Help Me, Help You!

It's a great scene.  I know that I channel Jerry Maguire all the time.  I also channel Colonel Jessup from A Few Good Men, but that's for another post.

"It's an up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing seige..."  Isn't it though?  Athletic training has come a long way in its 60+ year history.  It has grown exponentially, and is gaining ground as an allied health profession.  Still, there is a ways to go.

Each of us as athletic trainers represents us all, and our professional organizations do a great deal to advocate on our behalf.  In addition to volunteering for committees and initiatives, there are so many ways to contribute to the future of athletic training.

For example, the NATA Foundation, the only 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the profession of athletic training through research and education. Established in 1991, the NATA Foundation advances its mission by awarding undergraduate and graduate scholarships and by funding grants that support research in health care.  Consider making a (tax-deductible) donation, develop research and apply for a grant or nominate someone for a scholarship.  Keeping our techniques and skills on the cutting edge will help in elevating athletic trainers.

Another organization that often goes unrecognized is the NATAPAC.  Established in 2005, this federal group is working on behalf of all certified athletic trainers and the people they treat.  This political action committee seeks better working conditions, fair access, and the right to practice for all athletic trainers across America.  Again, there are several ways to get involved: contribute, contact your Senator or Representative regarding current legislation, attend Hill Day.

Consider this...If one day a month you brought your lunch or skipped the Starbucks and donated that $5-7 to one of these worthy causes, you could make a significant impact.  If all 30,000 of us did that, think of the influence we could have.

All this to say that there are so many ways to keep athletic training relevant, and advance.  Find an area that appeals to you and step up.  It's exciting, interesting and you will be amazed at how much we can accomplish if we help each other help athletic training.

What Matters More?

Recently, there was an article on CNN Money that listed the "College Degrees That Don't Pay."  Surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly), athletic training was listed, along with social workers, chef and even teachers. 

While I question the data used in the article, it certainly raises an eyebrow. 

One other thing that really stands out to me is that for each "low-paying" career listed most all of those asked had a high level of job satisfaction.

"...I get paid in smiles. I know I'm not making as much money as a lot of my friends, but I love going to work every Monday and know that I'm changing lives every day..."

"...nothing could compensate me for spending eight to 10 hours a day at [a job I hate] when I knew something I really loved to do was still out there waiting for me."

"I may never drive a BMW or live in a 5,000 square foot house, but I get to go to a job that I love and that, to me, is priceless."

"I absolutely love what I'm doing now and couldn't imagine myself in another career for any amount of money."

Work is what we spend most of our life doing.  Isn't it important to be doing something that you enjoy?  Something that fulfills you?

Additionally, despite the supposed low salary athletic training is consistently listed among the fastest growing professions.  Government economists expect job growth for athletic trainers to be much faster than the average for all careers through 2018. In fact, it’s expected to be the tenth-fastest-growing career they studied.

Top 10 Fastest Growing Allied Health Professions 

20 Fastest Growing Professions for Women

As the number of jobs increase, we can continue to raise awareness and respect in the medical community as well as with the general public and the rest will begin to fall in line.

On behalf of the SWATA Young Professionals Committee, I would like to formally invite you to the 2010 Tailgate Party sponsored by North Texas Orthopedics. We will be in the parking lot of the convention center immediately following the the State Forums on Thursday, July 22, 2010. Hot dogs, hamburgers and have soft drinks will be served while supplies last. BYOB is allowed!!!!

For your entertainment, we will be looking for contestants to play our "Minute to Win it" games and win great prizes. If that doesn't get you pumped up for this event, I have posted a link below that shows the game that David Traylor is scheduled to play. He will be shaking his money maker while playing "Junk in the Trunk", in an attempt to win one of our wonderful prizes. There SHOULD be an athletic trainer available in case he gets hurt.

http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/how-to/junk-in-the-trunk/


So please come grab a bite to eat, stay for the entertainment and socialize with your fellow professionals on your way to the Welcome reception at the ballpark.

See you there!!!!

SWATA Symposium Update

The YPC is working on finalizing our part of programing for the annual meeting. The Student Roundtable Discussions, scheduled for Friday afternoon at 4:30, has garnered a great response. There will be ten small-group discussions, each with a panel of Young Professionals and Veterans. It will be a great opportunity to communicate with your future colleagues and foster new relationships. If you are a student or new graduate that has questions about this forum, don't hesitate to contact me. Also, we are still in need of a few Young Professionals to serve on the panels. If you are interested, please contact me at tiffanyfoust730@hotmail.com.

