An athletic trainer is a vital member of the medical support staff for athletes of all sports. An on-the-field medical setting is the unique aspect that sets the athletic trainer apart from all others. Athletic trainers help professional and amateur athletes develop and maintain their overall physical fitness. In general, athletic trainers help athletes achieve a level of fitness necessary to compete successfully. Other responsibilities include injury prevention and rehabilitation, evaluation of injuries, supervision of procedures recommended by the athlete's physician, and providing education and counseling to athletes. Athletic trainers work long and irregular hours, especially during peak seasons and when teams travel.

There are skills that an athletic trainer performs on a daily basis that are quite similar to that of a physician and physical therapist. Other skills provided on a regular basis extend far beyond those professions, including pre-game taping, dietary planning, and on-the-field evaluation of injury, which require continuous focus and decision-making in times of stress and excitement. ATC's are expected to maintain the ability to speak and deal with the injured population of a very highly motivated group of people.

Athletic trainers can work with high school, college and professional athletic teams, the highest demand being in the high schools, colleges and universities. Employment for athletic trainers has metamorphosed with the needs of society and the medical challenges the athletic community has placed upon it. Since 1978, the NATA's prime directive has been to place a certified athletic trainer in every high school in the United States. Because of political and financial implications, this goal has remained unrealized. However, some state high school athletic associations have now mandated that athletic trainers attend all practices and games. This administrative action has done much to increase the demand for athletic trainers. Additionally, during the last 10 years, a resurgence of need for the skills of an athletic trainer, primarily in the clinical and industrial setting, has been rising consistently.

Salaries for athletic trainers vary considerably depending on the employer. According to the National Association of Sport and Physical Education, salaries for athletic trainers in schools range from $25,000 to $35,000. With experience and a master's degree, college trainers can earn up to $60,000 per year. Athletic trainers who work for professional sports teams earn salaries ranging from $60,000 to $125,000.

In cardiopulmonary sciences, respiratory therapists conduct prescribed therapy and diagnostics for cardiopulmonary patients, either in a hospital or home-care environment.

Respiratory therapists are life support specialists who assist physicians in stabilizing cardiopulmonary parameters in patients with a wide range of medical and surgical problems. Their responsibilities include, but are not limited to, life support through the use of mechanical ventilators, maintenance of arterial blood gasses, hemodynamic monitoring of critically ill patients, and rehabilitation of the pulmonary and cardiac systems.

Graduates in cardiopulmonary sciences provide services in a variety of settings, including hospitals, local health departments, clinics, private offices, mobile units and laboratories. Excellent career opportunities for respiratory therapists exist in intensive care units of hospitals, emergency and trauma centers, diagnostic laboratories, physician groups, flight medicine, pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation centers and home care. In clinical practice, respiratory therapists with four-year degrees qualify for advancement to supervisory or managerial positions in a respiratory therapy department. They may also advance from the care of general patients to patients with significant critical problems in other organ systems such as the heart or kidneys.

As the health industry grows and changes, respiratory therapists will continue to grow and change with it. The aging population should also produce a substantial growth for the need for professionals in the field. Opportunities are expected to be highly favorable for respiratory therapists with neonatal care and cardiopulmonary care skills. Rapid growth in firms that provide respiratory care on a contract basis will also continue to create a demand for respiratory therapists.

• the acquisition and supervision of complete medical records on each patient
• the design and management of health information systems which collect, process, store, retrieve and release health information and statistics
• assistance to administration, other health professionals and medical staff in developing quality assurance programs by abstraction of medical data, preparation of statistical reports and analysis of information
• assistance in collection and analysis of data for public health services planning

Each professional is recognized as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) after passing the Registration Examination administered by the American Health Information Management Association. The RHIA is a fully qualified professional in the planning and management of health information systems and analysis of information generated by those systems. With today's emphasis on information and computerization, the RHIA has a unique status within the health-care community.

The need to manage health-care delivery systems has created a demand for professionals with the knowledge of skills to process, analyze and distribute health information.

A major employment opportunity for health information managers is in health information management/medical record departments of general acute care hospitals. Here, health information managers combine communication skills and administrative and managerial ability with special expertise in medical information management. The health information manager organizes, generates and analyzes data relating to treatment, reimbursement, planning, quality management and research. Other positions within the hospital for which the health information manager is qualified include quality assurance, utilization review and risk management.

There are other agencies and/or facilities that utilize the skills and knowledge of the health information manager. These include, but are not limited to, physician offices, clinics, home health agencies, insurance companies, accounting firms, federal and state government agencies, hospice-skilled nursing centers, consulting firms, psychiatric facilities and educational institutions.

