You may have seen an athletic trainer rushing out onto the football field after an injury or taping some one on the sidelines. You might have even been one of the many injured athletes sent to the athletic training room at your high school or college. Though many individuals have seen athletic trainers in action, they have a poor understanding of the profession and duties of athletic trainers.
The profession of athletic training has existed for over 60 years and is considered to be an allied heath profession by the American Medical Association. Based on the name alone, many people are under the impression that athletic trainers “train” athletes and get them conditioned for their sport, but there is much more to the profession. This field encompasses immediate care of injuries, prevention, clinical evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning following injury. Athletic trainers are highly skilled and must graduate from a four-year accredited program before being eligible to take a national certification examination. Major program areas of study include:
•    Acute care of injuries and illness
•    Biomechanics
•    Clinical evaluation of orthopedic injuries
•    Exercise physiology
•    Injury prevention and risk management
•    Nutrition
•    Organization and administration
•    Pharmacology
•    Rehabilitative techniques
•    Therapeutic modalities
Upon program completion, a national certification exam must be taken. This exam is given by the Board of Certification, Inc., which is the only accredited athletic training certification program. Once an individual passes this national exam they are considered to be a Certified Athletic Trainer and receive the initials ATC following their name. Like other allied health professions, in order to remain certified, athletic trainers must participate in continuing education in their field of study.  
Though this is the typical path followed by athletic trainers, for many it is not the end of the line. A number of athletic trainers go on to receive Masters’ degrees in athletic training or other realms of sports medicine.  Some might even obtain Doctorate degrees or additional certifications in various areas of study.  In either instance, you can find Certified Athletic Trainers in more than just schools or working in professional sports. Today, athletic trainers work in a variety of settings around the country including gyms, hospitals, physical therapy clinics, physician offices, and even in the military.