Athletic trainer utilization in sports medicine clinics

Increased use of athletic trainers in sports medicine clinics has created a need for information related to actual and ideal use of these professionals in these settings. The purposes of this study were to 1) describe the characteristics of sports medicine clinics and their personnel, 2) determine whether there were differences between opinions of certified athletic trainers (ATCs), physical therapists (PTs), and professionals with dual credentials (PT/ATCs) about the ideal role of the ATC in sports medicine clinics, and 3) determine whether there were differences in actual usage of ATCs between states with and without athletic training laws. Subjects included 46 PTs, 43 PT/ATCs, and 73 ATCs from six different states. A questionnaire ascertained opinions about ideal ATC utilization and about current practice of ATCs with respect to 28 different clinical procedures. For 27 of the 28 procedures, there were significant differences of opinion about ideal ATC utilization between individuals with the three credentials. No significant differences in actual athletic trainer use in sports medicine clinics were found between states with and without athletic training laws.