Clinical and Emerging Settings...The Key to Preventing Burnout???

I attended the North Texas Athletic Trainers Society Symposium this past weekend and saw many colleagues and excited students who were there to learn about athletic training and current issues. It’s always refreshing to see new faces and the energy they bring to the profession, but there is more talk among student’s and professional about having more life balance and how does one get that, but still 

stay in the profession?

The answers may be many and there are more ATs that are looking outside of the schools wanting to get into an emerging setting. I field phone calls and emails from students and ATs who have been in the profession for a while and they ask how they can change their setting and still be an AT. Is this trend a sign of dissatisfaction or burn out? Maybe, but I believe our profession is doing a good job of educating ATs about emerging settings and continue to have exciting topics, clinics and other opportunities to introduce ATs to those settings. 

The ATs that I talk to who are entertaining the idea of moving into an emerging setting are excited about the possibilities that lay ahead. Many of the questions I hear are “How do we make the change? How did you do it?” We have the skills to diversify we just have to be confident that we can make that change and we have to be ready to learn everything we can about the setting we want to go into. 

Attend any emerging setting clinic or talk and you will hear ideas that were never talked about in your textbook.

So how do you get more information about an emerging setting? Talk to an AT in one of those settings, any setting, they will know others who will talk to you. Call or email any of the ATCs on the CEPAT committee for SWATA or NATA; we are always glad to help someone looking to make a change. Attend a talk or conference that is related to an emerging setting. The networking opportunities that you will be exposed to are phenomenal. Check out the NATA CEPAT webpage; there are many resources on there like: the COES database for student clinical internships in an emerging setting; day in the life of an AT in different emerging settings; articles to help you in your quest to get a foothold in an emerging setting and much more. Educators,  in July, during your educator meeting, the SWATA CEPAT committee will be giving a brief presentation of resources that you can use with your students.

Whether you are burned out, ready for a change or just want to see what options you have while staying in the field of athletic training, consider an emerging setting. You will be energized with new practices and learn a new skill sets that will defiantly be a rewarding challenge. 

For more information visit the NATA emerging setting webpage or email me.

Written by:

Rob Sandmann

SWATA Clinical & Emerging Practices Committee Chair

Asst. Administrator-Clinical

Texas Orthopedic Specialist - PA