March is NATM! - A Safer Approach to Work, Life, and Sport

Hey guys!  I don't know what I'm more excited about in the coming month.  My roommate's birthday is tomorrow, my birthday is on the 12th, vacation in South Carolina starts the 14th, Easter is at the end of the month...  Oh... and it's NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINING MONTH!!!  I think March is the best month ever!  So as a profession, our goal during NATM is to educate everyone about what our profession is and what we do.  It's quite amazing how much people still don't know about us.  I challange all of you to educate one person a day about what we do.  It can be friends, relatives, or even a random stranger.  The best thing you can do it educate the public properly about what this profession is.  Make sure you use the term "athletic trainer" instead of just "trainer".  Make sure they know we are health care professionals with a degree in a medical field.  Use examples of what we are capable of doing.   Tell people about the variety of settings that we can work in.

So for all of you non-ATs out there...  Here's a little bit about what we do:
Athletic trainers are healthcare providers that work in conjunction with physicians and specialize in recognizing, treating, and preventing injuries.  We have at least a bachelor's degree in athletic training, with a lot more professionals with their master's and some doctorate's.  We work in all types of settings between high schools, colleges, and professional sports to performing arts, military, and corporate settings.  It's amazing what athletic trainers are capable of doing.  If you would like to learn more, then please ask someone in the profession!  If you are an AT, please tell people about what we do!

And just for a little fun...

You Know You're an Athletic Trainer When....
1.  You forget what "real clothes" look like because your wardrobe consists of only khakis and polos.
2.  When you DO where "real clothes" everyone thinks you're dressed up and tell you how nice you look.
3.  Everyone comes to you when they hurt themselves because they don't want to go to a doctor.
4.  You need to figure out a way to get caffiene in IV form.
5.  You get angry as sportscasters when they use the wrong words about an injury, like "I think he sprained his quad."  It's strained you idiot...
6.  You enjoy watching people walk just to analyze their gait.
7.  You have perfected the most amazing sleeping position on a bus.
8.  You empty your pockets and every day you find gauze and gloves.
9.  You know athletes by injury, not by name.
and finally... 10. You want to punch the next person who uses the word "trainer" instead of "athletic trainer"!

Hope you all can spread the word starting tomorrow!

Let me know what you all do to celebrate NATM.  It would be interesting to see what everyone does!