Anyone weighing a career in athletic training usually asks two questions right away: What skills does the job require, and what credentials open the door? In this post, we map out the athletic trainer skills you will use daily and the exact steps for how to become an athletic trainer, from your first prerequisite course to the credential that lets you practice.
Demand for athletic trainers is climbing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average job growth for athletic trainers over the current decade, spanning college and professional teams, high schools, clinics, industrial worksites and public safety roles across Idaho and the wider country.
Below is a full checklist of the skills needed to be an athletic trainer and the credentials employers expect. Work through it, and you will know where you stand today and what to do next.
Athletic Trainer Skills Checklist at a Glance
Use this quick view as your reference, then read the detailed sections for context. Together, these points describe the athletic trainer qualifications most programs and employers expect.
| Category | What You Need | When You Build It |
| Clinical skills | Injury evaluation, emergency care, taping and bracing, rehab programming, concussion assessment | Graduate program + clinical rotations |
| Foundational knowledge | Anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, pharmacology basics | Undergraduate prerequisites |
| Personal skills | Active listening, composure under pressure, empathy, clear communication across audiences | Ongoing, but can be developed before you apply |
| Credentials | CAATE-accredited master’s degree, BOC exam pass, state licensure | 2 to 3 years post-bachelor’s |
| Certifications | CPR/AED, plus program-specific credentials | Prerequisite or during program |
Clinical Skills Every Athletic Trainer Needs
Clinical ability is the backbone of the profession. While these athletic training skills are teachable, they demand practice and a strong grasp of the underlying science.
Injury Evaluation and Clinical Diagnosis
You will assess injuries on the field, sometimes in seconds, with a crowd watching and limited information. Sound evaluation means knowing what to rule out first and how to decide whether an athlete keeps playing or comes off.
Emergency Care
Life-threatening situations call for quick, correct action, including spine boarding, AED use, recognizing environmental emergencies such as heat illness, and responding to catastrophic injury. Current certification in these procedures is non-negotiable.
Concussion Recognition and Return-to-Play
Head injuries require careful judgment. You will screen for concussion signs, remove athletes when needed, and follow a structured return-to-play protocol to protect long-term health over short-term wins.
Therapeutic Intervention
Rehabilitation is where many athletic trainers spend the most time. Manual therapy, therapeutic modalities, and progressive exercise programming help patients recover function and return to activity safely.
Taping, Bracing and Protective Equipment
Proper taping, bracing, and equipment fitting prevent injuries and support healing ones. These hands-on skills come with repetition and feedback.
Medical Documentation
Most students underestimate this one. Accurate records protect your patients, employer, and license. Clean documentation is part of professional, defensible care.
Foundational Science
Anatomy, biomechanics, and exercise physiology support clinical judgment. Graduate coursework builds on these subjects through injury evaluation, emergency care, rehabilitation, pharmacology, research, and other areas of patient care.
Personal Skills That Separate Good Athletic Trainers from Great Ones
Clinical knowledge gets you in the door. Soft skills for athletic trainers decide how far you go.
Two athletic trainers can hold the same degree, pass the same exam, and master the same protocols. Yet one earns the lasting trust of athletes, coaches, and physicians while the other struggles to connect. The difference comes down to how they communicate, respond under pressure, and how they make people feel in the hardest moments of an injury.
These are the traits of a good athletic trainer, and the five below matter most on the job.
Communication
Athletic trainers work beyond the clinic, sometimes on the sideline of a Friday night football game in a small Idaho town. Strong active listening lets you filter noise and hear what a patient may not say directly. You also serve as a link between patients, physicians, coaches, and families.
Stress Tolerance
Athletic training can place you in high-pressure situations. You may need to make a fast decision, respond to an emergency, explain a setback, or support someone through a long rehabilitation. Competent athletic trainers learn to stay focused and keep making sound decisions when emotions run high.
Empathy
Injuries are physical and emotional. An athlete losing a season feels that loss deeply. Meeting patients with genuine care builds trust, and trust improves recovery.
Attention to Detail
Documentation, protocol adherence, and equipment checks reward precision. Small oversights create real risk, so careful, consistent habits protect both patient and practitioner.
Adaptability
Athletic trainers work in schools, clinics, sports, industrial workplaces, public safety, performing arts, and military settings. Each setting brings different patients, resources, and expectations.
What Degree and Certification Do You Need to Become an Athletic Trainer?
The path into athletic training is well defined, but also more involved than many people expect. It is a sequence of milestones, each one building on the last, that together prepare you to make sound decisions when an athlete’s health is on the line.
Bachelor’s Degree with Prerequisites
Start with an undergraduate degree with anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and statistics. Your major can vary, but these prerequisites are what qualify you for graduate study.
A CAATE-Accredited Master’s Degree
Entry into the profession now requires a master’s from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, known as CAATE. Accreditation confirms the program meets national standards.
Graduating from a non-accredited program disqualifies you from sitting for the certification exam, so verify accreditation before you enroll.
