The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.
Job Summary
Under the direction of the Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine, the Associate Athletic Trainer provides quality care to all student athletes including prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries incurred in practice and games. Directs all functions of Sports Medicine for the Ice Hockey program and Mullins Center athletic training room.
Essential Functions
Provides prevention, evaluation, recognition, treatment, diagnosis, referral, and rehabilitation of injuries for the Ice Hockey athletes.
Serves as the Ice Hockey primary medical contact and liaison between members of the coaching staff, student athletes, parents, physicians, members of the student athlete health and welfare team, other allied health personnel, and sport administrators.
Maintains safe environments for student athletes to include decision making involving the ability of student athletes to safely return to practice or competition following an injury and/or illness and communicates participation status with the appropriate personnel.
Provides assistance to other staff members with the prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries for all student athletes.
Acts as a liaison with the Kinesiology department for all undergraduate students involved in sports medicine.
Provides supervision of undergraduate kinesiology students and assists the Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine with interviewing and selecting undergraduate kinesiology student interns. Prepares and maintains student employee records of hours worked, compensation paid, etc.
Responsible for operational duties assigned by the Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine. This may include but is not limited to ordering and inventorying medical supplies, scheduling staff, and updating policy and procedure manual.
Seeks, builds, and secures relationships with outside medical professionals to assist in the care of student athletes as needed.
Facilitates payment of bills received as a result of athletic participation by submitting claims to secondary insurance provider and following up with claims department to verify payment.
Coordinates assignment of immersive clinical students from affiliate institutions; maintains affiliate agreements; ensures all preceptor documentation and trainings are complete and accurate.
Creates and executes continuing education training opportunities for staff to ensure that NATA BOC requirements are met.
Works with team physicians to create and standardize rehabilitation protocols used for rehabilitation.
Provides non-traditional season coverage for student athletes in other sports as assigned.
Provides athletic injury care coverage during all practice, strength and conditioning sessions, and competitions, both at home and away. The ability to perform these tasks includes but is not limited to being physically able to get to an injured student athlete on the field of play in a timely fashion, being physically able to get in a position to assess the student athlete’s injury in an acute situation (i.e. squatting, kneeling, bending, ability to lift 25-50 lbs., etc.), the ability to perform emergency protocols, provides appropriate hydration and monitor the safety of the environment in which the practice or game is taking place.
Prepares and maintains appropriate athletic injury care records and reports as required utilizing the present computer programs for such purposes following all NCAA and NATA guidelines; compliance with all federal, state, university laws including FERPA and HIPPA; and the maintenance of the highest level of confidence in regard to the various confidential information that the sports medicine staff is exposed to in regards to student-athletes and coaches.
Schedules and oversees athletic clearance and post season exit physical examination process performed by physicians at the University Health Service for applicable sports programs. As part of clearance physicals, performs baseline concussion testing for assigned student athletes.
Ensures oversight and follow through on any items discovered during evaluations deemed to require follow up.
Oversees the operation of the Mullins Center sports medicine facility to insure appropriate function, maintenance, and accurate inventory control.
Provides direct supervision of two (2) Assistant Athletic Trainers. Responsible for the hiring, mentoring, educating, and facilitating communication with coaches and other staff.
Communicates to student athletes and coaches the department’s health insurance policies.
Ensures that all insurance procedures including pre-authorizations are followed prior to referring student athletes to providers outside of the UMass system.
Coordinates the disposition of medical bills incurred by student athletes as well as the medical insurance for our student-athletes with direct supervisor, Compliance Office, and Business Office.
Maintains injury statistics, time loss documentation and daily injury reports for yearly injury trend tracking.
Tracks all ice hockey medical expenditures.
Assists in the development and integration of sports medicine policies and procedures as they relate to the operation of athletic training services for ice hockey, including EAP‘s and game day EMS.
Coordinates yearly spine boarding in-service and training with Amherst Fire.
Attends conventions, conferences, clinics, etc., consistent with Department policy as approved by the Senior. Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Director of Athletics.
Responsible for strict adherence to NCAA, conference, and University rules and regulations.
Contributes to the development of an environment for team members and student athletes that is healthy, safe, equitable and culturally diverse.
Assists in the selection and fitting of protective equipment, including special taping, pads or braces.
Creates a reflective workspace environment where crisis reporting is clear and systematic, and significant event analyses are undertaken as required; communicates medical network needs.
Other Functions
Performs other duties as assigned or required to meet Department, Executive Area/Division, and University goals and objectives.
Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with university policy.
Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace defined by personal and professional competence, integrity, and collaboration.
Understands and contributes to implementation of departmental and institutional goals for achieving non-discrimination and creating a respectful, inclusive environment that is supportive of diversity.
Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.
Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery, and other compliance requirements.
Demonstrates capacity, skill and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
Serves on Department, School and University committees.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited athletic training curriculum (based on Massachusetts license requirements).
3 years of intercollegiate and/or professional athletic training experience required.
Division I intercollegiate and/or professional ice hockey athletic training experience required.
Rehabilitation experience required.
Must have and maintain N.A.T.A. (National Athletic Trainers Association) certification.
Must have and maintain Professional Rescuer C.P.R. (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) certification.
Must meet requirements to obtain and maintain a Massachusetts State license for athletic trainers.
Ability to foster and maintain working relationships with various University departments.
Ability to improve working knowledge of athletic injury care.
Ability to successfully complete the administrative tasks of the position.
Ability to communicate effectively with coaching staff, strength and conditioning staff, team physicians and administrators regarding injury and participation status of ice hockey student athletes.
Ability to work long hours, weekends and holidays as game and practice schedules dictate.
Meets physical, health and emotional stability standards of the position.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree from an accredited athletic training curriculum (based on Massachusetts license requirements).
Additional Details
This position is designated as essential personnel by Athletics.
This position is required to work long hours, weekends, and holidays as schedules dictate.
Working Conditions
Work is primarily performed in an indoor university environment and involves lifting and transporting materials or equipment and general physical activity, including prolonged standing, walking, or assuming low postures.
Work Schedule and Work Arrangement
Shifts vary; Work week includes nights, weekends and holidays.
Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.
This position will remain open for the time period required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement and will continue until a suitable candidate pool is identified. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.
