Certified Athletic Trainer

Potomac Healthcare Solutions•Lackland AFB, TX

About The Position

The Certified Athletic Trainer provides athletic training services to service members, including injury prevention, clinical evaluation and diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, emergency care, performance optimization, and healthcare administration. The trainer performs comprehensive examinations of musculoskeletal and exertional injuries, takes appropriate histories, interprets findings, identifies impairments, and develops plans for further assessment, referral, treatment, activity limitations, and follow-up. Care is delivered within professional scope and applicable athletic training standards, approved procedures, and policies. The position works under the supervision of a designated Sports Medicine physician and partners with physicians and other healthcare personnel to support safe, timely, high-quality patient care. The trainer uses therapeutic exercise and modalities, including resistance and functional exercise, manual therapy, joint mobilization, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, therapeutic massage, taping, and wound care. The role also designs protective equipment and braces; develops strength, aerobic, flexibility, corrective exercise, and conditioning programs; supports service members recovering from injury or who have failed a fitness test; and provides education on rehabilitation, injury prevention, physical activity, nutrition, hydration, acclimatization, and self-care. The trainer may provide medical coverage for physical training activities and emergency response within their scope of care. The position requires documenting evaluations and treatment in the electronic health record and closing encounter documentation within 72 hours. Other duties include clinical follow-up, risk screening, evaluating therapeutic interventions using best available evidence, equipment and technique recommendations, peer reviews, and participation in performance improvement, outcomes tracking, and approved research activities. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; retirement and health savings account employer matches; paid leave and holidays; relocation assistance; continuing education and license reimbursement; and other programs.

Requirements

Master’s degree from a CAATE-accredited Athletic Training Education Program or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Athletic Training.
Certification by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) or National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
Current, full, active, unrestricted Texas state license.
In-person Basic Life Support (BLS) certification accepted by the American Heart Association for healthcare providers or by the American Red Cross; online courses are not accepted.
At least one year of experience diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries in a high school, collegiate, professional, or military setting.
For candidates with a bachelor’s degree, at least three years of relevant experience diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries.
Must be a U.S. citizen.
For the Senior level: a master’s degree and at least five years of relevant experience, or a bachelor’s degree and at least eight years of relevant experience.
For the Head level: at least ten years of experience as a certified athletic trainer in a high school, college, professional sports, or military training setting, plus at least three years overseeing a sports medicine or athletic training program of three or more athletic trainers and/or strength and conditioning coaches.

Responsibilities

Prevent, recognize, evaluate, diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate musculoskeletal and exertional injuries and conditions.
Provide emergency first aid, initial examinations, injury triage, treatment, and on- or off-site emergency response within professional scope.
Perform comprehensive clinical examinations, interpret findings, identify impairments, and develop plans for assessment, referral, treatment, activity limitations, and follow-up.
Provide therapeutic interventions and modalities, including exercise protocols, manual therapy, joint mobilization, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, massage, taping, wound care, and heat mitigation measures.
Design and fabricate protective pads, equipment, and braces, and apply appropriate taping techniques.
Develop strength, aerobic, flexibility, corrective exercise, and conditioning programs for injury prevention, rehabilitation, functional reconditioning, and performance optimization.
Assist with and supervise service-member fitness activities, including for members recovering from injury or who have failed a physical fitness test, while accounting for health risks and individual needs.
Instruct and counsel service members on therapeutic-regimen compliance, injury prevention, self-rehabilitation, fitness, nutrition, hydration, electrolyte balance, and acclimatization.
Screen service members for injury and illness risk factors, including flexibility, strength and endurance, cardiovascular fitness, posture, ergonomics, and body composition.
Select, apply, and evaluate therapeutic interventions using the best available evidence.
Provide clinical follow-up and reevaluation of injuries and communicate patient care and status among patients, training instructors, and the healthcare system.
Document all evaluations and treatment in the patient’s electronic health record and complete and sign encounter records within 72 hours.
Complete three peer reviews of patient-care documentation by the first day of each month for the designated reviewer.
Participate in performance improvement, outcomes tracking, data collection, and Institutional Review Board-approved research as directed.
Recommend techniques and equipment that may improve performance optimization for the sports medicine team.
Attend Athletic Training Program meetings and briefings as requested.
Work with Sports Medicine physician(s) and other emergency support personnel to meet clinical care objectives and promote patient safety and quality care.
Perform other medical management and continuous performance improvement initiatives within athletic training scope as directed.