Clinical Experience and Immersion
Accredited programs pair classroom learning with supervised clinical hours across varied settings. Immersion experiences let you practice under real conditions with real patients, so you graduate with judgment.
The BOC Exam and the ATC Credential
After graduating, you sit for the Board of Certification exam. Passing earns you the Certified Athletic Trainer credential, ATC, recognized by employers and states.
State Licensure
Most states, including Idaho, require licensure to practice. Since athletic trainer requirements vary by state, be sure to check the rules where you plan to work.
Continuing Education
Certified athletic trainers complete ongoing professional education and renewal requirements through the BOC. Current requirements depend on the renewal pathway and cycle.
How Long Does It Take?
The standard route takes about six years: roughly four years for a bachelor’s degree and about two years for a professional master’s program. Some schools offer 3+2 pathways that combine undergraduate and graduate study and can shorten the timeline.
How to Build Athletic Training Skills Before You Apply
You don’t have to wait for graduate school to start becoming an athletic trainer. In fact, the best applicants arrive with hands-on exposure and relationships already in place. These steps also confirm the career fits you and help you meet common athletic trainer qualifications.
Shadow or Observe a Certified Athletic Trainer
Nothing clarifies the career faster than watching it up close. Reach out to the athletic trainer at a local high school, college, or sports medicine clinic and ask if you can observe for a few hours. Keep the request simple and specific: introduce yourself, explain that you’re exploring the profession, and propose a couple of dates.
Most trainers remember being in your position and are glad to help, especially if you’re respectful of their time and follow up with a thank-you.
Volunteer with a High School or Club Sports Program
Observation shows you the work; volunteering lets you contribute to it. Offer to help a high school or club program with game-day setup, equipment management, hydration stations, or general support under supervision.
Consistent volunteering demonstrates commitment, exposes you to real athletes in real settings, and turns into the kind of relationship that produces a strong recommendation later.
Get CPR/AED Certified Early
CPR and AED certification is a baseline expectation in this field. It’s inexpensive, widely available through organizations like the American Red Cross or American Heart Association, and signals to programs that you’re serious and prepared. Having it on your résumé before you apply is a small credential that sets you apart.
Take Your Prerequisite Science Coursework Seriously
Anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and statistics are the foundation graduate programs use to gauge your readiness. Competitive applicants typically present a GPA in the 3.0–3.5 range or higher, and admissions committees pay particular attention to performance in the science prerequisites.
Treat these courses as your first clinical test: they’re where you prove you can handle the academic demands ahead.
Build Relationships with Faculty for Letters of Recommendation
Strong letters of recommendation come from professors and supervisors who know you well. Attend office hours, engage in class, and let faculty see your work ethic firsthand. Start these relationships early so that when application season arrives, you have advocates who can speak specifically to your character and potential.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming an Athletic Trainer
- What skills do you need to be an athletic trainer?
You need clinical skills such as injury evaluation, emergency care and rehabilitation, plus personal skills like communication, stress tolerance and empathy. A strong foundation in anatomy and physiology supports every clinical decision you make on the job.
- What degree do you need to become an athletic trainer?
You need a master’s degree from a CAATE-accredited program. A bachelor’s degree with prerequisite science coursework comes first, but the master’s is now the required entry point to sit for the certification exam.
- How long does it take to become an athletic trainer?
Plan on about six years total: four years for a bachelor’s degree and roughly two years for a master’s. After graduation, you sit for the certification exam and complete state licensure before you begin practicing.
- Do athletic trainers have to be certified?
Yes. You pass the Board of Certification exam to earn the ATC credential, and most states, including Idaho, require licensure to practice. Certification confirms you meet the national standard for safe, competent care.
- Is athletic training a hard major?
It is demanding. The coursework includes heavy science, and clinical rotations require long hours and quick thinking. Students who stay organized and treat clinicals as learning opportunities tend to succeed.
- What’s the difference between an athletic trainer and a personal trainer?
An athletic trainer is a licensed healthcare provider who prevents, evaluates, and rehabilitates injuries. A personal trainer designs fitness and conditioning programs but does not diagnose or treat medical conditions. The credentials and scope of practice differ significantly.
- Can you become an athletic trainer without an athletic background?
Yes. A personal sports history is not required. What counts is your interest in healthcare, your science aptitude, and your willingness to learn hands-on clinical skills through an accredited program.
- What are the most important soft skills for an athletic trainer?
Communication, empathy, and stress tolerance rank at the top. Attention to detail and adaptability follow close behind. These skills help you connect with patients, stay calm in emergencies, and adjust across many different work settings.
Where This Leaves You
Becoming an athletic trainer is a big commitment. The checklist above shows what the career asks of you: clinical skill, personal strength, and the right credentials, earned in exactly this order. Knowing the path removes the guesswork, so you can plan each step with confidence.
The University of Idaho Athletic Training Program is built around a student-centered focus. And as the home of the nation’s first Doctor of Athletic Training program, it also gives working professionals a way to grow their expertise without stepping away from their careers.
Ready to take the next step? Contact the University of Idaho Athletic Training Program to learn more about admissions, prerequisites, and your path into the profession.