While Emilie Farrell has always known she wanted a career in healthcare, she didn’t realize she could combine her passion for sports with her desire to heal until she found the WVU Master of Science in Athletic Training program.
“This career path allows me to be involved with some of my favorite things, like sports and patient care. It has felt like the perfect fit every day since,” said Farrell, a second-year student from Harborcreek, Pennsylvania.
Growing up, Farrell’s brothers played sports, and she was fascinated by the process of their recovery after an injury. Now, she gets to be a part of that process for others.
“One thing I love about this career is being able to see an athlete return after an injury,” she said. “Being a part of their recovery will always be rewarding to me because I know that they appreciate everything we have done for them as a medical team.”
The WVU Athletic Training program allows students to customize their education by choosing clinical experiences that align with their specific interests. In addition, students can complete their second year in the program remotely or in-state as they complete their rotations with a variety of partners nationwide.
During her time in the program, Farrell gained clinical experience with WVU Rowing, WVU Baseball, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Clinic in Erie, Pennsylvania and the Kalamazoo Wings, a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Michigan.
“I hope to either remain in the D1 college setting or continue into the professional setting after I graduate,” Farrell said. “I really enjoyed my clinical rotations with baseball and ice hockey, so I hope to work with either of these sports.”
One of Farrell’s favorite parts of the AT program has been learning from her fellow students. During her first year in the program, Farrell participated in a series of scenarios created by the students in the previous AT cohort. She was able to practice emergency and first aid skills before being put in real-life scenarios.
“I joined the program with very limited athletic training experience,” Farrell said. “The amount of time we spent at our clinical sites helped me learn everything very quickly and I was able to spend the rest of my time improving these skills. Being able to go off campus in our second year allowed me to find the opportunity with the Kalamazoo Wings and develop my independence. For me, this will allow for an easier transition into my career as I am able to do my own thing while supervised by a certified athletic trainer.”
The Master of Science in Athletic Training program is a two-year program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The program prepares students to sit for the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer exam, which is required to practice professionally as a Certified Athletic Trainer.
As part of an academic medical center, WVU Athletic Training students have access to an abundance of interprofessional learning opportunities, as well as education resources that include the David and Jo Ann Shaw Center for Simulation Training and Education for Patient Safety — WVU’s premiere patient simulation lab. Students also practice in gross anatomy laboratories and complete extensive hands-on laboratory experiences.
To learn more about the WVU Athletic Training program, visit medicine.wvu.edu/athletic-training.
