Medical Sports Careers: Job Descriptions and Requirements

Sports medicine careers are healthcare careers which related specifically to medicine, conditioning and training for athletes. Some of these careers include physical therapist, athletic trainer and kinesiotherapist.

View 31 Popular Schools »

Physical Therapist

Physical therapists treat physical ailments in people due to illness or injury by helping patients move and exercise. These healthcare professionals often work hand-in-hand with other medical professionals, such as nurses, occupational therapists, medical doctors and audiologists, rehabilitating patients and teaching them how to take advantage of their basic physical functions.

Requirements for Becoming a Physical Therapist

Becoming a licensed physical therapist requires students to have graduated from a fully-accredited master's degree or doctoral degree physical therapist program. The accrediting body which oversees these programs is the American Physical Therapy Association. Courses associated with a physical therapist degree program include biology, anatomy, biomechanics, pharmacology, radiology and exercise physiology.

After graduation, the potential physical therapist must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination and fulfill his or her state's requirements. The test is meant to make sure physical therapists have basic knowledge within their field, which is important for the patient's basic safety. The exam has multiple choice questions and is primarily conducted on a computer. Many physical therapists continue education in order to keep up their certification and license.

Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers are allied health professionals who often work in hospitals, community health centers and schools. Athletic trainers are often the first responders to injuries that occur during sports activities. They work to prevent, diagnose and assess the rehabilitation of often-sports-related injuries to muscles and bone. These professionals must be able to immediately recognize and provide care when needed. Many athletic trainers also teach within the school at which they work.

Requirements for Becoming an Athletic Trainer

A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for working as an athletic trainer, though many have a master's or doctoral degree. Within an athletic training program, students are taught both classroom and clinical sciences. After graduation, the athletic trainer will likely have to become licensed or registered within his or her state. As of 2009, 47 states required some sort of certification, which is conducted through the Board of Certification (www.bocatc.org) and the National Athletic Trainers' Association (www.nata.org).

Kinesiotherapist

Kinesiotherapists use a series of scientific principles to enhance one's strength, well-being and physical conditioning for long-term health. They do so by promoting exercise, medicine and dietary well-being. Patients often see kinesiotherapists after getting a prescription to do so from a physician, physician assistant or nurse. These healthcare professionals often work in hospitals, as well as rehabilitation centers, schools, private practice and sports medicine facilities.

Requirements for Becoming a Kinesiotherapist

Potential kinesiotherapists may enter bachelor's degree programs within this subjects, which include both clinical and classroom learning. The search for such a program may be difficult as there are few within the country offering this specialization. The school must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in order to qualify the graduate for licensing. After graduation, one must take the Kinesiotherapy Registration Exam, which is offered through the American Kinesiology Association (AKTA), for licensing purposes.

Show me popular schools

Related to Medical Sports Careers: Job Descriptions and Requirements

  • Related
  • Recently Updated
  • Popular
College Sports: Just a Game or an Actual Monopoly?

Major college athletics programs are often criticized for acting as though they're above the law. This ranges from...

How College Sports Have Helped Break Color Barriers

Student athletes may find themselves under a lot of pressure as they balance classwork with trying to be a top sports...

Adaptive Recreation Makes Sports Accessible

You're probably familiar with inspiring athletes who have competed in the Paralympic Games, the ultimate athletic...

How to Survive Medical School

Most people have a perception of med school that includes countless hours of lectures, lab work and studying without...

Are College Sports Programs Unsustainable?

31 Popular Schools

Popular Schools

Avg. Wages For Related Jobs

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics