Athletic Training

Come find out about Athletic Training

On and off the field, athletic trainers are dedicated to the well-being of athletes in their care. Athletic Trainers (ATs) are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.

Athletic Trainers work with individuals of all ages and fitness abilities. They are often first on the scene when an injury occurs to offer diagnosis and first aid.

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What Will I Learn?

Students who want to become certified athletic trainers must earn a degree from a CAATE-accredited athletic training program.

Accredited programs include formal instruction in areas such as injury/illness prevention, first aid and emergency care, assessment of injury/illness, human anatomy and physiology, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition. Classroom learning is enhanced through clinical education experiences. You will do 5 semesters of clinical rotations.

Master of Science in Athletic Training Program 

On May 20, 2015, the Athletic Training Strategic Alliance announced that the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) Standards for Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs will be changed to require that professional programs be at the master’s degree level. The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is dedicated to meet this accreditation requirement in order to continue providing exceptional education to produce strong athletic training healthcare providers. The Board of Trustees of The University of Southern Mississippi and the Mississippi Institute on Higher Learning has approved USM’s Master of Science in Athletic Training degree proposal, with an anticipated first cohort beginning in Summer 2021. 

The Athletic Training program at USM has officially accepted its last cohort into the professional phase of the Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training in Fall 2020. All future students interested in pursuing a degree in athletic training at USM will need to apply to USM’s Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) degree program (Application Link). The University of Southern Mississippi offers many great majors at the bachelor’s level that can prepare you for the application process to the MSAT degree program. Please contact the Program Director, Dr. Jeffrey Parr, Leslie.OglesbyFREEMississippi, for further assistance.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

USM currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. This program is designed to prepare students to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. Upon graduating, passing the BOC exam, and having or obtaining an approved emergency cardiac care card, individuals can apply for certification through the BOC and become certified athletic trainers (ATC). Certified athletic trainers can then apply for licensure in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Contacts for state licensure or other state regulations can be found on the Board of Certification website.

For questions, please contact Dr. Leslie Oglesby, LAT, ATC at 601-266-5495 or at Leslie.OglesbyFREEMississippi