Athletic Directors across the country understand that Athletic Trainers are essential to running a safe, credible athletic program... yet recruiting and retaining them remains a growing challenge.
Key factors driving turnover include compensation that lags behind comparable healthcare roles, burnout from demanding and unpredictable schedules, and workplace cultures where Athletic Trainers feel undervalued or lack professional autonomy.
Surveys show nearly a quarter of high school Athletic Trainers have considered leaving their current positions, and many have even considered leaving the profession entirely.
For Athletic Directors, this has real implications—schools with fully supported Athletic Trainers experience fewer catastrophic injuries, faster rehabilitation outcomes, and reduced institutional risk.
The article emphasizes that retention starts with fair compensation, but leadership must go further. Managing schedules, respecting clinical decision-making, supporting early-career professionals, and building a culture where Athletic Trainers feel valued are all critical.
From a Healthy Roster perspective, another meaningful step is equipping Athletic Trainers with tools that reduce administrative burden. Providing a modern, efficient EMR can save significant time in documentation and communication, helping reduce burnout and allowing Athletic Trainers to focus more on athlete care.
Athletic Directors looking to strengthen recruitment, retention, and program safety are encouraged to read Olivia Nutter’s full article on Athletic Directors 411 for deeper insight and practical strategies.