Prevention has always been the AT motto...

One of the concerns for many AT’s is how will the ACA (Affordable Care Act) affect the student athlete in the collegiate setting. This is one of the many discussion points brought up during the NATA Joint Committee Meeting that was held in Dallas in January. I understand that the possibility of having an insurance plan that meets the needs for everyone is very valuable and may end up helping athletic departments in collegiate institutions with regards to financial costs incurred due to injuries resulting from conditioning or play. However, how will the overall cost in finding an ACA compliant insurance plan that will take on the risk of a student-athlete affect the institution? The costs for medical care will rise.
The modern day AT will need to take on more of a risk manager approach and the domain of Prevention will assume an even more involved role. The AT waiting to manage an injury will never go away. We do though, as professionals, need to continue to help develop ways of improving our clinical practice and developing intervention strategies to lessen risk.There are so many questions with many possible outcomes…and, at the end of day we really do not know what will be the final answer. I am optimistic that the AT will continue to persevere and demonstrate that prevention is the key to our success. This is where we will make a difference among our healthcare colleagues.
Also, check out the resources that the NATA provides to guide the AT along the way of healthcare reform.

Written by:

Jerry Hilker

College University AT Committee Chair

“The mission of the SWATA CUATC is to promote communication between athletic trainers practicing in the collegiate setting and governing bodies of collegiate athletics. The committee will support the efforts of the NATA-CUATC in representation of the membership who are employed in college and university practice settings.”

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. -Douglas Adams

Deadlines.  Our lives always seem to revolve around deadlines. Some very important deadlines are approaching, and simply taking the time to complete an application could not only help you financially, but could also make a great impact on your professional career. 

First, applications for the 2014-2015 SWATA Student Senate are being accepted until March 21st. All students who are interested in taking a leadership role should apply!! The Student Senate plans student programming at the annual meeting, disperses information among the student membership via a newsletter, and represents the student membership to the leaders of our great district. Consider applying for a position! Applications and eligibility information can be found on the SWATA homepage.  Scroll down a little and you will see the link!

Also, as Paul Dunham, SWATA Scholarship Committee Chair, explained so well in his February 20^th blog, scholarship applications are being accepted until April 1^st.  Couldn’t you use a little extra cash to pay for books?  How about the BOC exam?  Again, applications and eligibility requirements can be found by scrolling down on the SWATA homepage.  This application can be done entirely online.

You can also click here to apply for the Bobby Gunn Student Leadership Award, which provides a travel stipend and waived registration fee for a student member who has never attended the NATA annual meeting.  Applications are due April 11^th.  You will need to include a one page essay describing your involvement in athletic training and a clear understanding of Bobby Gunn’s impact on the athletic training profession.  More information on Bobby Gunn may be found in the April 2007 edition of the NATA News.

Finally, last but certainly not least, the SWATA Research & Free Communications committee (formerly the Student Poster Contest Committee) is accepting abstracts for presentations at the annual meeting in July.  Applications are due May 2^nd and can also be found after scrolling down on the SWATA homepage.

Each one of these is an opportunity for students to advance their professional career.  Will YOU take the time to apply?  You never know what doors it might open for you!!

Finally, I’d like to encourage all students to register for the 60^th SWATA Annual Meeting in Frisco, TX July 17-19.  This year’s student programming will feature manual therapy, dry needling, and the always popular mock interviews, just to name a few.

Written by:

Laura Kunkel, MS, ATC, LAT, PES

SWATA Student Leadership Development Committee Chair 

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