Department of Biology and Chemistry

Requirements for a Texas Athletic Training License (all coursework available @ TAMIU)

Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers Apply for a New License - Requirements

Specialized Education and Training

A baccalaureate or post baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and one of the following: (a) current licensure, registration, or certification as an athletic trainer issued by another state, jurisdiction, or territory of the United States; or (b) current national certification as an athletic trainer issued by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATABOC).

In lieu of the requirements in #1 above, a person shall hold a baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree which includes at least 24 hours of combined academic credit from each of the following course areas: (A) human anatomy; (B) health, disease, nutrition, fitness, wellness, emergency care, first aid, or drug and alcohol education; (C) innersole or biomechanics; (D) physiology of exercise; (E) athletic training, sports medicine, or care and prevention of injuries; (F) advanced athletic training, advanced sports medicine, or assessment of injury; and (G) therapeutic exercise or rehabilitation or therapeutic modalities; In addition, a person must have completed an apprenticeship program in athletic training that (a) consists of 1800 clock-hours completed in college or university intercollegiate sports programs; (b) is based on the academic calendar; (c) is completed during at least five fall and/or spring semesters; and (d) is completed while enrolled as a student at a college or university for at least 1500 of the 1800 clock-hours.

In lieu of the requirements in #1 and #2 above applicants shall have a baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree in athletic training from a college or university which held accreditation, during the applicants matriculation at the college or university and at the time the degree was conferred, from a nationally recognized accrediting organization that is approved by the board.

All applicants must hold current certification in adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or current certification for emergency medical services (EMS) with the Department of State Health Services.

Applicants who hold a degree in physical therapy or corrective therapy should refer to the board's rules for specific information about licensure requirements.

Applicants must successfully complete the Texas Athletic Trainer Written Examination and the Texas Athletic Trainer Practical Examination. If an applicant has taken and passed the BOC certification exam on or after January 1, 2004, that applicant may be eligible for licensure without taking these exams. See the board rule at 22 Texas Administrative Code §871.9 (m) for details.

Jurisprudence Exam

All Applicants must complete the board's jurisprudence examination and submit proof of completion.

Select this link to pay the exam fee or return to your exam for the Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers exam (in the eCommerce system, this payment is referred to as a "purchase") www.dshs.state.tx.us/at.

Professional Organizations/Links

• American Physical Therapy Association www.apta.org
• National Athletic Trainers Association www.nata.org
• Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners www.ptot.texas.gov
• Texas Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers www.dshs.state.tx.us/at
• Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy https://www.fsbpt.org/
• National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification https://bocatc.org/
• Southwest Athletic Trainers Association https://www.swata.org/
• Texas State Athletic Trainers Association https://tsata.com/
• Texas Physical Therapy Association https://www.tpta.org/

P.T Prerequisites

Prerequisites will vary from school to school. Most schools will require the following general requirements:

• Health Psychology
• Athletic Training
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics
• Adapted Physical Education
• Advanced Athletic Training
• Therapeutic Modalities

At TAMIU the Athletic Trainers are Kayla Zambanini and Sarai Costa who cover all of TAMIU’s sports and student-athletes during season and off-season. The department is vital to student-athletes in respect to injury prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. To contact them about work study or volunteering you can email Kayla Zambanini at kayla.zambanini@tamiu.edu or call her office at 956.326.2905 or email Sarai Costa at sarai.costa@tamiu.edu or call her office at 956.326.3006.