Physician and the Athletic Trainer Relationship

 

In accordance with the Medical Practice Act of 1985 and State Board of Medicine and State Board of Osteopathic Medicine Rules and Regulations of 2007, licensed athletic trainers work under the direction of a physician, podiatrist, or dentist to provide athletic training services to physically active individuals.

The scope of athletic training services encompasses the prevention, examination and diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of emergent, acute, subacute, and chronic neuromusculoskeletal conditions and certain medical conditions in order to minimize subsequent impairments, functional limitations, disability, and societal limitations. A licensed athletic trainer shall refer a physically active person with conditions outside the scope of these athletic training services to a physician, dentist or podiatrist.

In order to provide these services, licensed athletic trainers must ensure that the physically active person has secured a written referral or prescription from a licensed physician, dentist or podiatrist. Treatment may also be subject to a written protocol for treatment by a licensed athletic trainer from a licensed physician.

Licensed athletic trainers’ work settings can include high schools, colleges, universities, professional sports teams, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, physicians’ offices, corporate and industrial institutions, the military, and the performing arts."