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Retention, Recognition, and Redefinition of Athletic Training The athletic training profession is at a crossroads. We’ve advanced in education and evidence-based practice, but many ATs still face burnout, unclear advancement opportunities, and under-recognition within healthcare systems. That’s where the BOC Athletic Training Pathfinder Program comes in. By defining developmental milestones, potential career paths, and competencies tied to different stages of an AT’s professi

What can athletic trainers learn from Volkswagen's “Think Small” marketing campaign (1959) Context — The Volkswagen Problem In post-WWII America, cars were big, flashy, powerful, and loud symbols of status. Then came the Volkswagen Beetle — tiny, plain, slow, and German. To most Americans, it was the wrong product at the wrong time. But Doyle Dane Bernbach marketing didn’t fight that. They embraced it. The ad was minimalist: A tiny Beetle floating in a sea of white space Simp

Athletic Trainers and the Volkswagen “Lemon” (1960) advertisement Context: A photo of a Beetle with the word “Lemon.” The copy explains that Volkswagen’s inspectors rejected this particular car — proving their obsessive attention to quality. It turned a negative into proof of integrity. ➤ Lesson for Athletic Trainers: Own your flaws — they’re your credibility. Instead of hiding limitations, talk about what makes you careful, thorough, and human. For example: “Anyone can rush

The Wellness Shift Is Real — How Can Athletic Trainers Catch the Wave The landscape of consumer health is changing — and it’s not a fad. Recent data show a historic decline in alcohol consumption and a massive rise in wellness-oriented spending, especially among younger generations. This trend has huge implications for healthcare and movement professionals like athletic trainers. 🔹 Record-low alcohol consumption. Gallup reports that only 54% of U.S. adults drink alcohol toda

Mad Men and Rebranding Athletic Training Challenge In Mad Men Season 1, the Menken’s Department Store storyline offers one of the most powerful marketing lessons for any profession. Menken’s was a family-owned store: reliable, functional, and beloved by its existing customers, but it was starting to feel stale and unremarkable in a rapidly changing retail world. Rachel Menken, the visionary store owner, didn’t want a simple facelift or a catchy tagline. She wanted to redefine

Mad Men and Athletic Training - How to Sell Yourself with Road Blocks In the Way Scene Summary — “It’s Toasted” In Episode 1 (“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”), Don Draper pitches Lucky Strike cigarettes after new regulations forbid false health claims in advertising. Competitors are scrambling because they can no longer say things like “safe” or “doctor-approved.” *I do not support the use of cigarettes Don reframes the entire problem. Instead of apologizing for what can’t be said,

The Missing Business Acumen of the Girl Scouts Yes, selling cookies teaches valuable lessons—goal setting, customer service, and persistence. But with all those badges, leadership lessons, and sales records, why aren’t the Girl Scouts taking the final step into true business education? Imagine if, instead of trinkets and short-term prizes, scouts were rewarded with profit sharing, scholarships, or investment funds tied to their cookie sales. A scout who sells $2,000 worth of

Make Your EAP Work for You: Building Referral Partnerships That Pay Every weekend, athletic trainers are on the ground at tournaments, games, and community events where they are evaluating injuries, stabilizing athletes, and guiding them through the first critical moments of care. But what happens after the event? Too often, athletes leave without a clear path for follow-up, all while local clinics miss the chance to help patients who already need them. So why not build a sol

When Athletic Training Security Starts to Cost Innovation Unions often look like the solution to instability in athletic training — a way to create standards, guarantee pay, and protect the workforce from burnout and exploitation. It’s easy to understand the appeal. Many athletic trainers have lived the reality of long hours, low pay, and limited recognition. Security sounds like progress. But here’s the paradox: security can come at the expense of innovation. Union structure

A Clearer Path for the Next Generation of Athletic Trainers The BOC Athletic Training Pathfinder Program is more than a framework, it’s a vision for the future. For upcoming and early-career athletic trainers, it provides a structured guide to professional growth, helping them align their passions with emerging opportunities across healthcare, research, technology, and entrepreneurship. Future ATs will be able to: Identify competencies needed for advancement. Understand speci

The Athletic Trainer Relationship Economy: Trust Can’t Be Negotiated The athletic trainer–patient relationship thrives on trust, flexibility, and presence - not on rigid scheduling, time clocks, or contractual minimums. Athletic trainers often serve as the first point of contact for injury, fear, and uncertainty. We’re the ones athletes confide in when something feels off, and we’re the ones coaches rely on for honest, immediate guidance. That kind of relationship doesn’t liv

Are Athletic Trainers Clinicians or Laborers? The Professional Identity Question Unions tend to classify members as workers: task-defined, collectively represented, and interchangeable within a system. That model works well in manufacturing, construction, or large-scale service industries. But athletic trainers aren’t laborers. We are autonomous healthcare providers - credentialed, educated, and bound by clinical ethics, not production metrics. We don’t “clock in” to produce

