Comments on: Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers Team Up for Amazing Results

By: Will

Will — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:44:40 +0000

I don’t know if this link is too old to be answered but I’m a junior in high school wishing to get a dual degree in athletic training and physical therapy. There are a few schools that offer the dual degree but would it be worth also looking at colleges with both programs but that don’t necessarily go together? I’m unsure of what the exact benefits of the dual degree are vs just getting your dpt and AT as a bachelors. Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated as well as school recommendations!

By: Kalil Tactuk

Kalil Tactuk — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 04:52:41 +0000

What would be the difference between doing AT -> DPT and AT-> MSAT -> DPT?
I’m close to joining an accredited Athletic Training undergraduate, and my goal is to be the AT/PT of an professional soccer team. I really want to know what would be the right choice for that!
Thank you

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 03:07:54 +0000

To the comment above, is it in the state practice act or the APTA Practice Guide were to find that PT’s cannot provide on-field coverage? I know you are correct, and am trying to find the reference. Thanks for any help.

By: James Leavitt

James Leavitt — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 19:25:08 +0000

To Yehudith Gold,
A PT cannot provide on-field coverage unless they are dually credentialed as an ATC and PT. ATC’s are trained as first responders and are experienced in Triage and Emergency response such as taping and splinting. This is something that PT’s are not formally trained in. Athletic trainers are experts in sports medicine, emergency response, and triage. Physical therapist are experts in muscular skeletal disorders, neurological disorders, ergonomics, and rehabilitation. Athletic Training services are only for Athletic Trainer to practice, just as Physical Therapy services are for PT’s and PTA’s to practice. While there may be some overlapping of services, they are distinctively different. Both are rewarding jobs and are assets in the field health care.

By: yehudith gold

yehudith gold — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 23:17:46 +0000

a question: can a physical therapist work on the field instead of an athletic trainer? and if so’ why do we need the profession of AT if PT can do it?

By: Victor Liberi

Victor Liberi — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 08:18:54 +0000

Dave and Jordyne,

The quick answer to your question is absolutely YES! Dual credentials in AT and PT will provide you a wealth of opportunities and earning potential. However, my advice as a teacher of both ATs and PTs is one degree at a time and over achieve with each academic step you take. Athletic Training is a great place to start as this major prepares students for all allied health professions. Realistically, the majority of student who aspire to become physical therapists don’t graduate with the 3.7 GPA necessary to get admitted to such competitive DPT programs. With a degree and certification in athletic training as apposed to biology or pre-pt, you will be professionally prepared to enter the workforce and very employable. Even in today’s economy, healthcare providers are finding jobs! You made a great first step in reaching out through this blog. It is never too early to network!

By: Jordyne Couts

Jordyne Couts — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 19:51:20 +0000

I am going to be attending Kent State University in the fall to begin my Athletic Training major. I wanted to do 6 years of schooling for Athletic Training (4 years undergraduate, 2 years graduate). I want to work in the collegiate level. I also want to do the dual credential with physical therapy. Do you recommend I take the 6 years of athletic training and then do the 3 years of physical therapy to get the dual credential degree. Or would you recommend that I only do 4 years of Athletic Training then go to graduate school for physical therapy?

By: Dave Heidloff

Dave Heidloff — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 16:42:07 +0000

@Sam – Good questions here. I’ll do my best to help you out. There are many physical therapists that are dual credentialed in both physical therapy and athletic training that get to utilize their unique experience in the clinic. Typically, if a patient is going to formal physical therapy, they wouldn’t go to a separate location for athletic training sessions. Some people may work with a personal trainer on the side, but this is a different (and often mistaken) field from athletic training. What we do in the athletic training room with athletes is closer to the PT side of things most times, often supplementing what is done in the PT clinic.

If you are more interested in the strength training side of things, a credential like a Performance Enhancement Specialist or Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist may be worth exploring. Many PTs and ATs have these credentials to aid in late stage rehabilitation and transitioning back into competitive sports.

Salary ranges for combined PT/ATC credentials vary a lot based on a lot of factors – experience, location, other specialties, etc, so unfortunately, I can’t give you any specifics here.

Some professional teams have dual credentialed PT/ATC staff members.

The dual credentialed professional does not currently have a unique title.

I hope that helps, Sam. Feel free to comment with any other questions that come up.

By: Sam Foer

Sam Foer — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 23:34:35 +0000

You guys seem like professionals in the PT/AT fields. I am a junior in high school and have a dream of going to graduate school right out of high school to take the dual PT/AT program at Springfield College. I have a few questions for you guys so that I can learn about the field I hope to be going into;
If you graduated from a dual degree PT/AT program, can you use both of those majors together? For an example, treating a patient with a sports injury and practicing both AT and PT on them so that they don’t have to go to another place for AT because you only helped them with the PT aspect of their injury?
If this is so, what is the salary range for the combined practice?
Do you see the combined practitioners on sports teams?
Is the combined practice just called a Sports Trainer?
Thanks for your help!

By: Dave Heidloff

Dave Heidloff — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:08:58 +0000

@Grant – I couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen firsthand the difference between athletes that take advantage of both services available to them and those that choose not to. The outcomes of those that take advantage of both are always substantially better and makes the transition back into sports a lot smoother. Thanks for the comment!