Occupation

Athletic Trainers

Human Advantage 80%

Strongly human-essential role

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.4 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.

Also Known As: Athletic Instructor, Athletic Lecturer, Athletic Trainer, Certified Athletic Trainer, Clinical Athletic Instructor, Clinical Athletic Trainer, Fitness Specialist, Licensed Athletic Trainer +9 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. 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.
  2. Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
  3. Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
  4. Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.
  5. Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
  6. Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.
  7. Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
  8. Apply protective or injury preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, or braces, to body parts, such as ankles, fingers, or wrists.
  9. Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.
  10. Travel with athletic teams to be available at sporting events.
  11. Plan or implement comprehensive athletic injury or illness prevention programs.
  12. Inspect playing fields to locate any items that could injure players.
  13. Advise athletes on the proper use of equipment.
  14. Confer with coaches to select protective equipment.
  15. Develop training programs or routines designed to improve athletic performance.
  16. Massage body parts to relieve soreness, strains, or bruises.
  17. Accompany injured athletes to hospitals.
  18. Lead stretching exercises for team members prior to games or practices.
  19. Conduct research or provide instruction on subject matter related to athletic training or sports medicine.
  20. Recommend special diets to improve athletes' health, increase their stamina, or alter their weight.

Supplemental Tasks (3)

  1. File athlete insurance claims and communicate with insurance providers.
  2. Teach sports medicine courses to athletic training students.
  3. Perform team support duties, such as running errands, maintaining equipment, or stocking supplies.

Emerging Tasks

New and evolving responsibilities for this role:

  • Develop emergency action plans for sports facilities.

Education & Training

Job Zone 5 Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
On-the-Job Training: 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.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Master's Degree
54%
Bachelor's Degree
37%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
8%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word

Software (17)

  • BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
  • Database software
  • Digital Coach AthleticTrainer
  • Email software
  • ImPACT Applications ImPACT
  • Injury tracking software
  • Keffer Development Services Athletic Trainer System ATS
  • Premier Software Simtrak Mobility
  • Scheduling software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software

Tools & Equipment (52)

  • Air splints
  • Automated blood pressure cuffs
  • Automated external defibrillators AED
  • Biofeedback equipment
  • Body-fat calipers
  • Cervical traction units
  • Cold therapy equipment
  • Crutches
  • Desktop computers
  • Elliptical trainers
  • Emergency response stretchers
  • Exercise bands
  • Exercise bicycles
  • Exercise treadmills
  • Exercise tubing
  • Face shields
  • Fixed splints
  • Free weights
  • Goniometers or arthrometers
  • Heat therapy equipment
  • Hydrocollator heating units
  • Knee immobilizers
  • Laptop computers
  • Lower extremity braces
  • Lumbar traction units
  • Medical examination protective gloves
  • Medical scales
  • Mouth guards
  • Muscle strength dynamometers
  • Neck braces
  • One-way valve pocket masks
  • Oxygen administration equipment
  • Parallel bars
  • Personal computers
  • Pulse oximeters
  • Rowing machines
  • Sling psychrometers
  • Spinal immobilization equipment
  • Sports helmets
  • Stair climbing machines
  • Swiss exercise balls
  • Therapeutic paraffin baths
  • Therapeutic ultrasound equipment
  • Tilt tables
  • Traction splints
  • Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation TENS equipment
  • Two way radios
  • Upper extremity braces
  • Vacuum splints
  • Walking canes
  • Weight machines
  • Whirlpool therapy baths

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

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Zone 5
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Real Talk

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