The Access Paradox - Unionization of Athletic Training When Advocacy for the Provider Conflicts with Access for the Patient Athletic training was built on one promise: Access to care for all physically active individuals as emphasized by the NATA and BOC as the profession’s mission and social responsibility. That means showing up where healthcare rarely does: on fields, in schools, in the community. But unionization shifts the focus inward, toward protecting the provider. Whi

The Appeal of Unions in Athletic Training Is a Symptom, Not a Solution Unions look appealing to many athletic trainers; and honestly, it’s easy to see why. When you’ve been overworked, underpaid, and undervalued, collective power feels like the only path forward. But maybe the reason unionization looks like salvation isn’t because it’s the right fit for our profession, it’s because most athletic trainers were never taught how to operate in a free market. We know how to docume

Traditional Athletic Trainers Built a Socialized Healthcare Model — But Are Paid Like It’s a Charity Let’s be honest: athletic trainers are socialized healthcare. Free access. Universal coverage within their program. Daily, preventive, high quality care. No billing. No copays. It works beautifully — for the patients. But for the providers? Not so much. Here’s the Brutal Truth: The same model that makes care free… makes the labor invisible. There’s no revenue stream tied to pa

The Economic Reality of Socialized Healthcare of Traditional Athletic Training Athletic trainers often operate inside a socialized healthcare model within their departments, schools, or organizations. But that same structure that makes care accessible and equitable… also suppresses compensation. Here’s why: 1. There’s No Billing Mechanism In a fee-for-service healthcare model, providers generate revenue through reimbursement. Athletic trainers don’t bill. Their care isn’t lin

Shaping the Future of Athletic Training Starts with Clarity. The BOC Athletic Training Pathfinder Program is a pivotal step forward for our profession. For too long, athletic trainers have worn many hats (clinician, educator, innovator, and advocate) yet the pathways to leadership, specialization, and growth haven’t always been clearly defined. The Pathfinder Program is changing that. By mapping out structured career trajectories, it helps athletic trainers identify how their

Why are athletic trainers stepping away from PRN work? Over the past year, I’ve noticed more ATs turning down per diem opportunities—or leaving the PRN pool altogether. PRN roles were once seen as flexible, supplemental, and a great way to stay active in the profession. Now, it seems the value proposition is shifting. I’d love to hear directly from you: 💥 Are there too many responsibilities/liability involved? 💥 Bad experiences with coaches/athletes/parents/event operators?

When Hollywood Gets Athletic Training Wrong (and Why It Matters) Lately, two major TV shows — Landman and Grey’s Anatomy — have spotlighted athletic training in very different ways. In Landman (S2 Ep 9), an athletic training student appears unsupervised, using questionable techniques like spatting for “weak ankle ligaments” and functioning independently — something that would violate both clinical and educational standards. In Grey’s Anatomy (S22 Ep10), a community college te

“Entry-Level” — and How It’s Being Misused “Entry-level” is supposed to mean you’re new to the profession, not new to being undervalued. For most employers, “entry-level” signals a position designed for those just starting out: mentorship, structured development, and realistic expectations for growth. But in healthcare (especially athletic training), the term has been twisted. The issue, many “entry-level” positions now ask for: 2–3 years of experience Multiple credentials Fu

Why Are Athletic Trainers Still Treated Like Support Staff? We’re licensed, credentialed, and trained to evaluate, treat, and manage injuries and illness. So why are we still often treated like “support staff”? 1. The Legacy Problem Athletic training started inside athletics, not medicine. For years, ATs worked under coaches, not directly with clinicians, and even though our education evolved, the perception didn’t always follow. 2. Reporting Lines That Don’t Match Our Scope

Advocating for Athletic Training in Alaska 🩺❄️ I had the opportunity to attend Bernadette Wilson’s fundraiser for Alaska’s governor, and it was great to connect with someone who already understands what athletic trainers do — she was a former figure skater and has firsthand experience with the AT profession. What surprised her, though, was how much athletic training has evolved beyond the traditional sports setting. We talked about how athletic trainers are now embedded in i

South Carolina is showing what local advocacy can do for AT compensation South Carolina is setting an example for the nation when it comes to advocating for athletic trainer compensation & it’s happening at the local level. Recently, Aiken County Public Schools voted to raise the minimum salary for ATs by more than $9,000 paired with a lump sum $5,000 sign on bonus. The district had been struggling to fill several open AT positions; community members, administrators, and hea

A Guided Map for Every Stage of Your Athletic Training Career The BOC Athletic Training Pathfinder Program isn’t just a concept, it’s a tool designed to help athletic trainers navigate their professional journey with confidence and direction. Here’s how it works: 1. Self-Assessment Athletic trainers begin by identifying where they are in their professional journey, from entry-level clinician to advanced practice or leadership. The Pathfinder helps you recognize your current c