Prepare for the Career Where Sport Meets Health Care
Athletic Training integrates the concepts of healthcare, fitness, and athletics. The American Medical Association (AMA) has recognized athletic trainers as a health care profession since 1990, and recommends athletic trainers in every high school.
As part of a complete health care team, athletic trainers evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients to help them prevent and recover from injuries. Athletic trainers are the first responders to most athletic injuries and must be able to provide immediate emergency management and follow-up care for injuries.
A Great Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of athletic trainers is expected to grow by 30 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. As people become more aware of sports-related injuries at a young age, demand for athletic trainers is expected to increase, most significantly in our schools.
Keene State College offers a CAATE (Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education) accredited undergraduate athletic training education program designed for those students who wish to pursue certification as an athletic trainer. Students who graduate with a degree in Athletic Training (AT) are eligible to take the BOC (Board of Certification). Pre-Certified AT candidates are eligible to sit for the Board of Certification-AT exam during their last semester before completion of the AT major. Our program is heavily grounded in the physical sciences and prepares clinicians for employment in a variety of health care settings.
A Strong Foundation in Hands-on Clinical, Laboratory, and Research Experience
The Athletic Training program builds on foundational knowledge allowing mastery of knowledge and skill in the classroom and laboratory settings before applying it in a clinical environment. The clinical placements at KSC include both traditional and non-traditional settings. In addition to these hands-on experiences, students learn about best practices in clinical care. This understanding of evidence-based practice facilitates research ideas and experiences that are fostered through undergraduate research.
Graduate with Proven Professional Skills — AT Program Outcomes
Graduates will
1. Demonstrate traits and/or qualities useful for professional development and responsibility.
2. Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills both in written and oral form.
3. Demonstrate understanding, clinical proficiency, and clinical decision making in the domains and content areas of athletic training to include the domains of Athletic Training: Injury Prevention, Clinical Examination and Diagnosis, Acute Care of Injuries and Illnesses, Therapeutic Interventions, and Health Care Administration.
Athletic Training Program Accreditation — Get the Facts
Helpful Links:
Bureau of Labor Statistics Outlook for Athletic Trainers
Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer
National Athletic Trainers Association