The athletic training fellow will rotate throughout different orthopaedic specialties with a variety of nationally recognized physicians. Each rotation has learning competencies, unique responsibilities and dedicated preceptors.

Learning Objectives

  • Provide clinical rotations to allow the athletic training fellow the opportunity to progress clinical decision-making skills and practice in a variety of sports medicine settings.
  • Provide clinical rotations to allow the athletic training fellow the opportunity to progress in the evaluation and management of sports concussions, and the development of concussion care plans.
  • Provide opportunities for the athletic training fellow to assist the orthopaedic surgeons in the operating room including preoperative, and postoperative care through direct observation and application of learned surgical assist skills.
  • Provide opportunities to attend ASOP casting certification course for the athletic training fellow and provide opportunities for cast and DME application.
  • Provide opportunities for athletic training fellow to participate in interdisciplinary collaboration with members of the Sports Medicine team.

Athletic Training Fellowship Expectations

The Wake Forest Baptist Health Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Athletic Training Fellowship Program will also require the athletic trainers to provide world-class orthopaedic care to patients as athletic trainers in clinical, outreach and surgical settings. Athletic trainers will be required to abide by the highest of professionalism during the fellowship and have a strong desire to learn and grow within the field of sports medicine.

Fellows will be responsible for appropriate decision-making in terms of the patient/athlete problem utilizing the patent centered care approach to patient/athlete care. The program will provide a multifaceted learning experience in musculoskeletal evaluation and injury diagnosis in order to lead in a variety of clinical, surgical and educational settings.

Clinical Responsibilities

The Wake Forest Baptist Health Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Athletic Training Fellowship Program allows athletic trainers to work in a variety of clinical and outreach settings. A majority of the time will be spent as an athletic trainer in our orthopaedic sports medicine clinic, with the reminder of time being spent as an outreach athletic trainer in the secondary school, Division 1 collegiate, and professional sports settings.

The responsibilities of each include:

Athletic trainer in the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Clinic

  • The athletic trainer responsibilities will include working side by side in clinic with surgeons, non-operative physicians and other healthcare professionals. The job duties of each practice will differ according to the specialty of the physician or healthcare professional. The athletic training fellow will also be responsible for understanding radiological images and learning the techniques of bracing and casting. Some of the typical job duties that the athletic training fellow will perform are:
    • Obtaining the patient’s vital signs and medical history.
    • Performing physical examinations.
    • Making prospective decisions about treatment and then presenting to the physician.
    • Providing appropriate rehabilitation/therapy exercises based on patient injury, including instruction, demonstration, and feedback on patient performance of exercises.
    • Communicate and educate patient’s possible or current plan of care such as inquiries about treatments, therapies, pre and post op care, and expected outcomes.
    • Cast and brace applications as required.
    • Following up with surgical patient’s during their post-op clinic appointment and preforming wound care and suture removal.

Surgical/Operating Room Responsibilities

  • The athletic training fellow will abide by the operating room skills curriculum and learn operating room skills. They will complete surgical scrub training during orientation. Will be expected to demonstrate operating room skills such as prepping and draping, sterilization techniques and knowledge of surgical instruments.

High School Outreach Responsibilities in the Secondary School/Collegiate Setting

  • The outreach athletic trainer will provide athletic training services to local colleges, high schools or professional athletes. The athletic training fellow will perform a wide variety of duties requiring specific knowledge of athletic training. Some duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
    • Assessment of injuries. 
    • Concussion evaluation and management.
    • Education of athletes and the community in the areas of sports injury prevention and care.
    • Providing coverage to practice and events.
    • Completing proper documentation and record keeping. 
    • Communicating effectively with physicians, coaches and parents. 
    • Performing duties and assignments as assigned.