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Athletic Trainers
Also called : Athletic Instructor, Athletic Lecturer, Athletic Trainer, Certified Athletic Trainer, Personal Trainer, Resident Athletic Trainer, Women's Athletic Trainer
What they do
Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.
On the job, one would
- Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.
- Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
- Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
- Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
KNOWLEDGE
- Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
SKILLS
- Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
ABILITIES
- Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
PERSONALITY
People interested in this work, will do well at jobs that need;
- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
- Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
TECHNOLOGY
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Spreadsheet software
- Word processing software
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
- Preparation
Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
Graduate Degree or higher.
- Experience
Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations.
- Jobtraining
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.