In the new Accelerated Program, Students earn an Athletic Training bachelor’s and graduate degree in 5 years

By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

As a former athlete, Anna Holt always loved sports. Then again, she also loved the idea of helping people in the healthcare field.

And when the time came to decide on a university, she naturally thought of ways to combine those two interests — preferably into something that would look like a possible career.

Luckily for her, the College of Health Sciences offers the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Human Health Sciences and Master of Science in Athletic Training Program, or the UK-CAT (Connecting Bachelor’s to Master Degree in Athletic Training), which enables students in the Human Health Sciences (HHS) pre-athletic training track to earn a Bachelor of Science in Human Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Athletic Training in just five years.

“While studying Human Health Sciences at UK, I was told about the opportunity to participate in the College of Health Science’s UKCAT 3+2 accelerated program,” Holt says. “From that point on, I was dead-set on participating in the accelerated program and furthering my education at the University of Kentucky!”

The 21-year-old Lexington native is now focused on graduating in 2024 with her Master’s degree — and she says the program is all that was promised and more.

“The program has been all I could’ve hoped for — we’ve been thrown into the deep end, and we are getting to it,” she says. “I would expect nothing less. As an AT I get to help others continue doing what they love for as long as they can.”

Here’s five questions with … Athletic Training’s Anna Holt:

Why did you come to UK/how were you convinced?

I chose UK because I have always wanted to be a part of the University of Kentucky family. I grew up cheering for the Wildcats, so I wanted to become one myself one day. Both of my parents are alumni of UK which strongly influenced my desire to carry on the Big Blue tradition.

Any favorite classes/assignments/memories/faculty/etc.?

My favorite class would have to be our cadaver anatomy class! It was the very first class of the semester and of the program. We were in class by 8 a.m. for five days a week dissecting cadavers. It was definitely the hardest class I’ve ever taken, not only was the content strenuous but we had to take an entire semester of content and smoosh it into five weeks. I learned more about the body in those five weeks than I ever had in any other anatomy class before.

Do you have any goals for specific immersions you want to do? 

I think my main goal is to get to work with the UK Women’s volleyball team because I would like to gain the experience of what it’s like working with a D1 volleyball team — and it’s a future professional setting I’ve always wanted and considered.

If you were trying to convince someone to come into the program, what would you say to them? How would you recruit them? 

I would tell those considering joining the program about how the University of Kentucky’s AT program can help you achieve any and all your goals. They will help mold you into a well-rounded AT and provide you with endless opportunities. The University of Kentucky has such a large network that provides its students with new experiences, research and job opportunities.

And lastly, what do you see yourself doing in the future? What are your goals? Working in professional sports? College? Something else?

As of right now my goals are to get straight A’s and graduate from the program. Nonetheless, I love working in the high school setting and I could definitely see myself pursuing that direction of the profession. However, I am just beginning a rotation at Transylvania University and will get to work with my first UK sports team in the spring semester, so I am still making up my mind on where I want to end up. I want to keep my mind open when it comes to my future because I’d be willing to work in multiple different settings and just get my feel of everything. 

Want to know more about UK’s Athletic Training program? Visit https://www.uky.edu/chs/athletic-training