Athletic Trainer

ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. This position requires the employee to be a professing Christian and to be willing to support the Christian mission of ACU.

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Responsibilities include prevention, care and rehabilitation of injuries/illnesses involving student-athletes as Assistant/ Associate Athletic Trainer. Assist with medical documentation, insurance, facility maintenance, inventory management, and clinical supervision of Master of Athletic Training students.

Compensation: Salary is contingent on experience, skills, certifications, and qualifications of the potential candidate. Coverage expenses for NATA, BOC, Licensure, and CEUs.

Basic Responsibilities

A.  Injury Prevention

B.  Injury/Illness Recognition and Evaluation

C.  Injury/Illness Management/Treatment

D.  Injury/Illness Rehabilitation

E.  Program Organization and Administration

F.  Education and Counseling

G.  Practice/Conditioning and Game Coverage

Essential Duties include primary coverage and other duties as assigned by Associate AD for Sports Medicine. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. 

A. Injury Prevention

• Pre-season physical exams, especially to identify and protect pre-existing physical conditions that might predispose student-athletes to injury.

• Coordinate with strength and conditioning coach(s) and be able to create and carry out postseason, off-season, preseason and in-season basic conditioning programs to assist the athlete in gaining and maintaining maximum physical conditioning.

• Must be able to construct, and apply all types of protective devices, including but not limited to the following: taping; bracing; splints; casts.

• Assist the Associate AD for Sports Medicine, coaching staff and equipment manager in monitoring safe and unsafe conditions, including environmental concerns, equipment and playing field(s) or location(s).

B.  Injury/Illness Recognition and Evaluation

• Must have a thorough knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, pathologies, kinesiology and biomechanics to properly assess injury/illness.

• Knowledge and application of determining the extent of an injury/illness.

• Injury/Illness Management

• Current CPR/AED/First Aid certification(s)

• Ability to provide proper emergency medical care.

• Ability to provide therapeutic treatment regimens to aid recovery.

• Making prompt and appropriate medical referrals.

• Coordinate the proper channels for the Sports Medicine Team, including General Practitioner, Orthopedic Surgeon and other specialists.

• Injury/Illness Rehabilitation

• Skilled in creating, facilitating exercise rehabilitation, and other therapeutic methods for full restoration of a student-athlete.

• Assess, by objective measurement, when goals and recovery have been achieved, thus minimizing risk of regression and/or re-injury. This includes intermittent testing and reevaluation.

•  Program Organization and Administration

• Assist in maintaining and updating a comprehensive medical records program (EMR), including daily injury records, permanent health records, rehabilitation reports, follow-up care, inventory, medical information release forms, SOAP notes, referral forms, injury status, coach injury reports, and any information relating to the physical condition of all intercollegiate student-athletes.

• Assist in facility upkeep, maintaining facility and equipment in good working condition; assist in managing day-to-day operations of the athletic training room.

• Reporting any unsafe facility or equipment in prompt fashion to the appropriate ACU personnel. Also, establishing if an immediate threat to ACU staff, patrons, and/or any person(s) in the vicinity are in immediate danger, and acting accordingly for their and your personal safety. 

• Assist in the coordination and filing of all medical claims and payments relating to intercollegiate athletic injuries/illness. 

• Assist in enforcing standard policies and procedures for all sports.

• Assist in all drug-testing programs related to NCAA and WAC membership as well as ACU mandated policies and procedures.

• Assist in recruitment and clinical supervision of MAT students for professional careers in athletic training.

• Education and Counseling

• Instruct student-athlete(s) and coach(es) on the condition of an injury/illness, and procedures necessary for the best medical practice recovery plan.

• Provide information to coach(es), faculty, parent(s), legal guardian(s), and community when applicable.

• Provide supervised clinical instruction to MAT students, and volunteer students. 

• Assist in creation of the necessary learning environment for MAT students in accordance with CAATE standards.

• Be able to counsel student-athletes when necessary and refer them to proper professionals for any identified ailments. 

• Communication liaison between physician, athlete, parents, and coaches, in an open and adequate manner/format.

•  Responsible for being present for all practices, conditioning sessions and games of the sport in which they are assigned as well as any other sports in which they are asked to cover.

Professional Development Requirements:

Skills  

1.  Strong organizational skills

2.  Strong interpersonal and communication skills

3.  Ability to make decisions

4.  Supervision/management skills

5. Ability to work with others 

Training Modules Required

1.  Continuing education units for State Licensure/National Board requirements.

2.  Computer training and proficiency in Microsoft Office, EMR system(s), and other computer-based data tracking software.

3.  Training of athletic/professional staff in current injury management procedures.

4.  Ability to assist in application of curriculum-based programs for MAT students.

Qualifications:

Professional

• Current licensing, or ability to apply for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation License of Athletic Training

• National Athletic Trainer’s Association BOC credentialed

• Previous athletic training experience in the high school or clinic or college/university athletic training experience as a certified athletic trainer (minimum a year) required. Experience in college/university or professional setting is preferred.

• Understand NCAA Division I rules/standards

• CPR/AED/First Aid certification maintained

• Valid Driver’s license

Personal

• Ability to communicate with various personalities

• Ability to adapt to change and handle multiple tasks at once

• Highly motivated

• Strong work ethic

• Desire to serve others

Physical Demands

• The ability to adapt and adjust schedules to accommodate extended hours.

• Adapt and adjust to multiple tasks, and instant decision-making skills. 

• Good overall physical health: lifting, walking, running, carrying, or standing for extended periods may be required.

• Ability to lift heavy items and move them in the air.

• Ability to stand outside in environmental conditions.

• React and hold up in emergency situations as a calm and authority figure.

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law.

ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets. Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions. As a current employee, it will be determined if you need an additional background check upon your hire.