How Much Education Does an Athletic Trainer Need?

The education needed to become an athletic trainer can be somewhat confusing. There are numerous facets to satisfying the requirements, from certification to licensure to continuing education credits.

Education Required

While education requirements for athletic trainers differ by state, all trainers are required to have one of two degrees from an accredited college or university: a bachelor's degree in athletic training or a bachelor's degree in any subject with an entry-level master's in athletic training. Within the degree, two years of clinical experience must be satisfied. A list of acceptable colleges and universities can be found at the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education website at www.caate.net. According to the National Athletic Trainers' Association, or NATA, approximately 70 percent of trainers hold a master's degree.

Once the bachelor's or master's degree has been obtained, trainers must then pass a test via the Board of Certification, or BOC. After that the requirements vary, depending on the state a trainer wishes to practice in. Some states require additional licensing and continuing education credits that must be obtained within a certain time frame.

Continuing Education Credits

The BOC requires 75 continuing education credits per three years to keep an athletic training certification active. An annual certification fee also must be paid to the BOC. Additionally, trainers must stay current in their emergency cardiac care training. This includes adult and pediatric CPR, defibrillator training and more. Some states require more than the 75 continuing education credits.

Certification vs. Licensure

Certification is obtained at the national level via the BOC. However, some states, such as Florida, additionally require licensure, according to Kendra Aspergren, communications manager for the BOC.

Aspergren says licensure requires additional paperwork and a fee, and in some states, an additional test. Licensure also requires additional continuing education credits beyond what is required by the BOC. Continuing education courses can be found on the BOC website and also at the NATA site.

Additional Requirements

Beyond an additional licensure, some states have still more requirements. For instance, according to the Florida Department of Health, athletic trainers in Florida must be at least 21 years of age, hold a bachelor's in athletic training and BOC-approved certification, have a current Red Cross card, take continuing education courses in HIV/AIDs, and take a two-hour course in prevention of medical errors.

State-specific Information

Since some states have different additional requirements and others have no requirements at all, the easiest way to find out what your particular state requires is to visit the BOC site at www.bocatc.org and search "State Regulation."

There, trainers can find a map that details what each state requires as far as licensure and certification are concerned, and it also lists the state regulatory agencies to contact for more details.

References

• National Athletic Trainers' Association
• Board of Certification
• Florida Department of Health