Athletic trainer ‘shortage’ due to more opportunities, not fewer numbers
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Key takeaways:
- The number of athletic trainers is expected to be at its highest by the end of 2023.
- Athletic trainers are able to use their skillsets in different patient populations, making hiring more competitive.
CHICAGO — With roots in college athletics, athletic trainers began branching out into orthopedics and other medical settings about 15 to 20 years ago.
However, in recent years, orthopedists have expressed a shortage of athletic trainers in the field, which “truly is not the case,” according to Kathy Dieringer, EdD, LAT, ATC, president of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
“Our board of certification tells us that they expect by the end of 2023 our numbers will be at the highest that they have ever been,” Dieringer said during her presentation at the Academic Orthopaedic Consortium Connect Business and Leadership Symposium. “So, there is not a shortage of athletic trainers.”
One of the reasons for the seeming shortage of athletic trainers in the orthopedics field is due to the number of opportunities available for athletic trainers to use their skillsets, according to Dieringer. She said the highest demand for athletic trainers has most recently been in the industrial setting and in the armed forces, the latter with 400 open athletic training jobs.
“There is a lot of opportunity now for athletic trainers to take their skillsets to different patient populations and it has become much more competitive, just as most health care professions are becoming competitive in salaries and in positions,” Dieringer said.
Dieringer added a survey completed by members of NATA showed themes of time, money and respect as important to athletic trainers. A salary survey of athletic trainers also showed an 8% increase in athletic trainer salaries from 2018 to 2021, which Dieringer said is expected to continue to increase.
“We’re at a time where there is not a shortage of athletic trainers, but athletic trainers are being selective more so than they’ve ever been about, yes, taking care of their patients, but taking care of themselves, making sure that they’re valued both in salaries and in time worked and in the culture of their workplaces,” Dieringer said.
Reference:
- 2021 salary survey executive summary. https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/nata_2021_salary_survey_executive_summary.pdf. Published Feb. 23, 2022. Accessed Oct. 17, 2023.
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Dieringer K. Surviving this labor crisis: Strategies to consider for labor shortage in clinic. Presented at: Academic Orthopaedic Consortium Connect Business and Leadership Symposium; Oct. 12-14, 2023; Chicago.
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