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students are eligible to take NATA’s
Board of Certification exam. Passing
that examallowsnewathletic trainers
towork inmost states, but some states
call for further licensing or exams.
About 70 percent of athletic trainers
get a master’s degree before starting
their careers. Those programs
generally require two more years of study. Some
athletic trainers, like Leigh Weiss of the Giants,
get their four-year degree in athletic training and
then pursue a master’s in another area. Weiss has
a master’s in kinesiology, along with a doctorate in
physical therapy.
Students can take other paths to get the
college education they need to qualify for
certification. Someone with a bachelor’s degree
in a related field, such as exercise science, can
get a second bachelor’s in athletic training. Or
people with a bachelor’s can enter a master’s
program designed for students who have not
already studied athletic training.
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Nearly every career
in sports medicine
calls for extensive
schooling, including
at least college and
sometimes post-
graduate studies.
G
etting
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tarted