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5 New Year’s Resolutions for Athletic Trainers

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February 13, 2018

By Devon Serrano, DAT, LAT, ATC

The start of the New Year brings a chance for a clean slate and the chance to improve, both personally and professionally. In 2018, Athletic Trainers (ATs) have the chance to expand their clinical expertise and work towards resolutions for the new year. As you plan your goals for 2018, consider these 5 resolutions that every AT should have on their radar.

1. Self care

As ATs, we can sometimes forget that we are just as important as our patients. It is critical that ATs find things we love away from our practice. By doing so, we can continue to enjoy our career and avoid burn-out.

2. Never stop learning

The day we stop learning is the day we fail. Think of your professional knowledge and expertise as a bookcase. As you grow as a clinician, each experience is a book you add to your bookcase. You will never completely fill your bookcase but the more you have to pull from, the better your reference base.

3. Don’t be cookie cutter

When we graduate from our professional program, we’ve all been trained with a similar skill-set. We can all perform a Lachman’s test. We all know how to use pre-participation evaluations during patient encounters. However, it’s what we do after that makes us successful. Whether it’s working with a special population, becoming a voice for change or reaching for new professional goals, it is on us to go above and beyond for our patients and our profession.

4. Find your professional passion

Find an aspect of the athletic training profession you love or something you want to improve. Reach out to other ATs who are involved in your areas of interest and ask questions. Be the change you wish to see.

5. Start on your next set of continuing education (CE) now

Don’t wait until the end of 2019 to get started on those CE requirements for the 2018-2019 reporting period. Remember to use your CEs as an opportunity to improve your clinical practice.

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About the Author

Devon serrano

Devon Serrano is the Director of Sports Medicine at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She received her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from State University of New York at Cortland in May 2012. At that time, she also received her emergency medical technician certification. She also became a member of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity as well as SUNY’s emergency medical services. Serrano earned her master’s degree in Clinical Athletic Training from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in December 2014. She also performed 2 clinical rotations at Bucknell University and served as the chapter advisor for Alpha Phi Omega at Bloomsburg. Since graduating, Serrano has gained experience as an intern Athletic Trainer (AT) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. She has also served as the contract AT with Women’s Volleyball at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and an AT for the Warrior Athletic Training Program at Fort Benning through Auburn University. Serrano completed her doctorate in Athletic Training from Indiana State University in May 2017. In her spare time, Serrano can be found volunteering on medical staffs for events ranging from the New York City Marathon to roller derby. Currently, her primary research interest focuses on equestrian athletes. She enjoys life through food, running, movies or spending time with friends and family.

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