Educational

Become an AT

If you are interested in becoming a Athletic Therapist, you must graduate from one of the seven accredited institutions.

These educational programs provide fundamental training that encompass the following domains:

• Assessment and recognition of injuries, illnesses, medical conditions, and disabilities
• Pathology of injuries, illnesses, medical conditions, and disabilities
• Prevention of injuries, illnesses, medical conditions, and disabilities
• Management of injuries, illnesses, medical conditions, and disabilities
• Emergency first responder care
• Prophylactic application techniques
• Therapeutic modalities
• Progressive exercise rehabilitation
• Pharmacology
• Weight management and nutrition
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Risk management, legal liability, and medical ethics
• Psychosocial intervention and referral
• Professional development

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Careers in Athletic Therapy

Athletic Therapists are employed by private injury rehabilitation clinics; other public and private medical facilities including the corporate sector; professional, national, and/or recreational sport organizations; and high school and post-secondary educational institutions.  Examples of opportunities include the following:

• Clinicians – work in a fee for service clinic treating a variety of injuries and condition such as assessment and rehabilitation as well developing conditioning programs for people from all walks of life.
• Emergency first responders
• Educators, lecturers, instructors and researchers
• Non-physician experts
• Insurance case managers
• Ergonomic assessors
• Rehabilitation exercise experts
• Work with varsity athletes and provide expertise on injury prevention, emergency and acute care, assessment and rehabilitation of injuries and develop conditioning programs.
• Work with professional teams such as the NHL, CFL, NBA, NWHL, NLL and professional dance companies. Athletic Therapists are responsible for injury prevention, emergency and acute care, assessment and rehabilitation of injuries and development of conditioning programs.
• Work with national athletes and be part of their ongoing care. Athletic Therapists either work directly with the team and may be part of the medical team for games such as: Olympic, Pan Am, Universiade, Commonwealth, Canada Games, etc.
• Sales and marketing for performance and rehabilitation brands
• Municipal government and industrial workplaces

Athletic Therapists may work in conjunction with other healthcare, fitness, and wellness professionals such as physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, chiropractors, massage therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dentists, optometrists, pedorthists, nurses, biomechanists, homeopaths, osteopathic manual therapists, acupuncturists, psychologists, nutritionists/dieticians, personal trainers, and strength coaches.

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Scope of Practice

The scope of practice of an Athletic Therapist starts with the in-depth knowledge, education and training in the areas of the human musculoskeletal system, exercise physiology, biomechanics, and basic emergency care. Within this, the scope of practice is divided into five practice domains representing the core areas of competency that accredited institutions follow in educating Candidates to become entry level, practicing Athletic Therapists.

The five practice domains are as follows:

• Prevention
• Assessment
• Intervention
• Practice Management
• Professional Responsibility

Additional Scope of Practice as mandated by the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association, and can be found on their website.

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Educational Pamphlets

• Sport Medicine Council of Alberta Information Handouts

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Concussion Resources

• Concussion Resources

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Drug-Related Information

• World Anti-Doping Agency: 2012 List of Prohibited Substances and Method
• World Anti-Doping Agency: 2011 Therapeutic Use Exemptions

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