Athletic Training Residency

Our physicians and staff in pediatric orthopedics, orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation medicine are leaders in innovative research and superior care for children and young adults. This team of caregivers ensures the best possible outcomes for our patients, families and communities. The athletic training resident will become an integrated part of this multidisciplinary team through education and professional growth.

Overview of education

• Weekly sports medicine conference, where physicians, researchers and medical residents on a variety of evidence-based sports medicine and orthopedic topics
• Quarterly multidisciplinary journal club
• Sports medicine physical therapy observation
• Casting labs
• Radiology observation
• Surgical skills labs
• Opportunities to attend ATPPS, NATA, CATA, RMATA and other orthopedic and sports medicine conferences and symposiums

Curriculum overview

• Learning competencies for each rotation
• End of rotation and athletic training residency program evaluations
• Reading list to be completed during the course of each rotation
• Anatomy and diagnostic imaging curriculum taught by physicians, radiologists and clinical staff
• Surgical observation, suturing labs and introduction to the operating room, sterile techniques and surgical instruments
• Pre-, mid- and post-residency exams
• Research project and three case studies
• Healthcare administration, leadership and professional development focused to the specific goals of the resident

Sports medicine research

Children’s Colorado’s athletic training residency offers opportunities to earn continuing education credits (CEUs) during the course of the year. Residents can collect CEUs by participating in established educational offerings including CEU events on campus at Children’s Colorado and the University of Colorado Sports Medicine. Children’s Colorado will also provide a fund for athletic trainers to advance their education by attending conferences or symposiums.

As an athletic training resident, you will be required to submit and/or present original content at a local, regional or national conference and develop a quality improvement project with an attending physician.

The athletic training resident will receive one-on-one coaching to provide feedback, guidance and overall mentorship through the course of the residency. Regular one-on-one meetings will aid the resident’s professional growth and self-awareness relating to their individual strengths and opportunities as a teammate and professional. Coaching is separate from the focused education on clinical skills throughout the program. Coaching will focus on the needs of the resident and their long-term career goals. Residents will have dedicated time to self-reflect and learn new skills and strategies that enhance their abilities as future leaders in the community.

Our athletic training residency will not only help improve residents’ evaluation and diagnostic skills, but broaden their view of where and how athletic trainers can provide care.

What does an athletic trainer do in the physician practice setting?

Given their advanced patient care and musculoskeletal knowledge, athletic trainers help guide patients though the entire evaluation and treatment process. Athletic trainers help improve clinical productivity, outcomes and patient satisfaction. They provide semi-autonomous healthcare under a licensed physician while performing medical history intake, physical examinations, injury assessments, patient education and assisting in procedures.

Examples of responsibilities for sports medicine residents

• Preparing the clinic for daily operation
• Reviewing each patient’s medical history
• Performing physical examination of each patient
• Providing concise and relevant presentations to the attending physician before patient care
• Ordering diagnostic studies or other referrals under the direction of the attending physician
• Interpreting diagnostic imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT, ultrasound, EMG)
• Educating patients based on their needs (answering treatment plan questions, scheduling physical therapy, instructions on symptomatic control, and information on scheduling surgery)
• Providing initial rehabilitation exercises and instruction, demonstration and feedback on a patient’s performance of the exercises
• Fitting and educating the patient on the use of splints, crutches, braces, wraps and other equipment
• Removing sutures and providing dressing changes to post-surgical patients
• Aiding the physician in preparing patients for injections
• Recording medical documentation of each patient’s visit
• Answering and returning phone calls, and properly documenting communication
• Assisting with the development of educational and promotional materials for Children’s Hospital Colorado Sports Medicine Center
• Attending internal and external educational lectures and conferences
• Reviewing performance with the program director

Pediatric orthopedic surgical observation

Children’s Colorado’s surgeons specialize in a variety of pediatric orthopedic concentrations, which provides residents with an exclusive opportunity to observe surgical procedures. Athletic training residents help coordinate pre-surgical planning in the clinic, observe the procedure in the operating room and follow up with post-operative care. Our surgeons teach sterile field policies, tool and instrument use, surgical techniques and much more.

Our pediatric athletic training residency is the first of its kind in the nation. You will work with physicians, surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, nurses and other team members who are among the best in the country at what they do. Children’s Colorado is consistently recognized as one of the top children’s hospitals in the nation. We see more, treat more and heal more children than any other hospital in our seven-state region – and we’ve been doing it for more than 100 years. As a team member here, you help empower the children who walk through our doors every day.

Life in the Aurora area

Our largest hospital is located in Aurora, Colorado, a major suburb of Denver. Children’s Colorado’s other locations throughout the Denver metro area and southern Colorado also offer a variety of experiences for athletic training residents. Colorado boasts nearly 300 days of sunshine a year, a thriving cultural scene, diverse neighborhoods and natural beauty that create one of the world’s most spectacular playgrounds. We are just hours from some of the top ski resorts in the nation and even closer to a number of outdoor activities for all seasons. Reliable transportation is necessary for the winter months.