MSAT or DPT

[gioma678]

Hey guys,

I am going to finish my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology/Strenght and Conditioning track this year. My interest is to enter graduate school when I am done with my BS degree. I love working with athletes and train them but I want to have the knowledge and skills to also help them rehab from injuries. My counselor in college told me to look at programs in Athletic Training that are 2 years Entry Level Master or to go to PT school. What do you think is the best option for me in terms of career fit, job oportunities with sports teams , pay etc. Thanks.

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[djb051]

I would volunteer in a PT setting if you can. That would probably help you to decide if you like PT or ahtletic training more. Plus, if you do decide you like PT more, the volunteer hours can count towards the minimum amount of volunteer hours in PT that you will need in order to apply to physical therapy graduate programs.

 

[gioma678]

I would volunteer in a PT setting if you can. That would probably help you to decide if you like PT or ahtletic training more. Plus, if you do decide you like PT more, the volunteer hours can count towards the minimum amount of volunteer hours in PT that you will need in order to apply to physical therapy graduate programs.

Thanks for the reply. I did some some hours of job observation in a local PT and also observed the Athletic Trainers in my college. I like both jobs, but I think I like AT more because they work more with athletes and thas is what I eventually want to do. My concern is the job opportunities an salary as an AT vs PT. Also , someone told me that some PT work only with athletes and profesional teams, Its that true?

 

[djb051]

Yes, you can go into a lot of different settings with PT, which is great. I have heard of sports team having their own physical therapists.
Not sure what athletic trainers make, but I hear the average starting salary for PT's is about 55 to 60K. The median salary is around 75K. It can vary a lot depending on what type of area you work in and if you have a private practice or not.

 

[greco13]

Go to PT school. With an entry-level MSAT you will have no advantage over and most likely have less experience than a BSAT. As an AT student I've learned that ATs are underpaid, overworked and under appreciated. You can work sports med as a PT with additional specialization / exposure, earn twice the salary, have respect from other health care providers, and avoid working nights and weekends. The job market for new ATs is ugly but new PT grads are often have a job before graduating. Lateral movement within the profession is cool too.

 

[LadyCard05]

Go to PT school. With an entry-level MSAT you will have no advantage over and most likely have less experience than a BSAT. As an AT student I've learned that ATs are underpaid, overworked and under appreciated. You can work sports med as a PT with additional specialization / exposure, earn twice the salary, have respect from other health care providers, and avoid working nights and weekends. The job market for new ATs is ugly but new PT grads are often have a job before graduating. Lateral movement within the profession is cool too.

I agree with Greco on this one. I work full-time for a large rehab company that also has an entire Sports Med department with several ATCs. The general attitude of all the ATCs in my company is exactly as Greco describes. They all feel underpaid, overworked and unappreciated. They work several 12-14 hour days, and obviously work almost entirely evenings and weekends. They constantly feel like they're not as respected either. I hear the salary isn't the greatest. My VERY ROUGH guess is that they make ~$30,000 - $40,000 (that's the going rate in Kentucky, anyway). Granted that's nothing to scoff at but the relationship between what you put into it vs. what you get out is poor in my opinion.

My advice is go to PT school. The magic combo if you want to work with a sports team is usually an ATC, DPT. Many professional sports teams look for this elusive title. The head athletic trainer for the football team at my university is an ATC, DPT. Once you graduate from PT school you can also choose to specialize in sports rehab. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities has a list of residencies in the US in which you can participate once you graduate and work towards your specialization. I know there is one at University of Cincinnati.

Best of luck!

 

[gioma678]

I agree with Greco on this one. I work full-time for a large rehab company that also has an entire Sports Med department with several ATCs. The general attitude of all the ATCs in my company is exactly as Greco describes. They all feel underpaid, overworked and unappreciated. They work several 12-14 hour days, and obviously work almost entirely evenings and weekends. They constantly feel like they're not as respected either. I hear the salary isn't the greatest. My VERY ROUGH guess is that they make ~$30,000 - $40,000 (that's the going rate in Kentucky, anyway). Granted that's nothing to scoff at but the relationship between what you put into it vs. what you get out is poor in my opinion.

My advice is go to PT school. The magic combo if you want to work with a sports team is usually an ATC, DPT. Many professional sports teams look for this elusive title. The head athletic trainer for the football team at my university is an ATC, DPT. Once you graduate from PT school you can also choose to specialize in sports rehab. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities has a list of residencies in the US in which you can participate once you graduate and work towards your specialization. I know there is one at University of Cincinnati.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the reply.When I was in my year 3 of undergraduate I wanted to change my major to ATC but they told me that it was a 4 year program and its not possible to finish in less time. My counselor told me that its better and faster to just finish my undergraduate and apply to the MSAT program. Looking at some post here , Im thinking to just go for PT school. The ATC DPT dual credential route looks good but can mean 2 or 3 more years of study and more debt.

