer from your high school. Coaches may also be able to connect you to an athletic trainer that they know.
• Inquire about opportunities to shadow at local secondary schools, youth sports facilities, professional sports teams, hospitals, or clinics with specialties in sports medicine/cardiac rehab/medical fitness/wellness/physical therapy. Check Purple Briefcase for any organizations that may already have a relationship with Wesleyan, and use LinkedIn or Purple Briefcase to see if any Wesleyan alumnae work in these settings.