• HIM Department Director/Supervisor/Manager
• Quality Improvement Analyst
• Accreditation Coordinator
• Coder
• Consultant
• Health Data Analyst
• Corporate and Departmental Compliance Offices
• Privacy Officer
• Clinical Database Coordinator
• Medical Staff Coordinator
• HIM Educator
• Information Security Officer
• Utilization Management Coordinator
• Quality Improvement Coordinator

Health services administration involves managing the integration of all aspects of health-care to produce services. HSA graduates are concerned with the business aspect of the health industry: human resources, accounting, marketing and sales, planning, information systems and facility management. Health services administrators are often responsible for million dollar budgets of facilities and equipment as well as hundreds of employees. The complexity of the job, the challenge of leadership and motivation, and the delivery of efficient and effective high quality health care combine to make health services administration a rewarding and demanding career.

Health care is the fastest growing industry in the country and the second largest industry in the state of Florida. The industry is growing so fast in Florida, due to the demographics of the population, that there should be a variety of career opportunities in health services administration for the foreseeable future. These opportunities encompass much more than hospital care. The health services administrator may work for organizations with health-care facilities or for organizations that do business with health care facilities. This might include research and development firms, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies or computer software firms.

Beyond hospitals and acute care, the industry includes such diverse entities as physician practices, home health care agencies, retirement centers, freestanding clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, durable medical equipment companies, public health centers and managed care organizations. Medical group practices and HMO's are expected to grow larger and more complex, and the need for professionals to manage those organizations creates jobs for health services administrators. Health services administrators advance by completing graduate study and moving into more responsible and higher paying positions such as assistant or associate administrator and in larger facilities as the CEO.

• Nursing Homes
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Public Health Centers
• Managed Care Organizations
• Durable Medical Equipment Companies
• Ambulatory Surgical Centers
• Free Standing Clinics
• Home Health Agencies
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Hospitals
• Birthing Centers
• Physician Practices
• Research and Development Firms
• Insurance Companies

• Assistant
• Administrator
• Manager
• Sales Representative

Physical Therapy is a dynamic and rewarding profession with a well-established scientific and theoretical base. Physical Therapists (PT's) assist in the prevention and treatment of illness and injury in order to promote the optimal physical functioning of over 100,000 people every day in the United States. PT's are able to diagnose and manage movement dysfunctions, restore and promote physical function, and make a positive difference in the quality of people's lives. PT's take a personal approach to assisting others with injury or illness. They can assist patients to walk again, to relieve pain, to drive a car, to dress or bathe, or return to a leisure or sporting activity.

PT's are a highly respected member of the health care team. They work with many other health care providers, such as physicians, occupational therapists, rehabilitation nurses, dentists, psychologists, social workers, and speech and language pathologists. They work with patients of all ages, races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds.

Therapists graduate with a entry-level degree and may work in a variety of areas, including orthopedics, sports, neurology, pediatrics, women's health, aquatics, cardiopulmonary, education, acute care, and geriatrics. PT's may later choose to receive specialist certification in certain areas.

According to numerous national reporting agencies, the job outlook for competent physical therapists should remain strong well into the 2lst century. Although PT's may work in hospitals or medical centers, over 70% are employed in rehab centers, sports facilities, home health settings, pediatric facilities, research institutions, nursing centers, and many other large corporations. PT's may be employees or serve as owners or partners in private practice settings.

Graduates of accredited physical therapy programs generally obtain salaries from $40,000 to $55,000. Opportunities for specialty certification and career advancement exist and can significantly increase salaries and job opportunities. Job Listing (PDF Format)

The field of radiologic sciences includes professional specialists who perform medical imaging procedures for the diagnosis of disease and injury. The radiographer enjoys an interesting and challenging variety of examinations/procedures that may include conventional radiography, fluoroscopy, vascular imaging, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, mammography and quality management. Radiographers are integral members of the health care team dedicated to providing high quality patient care.

Excellent career opportunities exist for radiographers in hospitals, imaging centers and physician's offices. Career advancement opportunities include positions in administration, education, quality management and public health facilities.

Graduates have advanced to be supervisors, then to department administrators or directors. With experience in the field, some graduates can work as sales or training representatives for radiopharmaceutical manufacturing firms or as radiation safety officers in regulatory agencies or hospitals.

The employment outlook for radiologic sciences is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. Substantial growth in the number of middle-aged and older persons will spur demand for the diagnostic procedures and treatment. Furthermore, technological innovations seem likely to increase the diagnostic uses of radiology and thus the demand for new professionals in the field.

For additional information please contact the Career Services and Experential Learning..

407-823-2361
www.crc.ucf.edu