“Quality of life” is one of the hottest buzzwords in the profession these days. What can we do to make our job more enjoyable and keep people in the profession? This isn’t rhetorical. Seriously, what is it? What are we looking for? What do athletic trainers need to make us stick with this profession that we so fell in love with that we sacrificed so much at one time?
I have left my current position. I left because I was unhappy. I am this demographic that I don’t know how to handle or how to fix. I was tired of being here for the long hours. Not so much the time I was working hard to get patients better or teaching or providing great care for athletes, but for the time wasted. The time in the middle of the day where I was expected to be in the athletic training room “just in case.” These moments are when I am certain Facebook was made for athletic trainers.
I left because I was uninspired by what was called of me everyday. I left because I know that I am stunted in my professional growth. I left because I want to be challenged and learn something new and make a new mark for athletic trainers outside of the school setting.
I have been told I’m “brave” to make such a leap of faith. Some have praised me for acknowledging these things in myself and doing what it takes to make the changes. I partially think I have lost my mind. Who quits without having a job lined up!!!! Oh, that would be me.
I like to think of it of the seven-year itch. I’m in my eight year with my hubby, and I still like him. So I figure something had to give…
So I ask of you, how do we prevent the seven-year athletic training itch?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Volunteering
The weekend of April 16-17 was the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer event in Houston. A few of the Young Professional Committee member's volunteered their time Saturday and Sunday to help medical crew the route, along with 3 other athletic trainers. The walk was significantly understaffed with medical crew, especially athletic trainers. Volunteering your time to an event like this is very rewarding and I encourage anyone that is interested in participating next year to please contact me via email or reply to the post for more information. We hope to see you next year in Houston on the weekend of April 21-22nd, 2012.
Below are some pictures from this year...
Thank you Loree McCary, Carissa Spraberry, Charessa Lyons, and Adriann Fleming for another great weekend :)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Remember when...
Remember when your grandma and grandpa would tell you how they walked to school 5 miles uphill both ways? Remember when your mom told you not to make that face or else it would freeze that way? Remember when you got to college and people said you would act like a kindergardner? Remember when you thought you knew it all and then 5 years later you realized you knew nothing?
Life experiences take us from one stop to another on our journey of life. Advice is a tool to help you along. Some pieces are worthless like that little allen wrench in the build it yourself furniture. Some pieces are an everyday need like a pair of scissors. We should pass on the good advice to help those who need it and save our opionion when others should find their own truths.
I know I sound old when I say "It was so different when I ______", but it really was. Computers didn't email, cell phones were in bags and no one knew what text messaging was. I want to change with the times, but I also want to remember when. One piece that I read rang so true to me. It is attributed to a speech from Bill Gates where he lays it out for those students about to step into the "real world". Please take what you like and leave what don't, but in the end "remember when".
Rule 1: Life is not fair-get used to it.
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of university. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone, until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. She doesn't have tenure.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping-they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one
·Attributed to a speech by Bill Gates
Life experiences take us from one stop to another on our journey of life. Advice is a tool to help you along. Some pieces are worthless like that little allen wrench in the build it yourself furniture. Some pieces are an everyday need like a pair of scissors. We should pass on the good advice to help those who need it and save our opionion when others should find their own truths.
I know I sound old when I say "It was so different when I ______", but it really was. Computers didn't email, cell phones were in bags and no one knew what text messaging was. I want to change with the times, but I also want to remember when. One piece that I read rang so true to me. It is attributed to a speech from Bill Gates where he lays it out for those students about to step into the "real world". Please take what you like and leave what don't, but in the end "remember when".
Rule 1: Life is not fair-get used to it.
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of university. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone, until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. She doesn't have tenure.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping-they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one
·Attributed to a speech by Bill Gates
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
ATEP Outreach Presentation
I recently had the opportunity to present the SWATA ATEP outreach lecture to the athletic training students at ETBU. I made the short trip to Marshall (only 90 min) on a Friday morning to meet my audience.
David Collins, the program director, met me outside of the athletic center with a big smile and welcoming handshake. After spending a little less then an hour getting to know Mr. Collins, learning how to use the projector and discussing all things ETBU athletic training it was time to present.
The audience consisted of about 20 total students with roughly two-thirds being upperclassmen which forced me to think, “Great, these are exactly the type of students who benefit from the information given in the lecture.”
Almost immediately a few quick questions revealed that many of the upperclassmen were not sure what the next step in their careers would be, so it was looking as though the presentation would prove to be very helpful.
We discussed all of their options (first job, GA positions, or continuing their education) and how to decide what was best for them as individuals. The students asked questions and appeared to be absorbing some useful information. Next, we discussed all the ins and outs of SWATA and NATA young professional committees. The students were intrigued by the existence of the committees and of the services that are provided to them by the committees.
Finally, we wrapped up the presentation by sharing contact information and discussing how to follow up on topics that interested them. I made the trip to ETBU to teach future young professionals how to transition, but actually learned a lot myself about their program and the interests of the next generation of professionals.
David Collins, the program director, met me outside of the athletic center with a big smile and welcoming handshake. After spending a little less then an hour getting to know Mr. Collins, learning how to use the projector and discussing all things ETBU athletic training it was time to present.
The audience consisted of about 20 total students with roughly two-thirds being upperclassmen which forced me to think, “Great, these are exactly the type of students who benefit from the information given in the lecture.”
Almost immediately a few quick questions revealed that many of the upperclassmen were not sure what the next step in their careers would be, so it was looking as though the presentation would prove to be very helpful.
We discussed all of their options (first job, GA positions, or continuing their education) and how to decide what was best for them as individuals. The students asked questions and appeared to be absorbing some useful information. Next, we discussed all the ins and outs of SWATA and NATA young professional committees. The students were intrigued by the existence of the committees and of the services that are provided to them by the committees.
Finally, we wrapped up the presentation by sharing contact information and discussing how to follow up on topics that interested them. I made the trip to ETBU to teach future young professionals how to transition, but actually learned a lot myself about their program and the interests of the next generation of professionals.
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