1/27/2019 0 Comments Reflective Journal #2I feel like there are quite a few problems facing the profession, and they all are intertwined with each other. I believe the first problem facing the profession is the issue of burnout. Athletic trainers often work very long hours with very few days off. I can imagine that in the collegiate setting, athletic trainers can often feel overwhelmed because of the amount of athletes - kind of like “there are so many of them and only one of me”. Being with baseball right now even makes me feel overwhelmed at times, and I am still not solely responsible for the team. It is difficult to keep up with all the athletes and what is going on with each of them. Additionally, it is frustrating when you have a desire to implement certain things, such as a prevention program for shoulder injuries, but you don’t have the manpower nor the space or time to implement the program.
Along with burnout, I believe the underpaying of athletic trainers is another issue that the profession faces. Athletic trainers are highly qualified and extremely beneficial assets to have not only in an athletic setting, but also in other settings such as hospitals, physical therapy clinics, and other business; however, athletic trainers are often immensely underpaid in relation to their education and hours worked. I personally know individuals who have left the field because they knew they could not acquire the income that they desired by being an athletic trainer, one of which moved into dog treat sells and now makes six figures annually. I believe this aspect of the job shows the passion that athletic trainers have for their patients. Lastly, being underappreciated and underestimated is a major problem that athletic trainers face. Many more individuals than I would like to admit still believe that an athletic trainer is a personal trainer instead of a healthcare provider. I have seen coaches actively resist the decisions of an athletic trainer because of a lack of respect and/or lack of appreciation. Another example would be how many people believe that the athletic trainers in the NFL are “waterboys”. We are good at many things, and it is insulting when people believe that all we can do is gather water and tape ankles. No way, we can do all of that AND save your life if we need to. This is the reason why we need to push to educate everyone we can about our profession in hopes that we will gain respect in the healthcare realm and hopefully increase the desire for athletic trainers in the workforce.
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Wow.. I can’t believe this is my last first journal. Looking back on my time in the AT Program, I am so grateful for what has been instilled in me. I look at some of my peers who have not had the type of training and opportunities that I have had, and I understand all the more how much this program has prepared me not only for my professional life, but also just being a “grown up” in general. We have been responsible for how we dress, duties outside of class, and have been held to a level of professionalism and responsibility that many do not get to experience in their college years. I feel blessed to have a deeper understanding of what it means to be a healthcare provider and that I have been trained to a level that doesn’t just meet the minimum. Despite not wanting to stay in the athletic training field, I know that what I have learned in this program is going to greatly benefit me in my future studies and career based on the standards that I have been expected to uphold here. Going into my last semester, I am going to try to tie up all my loose ends to help transition me into the professional realm. I plan on taking each task by the horns and approaching it with confidence instead of being intimidated or shying around completely a task with autonomy like I have done in the past. I want to take what I have learned about administration and truly put it to the test with the help of my preceptors in hopes of not being surprised by this portion of the field later on.
I feel like this revelation of gratefulness of my preparedness will help me to work harder to gain wisdom in this last semester. I expect that this semester will be much more taxing than last semester due to my increased course load and being in season, so I have a goal of staying as proactive as possible. I want to stay at least three days ahead of my coursework if at all possible, which entails that I must utilize my planner with discipline and be more aware of time management. Lastly, I would like to pass each BOC practice test with at least a yellow or a green in each category so that I enter the BOC test with confidence of my knowledge and abilities. To accomplish this, I will need to stay vigilant with my study booklet and be in constant review during my clinical experience hours. |
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April 2019
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