The second project in the works is a mock-interview and resume builder workshop for students and new graduates. If you are interested in participating in this and gaining this valuable information, again please contact me at tiffanyfoust730@hotmail.com.

We have been working very hard on this this year to provide career-building and networking opportunities for Young Professionals, and can't wait to see the growth of our organization through you all. We look forward to seeing you this year in Arlington!

Registration and Housing Open!

SWATA Annual Symposium Registration and Housing is now open! This year’s symposium will be a great place to socialize, collaborate, and become more involved in our profession. You can register for both the symposium and housing on the SWATA website, www.swata.org.

The Young Professionals Committee has a full docket of events scheduled:
*a Young Professional social
*Mock interviews for YPs and students who would like help with resume and interviewing skills
*Student round-table discussions
*Speed networking

All of these events are an attempt to open lines of communication between all District 6 athletic trainers and to better prepare the next generation of YPs to become active members of this organization. It is definitely a great time to be a part of this great profession.

Conflict Resolution

There are several types of conflict...(wo)man vs. (wo)man, man vs. self, man vs. society, man vs. nature, or Man vs. Wild (great show).  Moral, ethical, personal, marital.

Over the course of one's life, chances are you will face all of these; and at the beginning of one's career it is likely that your resolve will be tested.  How you respond to conflict can and will have a far greater reach than you can imagine.

As athletic trainers, we are in a position that can lend itself to conflict.  Conflicts of interest between us and coaches, parents, administrators and even athletes.  Standing fast, and sticking to your guns can be challenging, and often uncomfortable.

Take, for example, a situation when a student-athlete is evaluated and treated by your fellow athletic trainer, but is not feeling any better after several days.  You evaluate and come to a different conclusion regarding the student-athlete's condition and change their course of treatment.  This could create a problem.  It often won't, though, because the interest of any athletic trainer isn't being right, it is doing the right thing by our patient.

Other examples:
Coaches wanting kids to play before they are cleared.
Athletic directors asking you to do things additional to your athletic training duties.
Teacher/Athletic Trainer. 'Nuff said.

I am a "do the right thing" person. I operate that way in my everyday life and specifically in my work setting. I know that we all strive to be that, and it can be difficult. Doing what is right is not always popular, and is often not easy.  Confronting your peers or supervisors is an uncomfortable situation, but it is sometimes necessary.

How do you deal with conflict resolution?

Chores

During NATM, we are going to use this blog to highlight some of the issues facing YPs, feel free to add your commentary and what's bugging you.

Right.

Chores are never-ending.  Even if you have done all the laundry and put it away (and that never happens) you still have the clothes you are wearing. Unless you do laundry naked.  The same can be said (minus the naked) for dishes and yard work and sweeping and vacuuming and....ugh.  never. ending.

They are a fundamental part of life.  From the moment you are capable, you have chores and at first there is a reward: stickers, privileges, allowance, etc.  The older you get the less the reward and the more an expectation, and then it is your responsibility.

Often we hear about life balance.  The delicate mix of work and personal life that is typically difficult for young professionals.  That discussion usually includes mention of family and friends, community and faith and priorities. 

Never any mention of chores.

However, I have found that the hardest part of "life balance" IS the chores.  I am great at time management.  I can juggle many things at once and keep my priorities straight, but I haven't yet mastered the art of getting chores done too.

When I get home at night, or finally have a free weekend the last thing I want to do is laundry.  So often times it will pile up until I have nothing to wear, or the dishes will sit in the sink for a day too long making them that much harder to get clean.

Ugh.

My husband is a HUGE help, don't get me wrong, but this chores thing is the bane of my life balance.  Maybe I need to get a housekeeper...or have kids who will one day work for free. 

Of course that throws the whole life balance scale out of whack again.

I.Can't.Win.

In all seriousness...laundry isn't more important than having dinner with the family, they make paper plates for a reason (even if it isn't "green"), and $20 to a neighbor's kid is money well spent if I can spend the afternoon with my husband and dog.

At the end of the day, or week, or month the chores are done somehow and my house may not be spotless, but I can live with that.