Join the Athletic Trainer Aid Program
To apply to be a part of our program, please fill out and submit this form.
About the Athletic Trainer Aid Program
The mission of the University of Note Dame Athletic Trainer Aid Program is to enlist the services of students from Notre Dame in enhancing the mission of the Sports Medicine Department. In doing so, the goal is to educate these students to better serve not only the student-athlete but the Athletic Trainer Aid’s future endeavors. With this informal education, our goals are to provide additional experiences in the medical field and foster their overall growth as responsible individuals.
The Athletic Trainer Aid Program includes Notre Dame students from the freshmen to senior years. Once the select group of freshmen has been chosen as outlined below, they engage in an Observation Year. The paid portion of the Program begins in the fall of the sophomore year. The basic structure of the program for the athletic trainer aid will be as follows:
- Sophomores will spend approximately 75% of the work time in the fall semester at the Joyce Center Athletic Training Facility. The remaining 25% of their work time will be conducted at the Loftus Athletic Training Facility (“Loftus”) including exposure to football practices and games. The spring semester will move them to 75% of their work time at Loftus and 25% of their work time at the Joyce.
- Juniors will spend approximately 90% of their work time the entire year at Loftus and 10% of their time at the Joyce, predominantly assisting with specific sport game coverage.
- Seniors will be assigned to Loftus approximately 90% of their work time in the fall and 10% of their time at the Joyce, predominantly with specific sport game coverage. The spring of their senior year will place them at the Joyce approximately 90% of their work time and 10% at the Loftus. In essence, a three-year commitment to the Program will have each athletic trainer aid spend roughly two semesters at the Joyce and roughly four semesters at Loftus.
High Standards
As a member of the program and Sports Medicine Department, Athletic Trainer Aids will be held to a higher standard than other students. It is a privilege to be part of the Athletic Trainer Aid program. Participants must maintain a high level of professionalism not only in the performance of their duties but in the community as well. Participants are viewed and recognized as representatives of Notre Dame Athletics and the University of Notre Dame. Participants must uphold and abide by all Sports Medicine Department and Athletic Department rules and regulations, NCAA rules and regulations, the Notre Dame Academic Code of Honor, and the University Standards of Conduct outlined in du Lac.
As was mentioned above, freshmen have the opportunity to apply and be hired to the Athletic Training Aid Staff. Freshman must fill out an official application (see link above) and submit for review by a member of the Sports Medicine Department Staff. Applicants will then be met and interviewed in a one on one situation. After the interview process, offers to join the Observation Athletic Training Aid Program will be extended to those who have exemplified worthiness and appropriate characteristics. This process will be conducted from September through January. By February 1st, the application process will be closed and a group of approximately 15 freshmen will be official candidates for hire in April of that year. Observation Athletic Trainer Aid are scheduled for time slots to observe the day to day operations of the Sports Medicine Staff in our facilities and at various practices and events. Four in-services are also offered to educate the freshmen in their parameters of responsibilities with the department. Participation in day to day observation athletic trainer aid tasks are limited and extremely structured. Selection of freshman will be made by the entire Sports Medicine Staff. Hired student athletic trainers will receive a work study stipend for the fall and spring semesters.
Candidate qualities preferred are:
- Excellent work ethic
- Commitment to the mission of the Sports Medicine Department
- Strong ethical integrity
- Compatibility with staff.