When I first started out as a Certified Athletic Trainer in 2008, there was no clinical doctorate available for me to seek out in the field of athletic training. I completed a master’s degree and realized that I could pursue a research doctorate or be content to stay at the master’s level of completion. At that time, I had already realized that I didn’t want to pursue a Ph.D., as there would be no direct clinical impact on my practice.

Fast-forward a decade and I am an athletic trainer in professional baseball. A colleague of mine introduced me to A.T. Still University and the Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) program that he had completed. Because he understood the work demands in my clinical setting, I found his introduction warranted a deeper dive into learning about the DAT program. What I found at A.T. Still University was a program that exhibited care, compassion, and ultimately the common goal of improved patient care through innovation and excellence.

My goal in completing this degree was two-fold. The fact that this is a terminal degree was a large motivating factor to be able to stay at the forefront of clinical education in our profession. A secondary, personal motivator was that I wanted to give my children the ability to see that if you work hard, anything is possible. Professionally, this degree completion puts ATs in a position to be at the forefront of clinical innovation in patient care. The process of selecting A.T. Still was simple. After reaching out to various programs across the country, ATSU met me where I was at and allowed me to be able to work with my clinical practice schedule to accomplish my goals and further my passion and education. The ability to be fully remote with the exception of the Winter Institute, a one-week requirement held in Mesa, Arizona, was a major draw to this program as well. This program allowed me to continue my career without having to step away to complete the DAT program. This program also allowed me to learn more about myself and areas of growth while finding meaningful ways to innovate and impact my clinical practice. This also positively impacts my patients.

Other than having completed a terminal degree, I feel that this program has put me on a path of future success and fulfilling the requirement of lifelong learning. This program has reinforced the model of clinical and professional responsibility, as well as ultimately puts ATs in a great position to continue to grow and help impact our future. The future of our profession is no longer tomorrow, but the future of athletic training is now!