What Athletic Trainers Make

As I sit in wonder of the hours that I pour into my career, and in utter disappointment every other Friday when I receive my paycheck, I begin to deliberate over the choices I have made in life.  

I ask myself, "What do Athletic Trainers Make???"  I decided to breakdown the hours that I work and plug those hours into my paycheck.  Now, the hours that I counted do not include the 'on-call' weekends, sitting in ERs and doctor's offices, taking phone calls on Sunday, etc.  And I based all of this on my salary before taxes and such (I probably would have cried had I done this with my salary after taxes).  I counted all 52 weeks of the year.  I determined what I make per hour as a secondary school athletic trainer...

drum roll, please...

$18.05 per hour.  Yup, a college degree, 1500 hour internship, state license and BOC certification and 7 years of experience has given me the same hourly wage as a truck driver and correctional officer (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against truck drivers and correctional officers.  I just thought that getting a college degree and all that jazz was supposed to bump me up on the pay scales.  

So, here is where my own justification comes in.  I, again, ask myself, "What do Athletic Trainers Make?"

Athletic Trainers make injuries go away. 

Athletic Trainers make the scene safe.

Athletic Trainers make the bleeding stop.

Athletic Trainers make relationships with athletes, parents, coaches, administrators, physicians, nurses and the community.
Athletic Trainers make the atmosphere calm in emergencies.

Athletic Trainers make prevention strategies so that injuries do not reoccur.

Athletic Trainers make a place for students to belong and learn as athletic training students.

Athletic Trainers make sure that athletes get to the doctor when it is necessary.
Athletic Trainers make sure that each athlete that comes into the office gets evaluated and treated.

Athletic Trainers make rehabilitation protocols.
Athletic Trainers make improvements in patient functional and physical outcomes.
Athletic Trainers make the physician's job easier.

Athletic Trainers make a world of difference everyday.  Everyday, I wake up and peel myself out of bed to do it all again, having no idea what the day holds.  Will I see yet another undiagnosed SVT?  Will another beginners gymnastics athlete scorpion and set in motion our EAP?  Will I just simply progress athletes as tolerated and see nothing out of the ordinary?  The truth is, it doesn't matter.  It doesn't matter because athletic training is a service profession and regardless of how athletic trainers are treated or paid, we can't help but do our job and do it well.  Woodall's Law:  Success in Life is not about How Much you Make, but rather What you Make.  

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.—Colossians 3:23

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