{"schemaVersion":"1.0","exportedAt":"2026-05-15T12:51:04.153Z","occupation":{"soc":"29-9091.00","title":"Athletic Trainers","group":"Healthcare Practitioners & Technical","sector":"62","jobZone":5,"jobZoneInferred":false},"framework":{"version":"v.26.05","description":"","contextCovered":"This framework covers athletic trainers working across high school, collegiate, professional sport, and clinical sports medicine settings, from supervised entry-level practice through executive program leadership.","levels":{"emerging":{"label":"Emerging","statements":["Initial injury assessments — conduct under direct supervision using standardized protocols to determine emergency care needs for athletes in a collegiate or clinical training setting.","Protective taping and bracing techniques — apply to ankles, fingers, and wrists following established procedures under the guidance of a supervising athletic trainer on a practice field.","Athletic training room sanitation — clean and sanitize equipment, surfaces, and treatment areas according to infection control standards in a sports medicine facility.","Athlete progress notes — document recovery status and treatment sessions using electronic medical record software under clinical supervision.","Physical therapy modalities — operate basic equipment such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation units under direct oversight in a sports medicine clinic.","Emergency action plans — recognize and follow established protocols when an athlete presents with an acute injury or sudden illness during a supervised practice or competition.","Injury prevention devices — select and apply tape, bandages, and braces to appropriate body parts based on pre-approved protocols during team practice sessions.","Administrative records — maintain athlete files, scheduling logs, and injury reports using office suite and calendar software in a sports medicine department.","Referral documentation — prepare clear written summaries of athlete injury presentations to support physician referral under the direction of a licensed athletic trainer.","Preventive health instructions — deliver basic injury-prevention information to athletes and coaches using prepared materials in a structured team or classroom setting."]},"developing":{"label":"Developing","statements":["Injury and illness assessments — conduct independent initial evaluations of musculoskeletal and systemic conditions to determine care pathways for athletes across multiple sport programs.","Return-to-play clearances — evaluate athletes' functional readiness and provide participation clearances based on clinical examination findings and established criteria in a high school or collegiate environment.","Progress reporting — assess and communicate recovery milestones to coaches and team physicians using objective outcome measures and standardized reporting tools.","Therapeutic intervention plans — design and implement individualized rehabilitation programs using physical therapy equipment and evidence-based techniques in a sports medicine clinic.","Protective device selection — determine appropriate taping, bracing, and padding strategies for injury prevention and management across diverse sport and position demands.","Athlete education sessions — instruct athletes, parents, and coaches on injury prevention, nutrition, and safe sport participation using clear oral and written communication in group settings.","Medical software utilization — manage athlete health records, treatment logs, and scheduling data using medical database and electronic mail platforms in a multi-sport department.","Clinical decision-making — apply critical thinking and deductive reasoning to differentiate between conditions requiring immediate physician referral and those manageable within the athletic training scope.","Time management under workload pressure — prioritize assessment and treatment tasks across overlapping practice and competition schedules in a high-demand collegiate athletic environment.","Community safety outreach — present injury prevention and emergency response information to parents and community members using presentation software in public or school-based settings."]},"proficient":{"label":"Proficient","statements":["Comprehensive injury evaluation — conduct autonomous, full-scope assessments of acute and chronic athletic injuries and illnesses, integrating clinical findings to direct emergency and ongoing care without supervisory input.","Physician collaboration and referral — synthesize assessment data, generate differential diagnoses, and prepare detailed referral communications to physicians to ensure definitive diagnosis and coordinated treatment planning.","Advanced rehabilitation programming — design and supervise multi-phase rehabilitation protocols using the full range of physical therapy equipment and manual techniques for athletes with complex or high-stakes injuries.","Readiness-to-participate decisions — independently evaluate biomechanical, physiological, and psychological factors to issue or withhold sport participation clearances under time-sensitive competition conditions.","Non-routine clinical problem-solving — apply inductive reasoning and complex problem-solving skills to manage atypical presentations, comorbidities, and multi-system injuries in professional or collegiate sport contexts.","Stakeholder reporting and advocacy — produce comprehensive written and verbal progress reports for coaches, medical staff, and administrators that influence treatment decisions and athlete welfare policies.","Mentorship of emerging clinicians — guide and supervise students and early-career athletic trainers through clinical rotations, modeling professional judgment and clinical reasoning in a sports medicine department.","Emergency response leadership — lead on-field emergency management, direct ancillary personnel, and coordinate with emergency medical services during acute life-threatening events at large-scale athletic competitions.","Evidence-based practice integration — critically appraise current research literature and translate findings into updated clinical protocols, treatment guidelines, and staff training materials.","Program administration — manage athletic training department operations including budget tracking, compliance documentation, and interdisciplinary coordination using administrative and data management software."]},"advanced":{"label":"Advanced","statements":["Organizational clinical strategy — define and direct the vision, standards, and clinical quality framework for a sports medicine program across a multi-sport professional, collegiate, or healthcare organization.","System-level policy development — author and implement institutional policies on injury prevention, return-to-play criteria, and emergency action planning that align with national professional standards and accreditation requirements.","Leadership and talent development — design structured competency development pathways, mentorship programs, and performance evaluation systems to grow a high-performing athletic training staff.","Interprofessional team leadership — lead integrated care teams comprising physicians, physical therapists, psychologists, and strength staff to deliver coordinated athlete health services at an organizational scale.","Research and scholarship direction — conceive, fund, and oversee original research initiatives or evidence synthesis projects that advance the science and practice of athletic training at a national level.","Advocacy and public health influence — represent the profession before regulatory bodies, athletic associations, and legislative stakeholders to shape public policy on athlete safety and scope-of-practice legislation.","Executive reporting and governance — present strategic program outcomes, risk assessments, and resource plans to boards of directors, athletic directors, or executive healthcare leadership using data-driven narratives.","Curriculum and academic leadership — develop and lead graduate-level athletic training education programs, ensuring alignment with CAATE accreditation standards and preparing the next generation of practitioners.","Cross-institutional crisis management — direct organizational response to large-scale medical emergencies, epidemics, or catastrophic injury events, coordinating communication, logistics, and care protocols across departments.","Culture of safety and performance — establish and sustain an organizational culture that prioritizes athlete health, ethical practice, and psychological safety across all levels of a sport or healthcare enterprise."]}}},"sources":{"onet":"v30.2 (CC BY 4.0)","crosswalk":"https://skillscrosswalk.com","generator":"LER.me"},"attribution":"© EBSCOed"}