ProClinix Celebrates National Athletic Training Month
Happy National Athletic Training Month! Each year during the month of March Certified Athletic Trainers take pride in promoting their profession through a national campaign put on by the National Athletic Training Association (NATA). A different theme is adopted each year during the month long campaign to provide a platform for Certified Athletic Trainers to showcase their knowledge, skills, and the role they play in providing compressive health care.
If you have a student athlete in your household you may already be familiar with the role of an athletic trainer. As defined by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) athletic trainers are highly qualified health care professionals under the allied health professions category who provide a vast array of services. Athletic training services are compromised of prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Additionally many athletic trainers have an educational background in nutrition, psychology, and strength and conditioning. ATs work under the direction of physicians, within their state licensure statutes, and follow the NATA Code of Ethics. While athletic trainers most commonly work in athletics, whether that is at the secondary school, collegiate, or professional level, the profession has expanded beyond the traditional realm of athletics. Athletic trainers can be found in the performing arts, the health care clinical setting, the military, the industrial industry, and beyond.
The field of athletic training is highly regulated but not commonly well understood. Athletic trainers tend to wear many hats within their position and commonly get mistaken for other professions. The main goal of National Athletic Training Month (NATM) is to promote and spread awareness about the important work of athletic trainers. The 2018 theme is “Compassionate care for all.” The NATA provides many tools for athletic trainers to use to increase awareness. The NATA provides logos, posters, and public service announcements that organizations such as schools and private clinics can print and post throughout their facilities. The NATA has taken full advantage of social media during NATM. They have created a professional pride Facebook photo frame that one can use to identify himself or herself as an athletic trainer. They also have started the #ATShoutout campaign. #ATShoutout is designed to celebrate the positive impact ATs have on work, life, and sport. Student-athletes, patients, coaches, and anyone impacted by an athletic trainer is encouraged to film a short video or take a creative picture showing their appreciation and gratitude for their very own AT. They then are to post it to any social media platform using the tag #ATShoutout. No matter how you are showing your appreciation, the recognition for what they do, and the understanding of a commonly misunderstood profession will mean a lot to your athletic trainer. If you are lucky enough to know an athletic trainer takes a moment to show them your appreciation. Visit https://www.nata.org/advocacy/public-relations/national-athletic-training-month for more information on NATM and creative ways to show your gratitude.