My question is if the education of AT programs to deal with athletes is different that a PT with sports specialization? Like if in AT education they teach some things that are not covered in PT school or the other way. Thanks.

 

[greco13]

PT is a much broader profession compared to AT. PT students learn to treat many different patient populations. In the ortho. scene, from my experience, there's absolutely no difference between PT & AT besides ATs have learned about immediate care (think EMT) & learned some fancy tapping techniques. I don't know what is learned from SCS PTs and the overlap with AT. If you're really hot on the duel credential...http://www.su.edu/9F5ECBCA985D499BA1EE10A989491074.asp

 

[atstudent]

I think the most important thing to do is answer the question: What population do you want to work with?

If it's athletes, then there is NO BETTER credential than the Certified Athletic Trainer. A PT with SCS may be qualified and will likely be the better rehab clinician, but there is plenty of athletic training that isn't rehabilitation.

People have said before how "get EMT training or first responder training and combine that with PT to make better than an athletic trainer." That's not true. Because EMT training or first responder training does not discuss equipment issues that come up in athletics. PT school they don't cover equipment issues.

I believe that PT definitely has a place in athletics. But I don't believe that place is on the sideline on a Friday night. And legally you may not be able to either..

 

[gioma678]

I think the most important thing to do is answer the question: What population do you want to work with?

If it's athletes, then there is NO BETTER credential than the Certified Athletic Trainer. A PT with SCS may be qualified and will likely be the better rehab clinician, but there is plenty of athletic training that isn't rehabilitation.

People have said before how "get EMT training or first responder training and combine that with PT to make better than an athletic trainer." That's not true. Because EMT training or first responder training does not discuss equipment issues that come up in athletics. PT school they don't cover equipment issues.

I believe that PT definitely has a place in athletics. But I don't believe that place is on the sideline on a Friday night. And legally you may not be able to either..

Thanks everyone for replyng. The population I know I want and enjoy working with is ATHLETES. One of the reasons I know this is because right now im working as a trainer in a gym part time and I dont like or enjoy too much working with the elderly or people that are super out of shape. Dont get me wrong, I love and respect those people. It is that I prefer the athleticism , the high energy, motivation and drive that athletes normaly have. Since my background is in strenght and conditioning I get to work with those clients the majority of time.

That is why if I go to PT school, I would like to specialize in sports. My dream job is to work for a professional team or work for a clinic where I can train athletes for better performance in their sport and be able to to rehab them if there is a problem or injury. Thanks.

 

[PTMattI]

gioma, my advice is to combine a CSCS with a DPT. If you have a solid strength and conditioning background with the ability to devise strength programs and teach complex lifts (clean, snatch, etc..) combined with the rehab / injury prevention skills of a DPT, you will be highly marketable.

If you have already done so, look up people like Gray Cook (www.movementbook.com) and Kelly Starrett (www.mobilitywod.com) they are 2 of the most respected names in the strength and conditioning industry and both of them are Physical Therapists (Gray has a Masters) and strength coaches

-matt

 

[gioma678]

gioma, my advice is to combine a CSCS with a DPT. If you have a solid strength and conditioning background with the ability to devise strength programs and teach complex lifts (clean, snatch, etc..) combined with the rehab / injury prevention skills of a DPT, you will be highly marketable.

If you have already done so, look up people like Gray Cook (www.movementbook.com) and Kelly Starrett (www.mobilitywod.com) they are 2 of the most respected names in the strength and conditioning industry and both of them are Physical Therapists (Gray has a Masters) and strength coaches

-matt

Thanks for the info. I am already studyng for the CSCS credential and Im also familiar with Gray Cook work. I will take a look at Kelly Starett too. I am thinking between applying to Shenandoah for the dual credential ATC/DPT ( takes 4 years to complete ) or apply to the Puerto Rico PT program. Since I am originally from there and have my family living in the island, tuition can be dirt cheap (approximately 2,248 per year) The one thing is that the program is still a Master degree and takes 3 years to complete. What do you guys think its the better option?

 

[NewTestament]

Go to Shenandoah. Although tuition is $26k a year, it's a DPT program that will teach you everything you want. $2k a year is incredibly cheap, so that is appealing, but I would not pursue a master's degree at this point. It's outmoded. Pay for what you want. I visited Shenandoah last year. The program is inside an old hospital. It's like a playground in there. They have so much space, so many rooms, and so many toys. If you like PT and sports, you should definitely consider Shenandoah.

Kevin

 

[gioma678]

Go to Shenandoah. Although tuition is $26k a year, it's a DPT program that will teach you everything you want. $2k a year is incredibly cheap, so that is appealing, but I would not pursue a master's degree at this point. It's outmoded. Pay for what you want. I visisted Shenandoah last year. The program is inside an old hospital. It's like a playground in there. They have so much space, so many rooms, and so many toys. If you like PT and sports, you should definitely consider Shenandoah.

Kevin

Thanks. I am going to apply to Shenandoah and also look for other schools with good sports emphasis as a plan B.