Athletic Trainer

Job Details

The Athletic Trainer’s primary responsibility is maintaining the health and physical well-being of our student-athletes, which consists of 15 teams and approximately 300 student-athletes.

The Athletic Trainer will also be the coordinator for health and well-being issues and initiatives related to the Athletics Department operations.

• This includes but is not limited to : coverage at practices and competitions; primary point of contact for team physicians;
• active participation in student-athlete physical therapy for post-injury treatment and rehabilitation; coordination of physician’s clinic;
• management of massage therapists program; scheduling of physician’s appointments and diagnostic testing; working with team leadership and strength & conditioning coaches in developing injury prevention programs for teams;

and medical insurance billing. The Athletic Trainer will be responsible for pursuing current and improved methods and techniques to provide the best possible health care for student-athletes.

Responsibilities

Annual Physicals

Coordinate annual physical exams / screening of all student-athletes prior to start of sport participation, which includes : Determining team physician availability and identify other physician volunteers to assist with annual physicals.

Develop physical and concussion testing schedule to accommodate all student-athletes in the most expedient manner possible, allowing them to participate in practice on the earliest time allowable by the NCAA.

Develop / update and distribute appropriate medical history paperwork / questionnaires for new and returning student-athletes to complete prior to their annual physicals.

Work with campus facilities and IT personnel to schedule use of computer labs to expedite concussion testing of all student-athletes.

Coordinate and conduct exit physicals and medical questionnaires for student-athletes who are graduating or have exhausted eligibility.

Practice, Pregame, Game and Post-Game Coverage and Treatment

• Provide pre-practice and pre-game treatment opportunities for student-athletes to receive treatment or taping for protective, preventative, or strengthening purposes.
• Arrange for or provide supervision of athletic contests by ensuring that all needed supplies, equipment and personnel (ATC, student athletic trainer, physician, and ambulance as needed) are available.
• Coordinate in advance and / or on-site with athletic trainers of institutions for visiting competitions to ensure that teams have access to pre- and post- practice and contest treatment such as taping and icing.

Communicate any special health-related needs that a student-athlete may have while at the visitor’s site.

• Provide emergency injury care, evaluation, and treatment for injuries that occur during practice or competition. Ensure that appropriate staff accompanies injured student-athlete to hospital when emergency care is needed.
• Communicate status of injured student-athlete’s condition and location to family / emergency contact.

Injury Evaluation / Rehabilitation / Physician Referral

• Evaluate student-athlete’s condition / injury and provide counseling and appropriate injury & medical referral as appropriate, utilizing physician’s clinic hours as the preferred method of further evaluation.
• Schedule appointments with appropriate doctors and / or specialists and arrange for diagnostic testing when more extensive evaluation is necessary.

Prepare appropriate claim forms.

• Under the direction of the primary physician, assist with the design / administration of post-injury rehabilitation program for the student-athlete’s return to activity.
• Maintain complete medical file information on individual athletes from injury through treatment and rehabilitation, to clearance for return to activity.
• Communicate or direct the day status of injured athletes to coaches and the team physicians as needed.
• Evaluate condition of therapeutic and operational exercise equipment used in the treatment and rehabilitation of injury, and request maintenance as necessary.

Physicians’ Clinic

• Work with the associated medical group to coordinate team physicians’ clinic and involvement with Dominican Athletics Department.
• Coordinate criteria of physicians’ clinic with participating doctors to ensure that regular weekly schedule is in place for consistent medical care of student-athletes.
• Distribute clinic schedule to fellow trainers and administrators to assist with appointment scheduling.
• Coordinate scheduling of individual appointments for each clinic. Take appropriate notes and complete appropriate paperwork for each appointment.

Arrange for follow-up tests and visits either in clinic, at the physician’s office, or at other facilities as directed by physician, and complete related paperwork.

Insurance

• Responsible for managing and maintaining insurance records for injured athletes.
• Serve as liaison between Athletics Department insurance provider, student-athlete insurance providers and physicians’ billing representatives as necessary to ensure timely payment of medical bills.

Resolve billing issues and identify all possible coverage options before payment of uncovered expenses.

• Communicate department medical insurance policies and procedures with student-athletes and their families as it relates to injuries sustained during sanctioned athletics activities.
• Work with Athletics Director and Human Resources officer to ensure that appropriate and most economical accident health insurance coverage for student-athletes is in place at all times.

Massage Therapists

• Work with the National Holistic Institute or other schools for massage therapy to develop externship opportunities for their students.
• Coordinate criteria of externship program with school administrator to ensure that trained, responsible students are selected for externship opportunities at Dominican Athletics.
• Meet with externship candidates, confirm that they meet criteria program and select appropriate externship participants.
• Conduct orientation for externship participants, outlining expectations for their participation and conduct with massage therapy program for student-athletes.
• Develop schedule for massage therapists, and coordinate appointment sign-up sheets for student-athletes.
• Meet with massage therapists before and after each session to brief them on student-athlete injuries and / or rehabilitation programs, and de-brief on therapy sessions.

Student Trainers

Supervise, schedule, manage and educate training room assistant in the training room, practice and game field settings.

Provide formal instruction, attainment, maintenance and review of practical motor skills, in the students’ educational preparation for national certification as an athletic trainer.

• Responsible for monitoring the progress of beginning and preterm sport student athletic trainers in preparation for team sport athletic training coverage for teams
• Provide student athletic training career counseling. Responsible for training and development of student trainers to prepare them for future job and education opportunities.

Training Room

• Maintain inventory for all athletic training supplies and equipment.
• Secure bids and annual procurement of operational supplies. Work with suppliers to obtain best pricing, sample products.
• Maintain clean and organized environment in training room.
• Handle laundry of towels used at practice and in competition.

Department Safety Training

• Coordinate efforts to ensure a safe environment for all users of athletics facilities and programs.
• Implement and carry out existing health and environmental safety policies and procedures.
• Coordinate instruction for Athletic Department staff on all safety training modules within athletics such as First Aid;

CPR; emergency response; fire drills; AED

Carry out blood borne pathogen safety procedures and proper disposal of waste.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications :

• Master's degree; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Current driver’s license and satisfactory driving record is required and must be maintained.
• ATC, American Red Cross CPR / First Aid required
• Must be willing to consent to background investigation
• Must maintain ATC certification by earning required number of units
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Knowledge of Sportsware, injury tracker, etc.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations;

Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals; Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public

• Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's; Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form; Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations
• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data;

Designs work flows and procedures

Design - Generates creative solutions; Translates concepts and information into images; Uses feedback to modify designs;

Applies design principles; Demonstrates attention to detail

Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions;

Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics

Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills;

Shares expertise with others

Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically;

Upholds organizational values

Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions;

Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions

Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position;

Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments

Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments;

Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan

• Sufficient dexterity to operate all office and vehicle equipment
• Must be willing and able to drive departmental vehicles (and have a clean driving record evidenced by a positive DMV pull)

Additional Position Information

• Open Until Filled
• Must be willing to consent to a background check

Dominican University of California is an independent, international, learner-centered university, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs.

Dominican has a 1 : 10 teacher-to-student ratio, an average class size of 16, with a small-town feeling in a park- like campus.

We blend interdisciplinary core courses, real-world studies, and small classes with close and supportive academic advising and mentoring.

Dominican University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity, and takes pride in its multicultural environment.

We are committed in thought, word, and deed to recruiting and retaining a workforce that values the diversity of its student body.

The University actively promotes an institutional culture that practices equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of all under-represented groups in higher education.