A Day in the Life of a Athletic Training Students Carly Jones and Justin Pomar
What’s the best part about being an athletic training student?
Carly:
The best part about being an athletic training student is being able to take what we learn in the classroom every day and utilize it in the training room. Many times we find ourselves implementing the skills and techniques learned earlier that morning during our afternoon clinical rotations.
Justin:
The best part about being an athletic training student is coming to the athletic training room every day and knowing that there is going to be something new and unexpected that will happen and knowing that you are going to be able to learn
from it.
What makes a good athletic training student?
Carly:
A good athletic training student is hard working, organized, dedicated and can easily fit in with other people. You need to have good time management skills in order to balance classwork, clinical hours and personal life. Athletic training students must be dedicated to this profession because it requires a lot of time to make sure it is done right. Athletic trainers interact with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and athletes on a daily basis. It is important to be able to get along with various types of people that you may encounter.
Justin:
Practice. Athletic training students have to practice what they learn in the classroom in order to be a good student. That is why I love the Iowa State Athletic Training program because of all the hands on experiences the students are able to get
right away.
What time are you usually up in the morning and what time do you usually get to bed?
Carly:
My schedule depends on my sport and whether it is in season or out of season. If I have treatments or practice in the morning, my day usually starts at 5:00 or 5:30 AM. Most of my classes are in the morning, so even if I don’t have athletic training in the morning, I get up at around 6:30 for class. After getting home from practice at around 7:00 PM, I eat dinner and start my homework. I usually get to bed around 11:00 or 12:00 PM. Sometimes if I have a lot of homework, I need to stay up later to finish it.
Justin:
I am usually up at 6:30am and usually go to bed at 11:30-Midnight. Sometimes depending on the clinical rotation I would be up before 6am if I had morning treatments.
What’s the hardest part about being an athletic training student?
Carly:
One of best and hardest things about athletic training is that when we learn a skill in the classroom or lab, we use it in the clinical setting and are then evaluated. We never know when we may need to use a skill we learned. Therefore, it is important to not only learn all of the skills correctly, but also to remember them well enough to use whenever necessary. We are also evaluated every time we perform a skill or technique, so we must always be proficient.
Justin:
The hardest part about being an athletic training student has to be balancing clinical hours with school work. Athletic training is a very time demanding profession, but it is well worth the time commitment.
What types of classes do you take?
Carly:
In addition to general education classes, I have my core kinesiology classes as well as my athletic training classes. My kinesiology classes include Personal and Consumer Health, Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, Sport Psychology, and Human Diseases. These classes focus on the study of the health and movement of humans. My athletic training classes include: Taping, Bracing, & Padding, Evaluation of Athletic Injuries, Therapeutic Modalities, Rehabilitation of Athletic Injuries, Organization & Administration of Athletic Training, Medical Concerns for the Athletic Trainer, and Research Topics in Athletic Training. These classes do an excellent job of teaching us the skills we need to become successful athletic trainers.
Justin:
Currently I am taking 17 credits. I am taking a nutrition class, a speech class, a statistics class, a sociology class, and Kinesiology 326 which is the athletic training rehabilitation class. The rehab class is my favorite by far as it helps tie in the past two years of learning in the program.
When you are not doing athletic training, what do you find yourself doing instead?
Carly:
When I am not in class or at athletic training, I am doing homework, spending time with my friends, or catching up on sleep. I try to make sure I keep up with my homework so that I have some free time to relax whenever possible.
Justin:
When I am not in the athlete training room I find myself doing homework and studying. I also like to go the gym when I have an extra little free time.
What kind of clinical rotations do you typically work in?
Carly:
I have worked with multiple ISU sports such as: Women’s Soccer, Football, Wrestling, Track & Field, and Women’s Basketball. I have also worked at Ames High School.
Justin:
Currently I am working with the Iowa State Swimming and Diving team. I have worked at ISU Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Track and Field and also at Ames High School.
What do you like the most about your professors and clinical educators?
Carly:
Since athletic training is a relatively small major, all of the teachers and clinical instructors really know every single student. They really care about our success now as students and in the future as professionals. They are always willing to take time out of their busy schedules to answer questions and serve as a mentor if a student needs it.
Justin:
The thing I like most about my professors and clinical educators is their willingness to always help us (the students) with any questions we may have. They spend valuable time helping their students because they want us all to learn and be successful in athletic training.
What potential job fields are there for you in the future?
Carly:
Athletic Trainers still work in the more traditional settings of high schools, universities, and professional sports, but they are also now working in more and more non-traditional settings. These other settings include the military, performing arts, rehabilitation clinics, and extreme sports. My career goals include becoming dual-credentialed as an Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist and working as an ATC/DPT or rehab coordinator for a sports medicine clinic or university.
Justin:
At the moment I am beginning to look at Graduate Assistant Athletic Training openings. I love the college setting, so after I achieve my Master’s Degree I will probably look for a full time position at a college.
Are there any student ran organizations on campus that are geared towards your major?
Carly:
Fellowship of Athletic Training Club (also known as FAT Club) is an organization that is made up of students who are in the athletic training program at Iowa State. We organize fundraisers to attend professional meetings, hold social events, and take part in professional development activities.
Justin:
Yes, there is the Fellowship of Athletic Trainers club, also known as the FAT club which is specifically geared towards athletic training.
What is the coolest memory you have of your time spent within the athletic training education program?
Carly:
I have so many great memories of my time in athletic training program at Iowa State. One of the coolest things that I have been able to do is observe surgeries. All students complete a surgical observation as part of the athletic training program, and I have had the opportunity to observe 5 surgeries in the past 3 years. Being in the operating room and watching the surgeon work first-hand is an amazing learning experience.
Justin:
The coolest memory I have of my time spent within the athletic training education program was almost two years ago and it was the first time I got to assist in an ACL rehabilitation program. To this day I remember my first experience with it, and it helps motivate me to continue studying and be a successful athletic training student.
Go Cyclones