Why a Graduate Certificate?

The University of Kentucky College continues its long tradition of offering Post-Professional preparation of certified Athletic Trainers through a Graduate Certificate in Musculoskeletal Injury Management.  For nearly two decades, UK obtained a national reputation as a leader for preparing advanced clinicians in the field of Athletic Training. To remain a national leader in post-professional Athletic Training education, our faculty offer a graduate certificate, with opportunities to gain two years of clinical experience as a certified Athletic Trainer. 

What Will I Learn?

This graduate certificate focuses on understanding, evaluating and treating musculoskeletal injuries in physically active populations.  As musculoskeletal injuries are the most common injury sustained in the physically active population, a post-professional graduate certificate that focuses on these conditions will be especially important for clinical professionals, such as athletic trainers.  Our faculty, clinical partners and resources at UK provide a strong framework for advanced education in the area of musculoskeletal injury. 

We offer focused coursework that provides advanced didactic education related to mechanisms of musculoskeletal injury and current evidence for clinical management of these conditions. We couple this with hands-on laboratory learning that bolsters the clinical skills related to evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.  Therefore, we feel our expertise and resources provide outstanding opportunities that will be highly sought after, particularly in the athletic training community. Please check out the curriculum here. 

Clinical Growth and Experience

Students enrolled in this program may be eligible for opportunities to work as a certified Athletic Trainer with one of our clinical partners to provide athletic training services in a variety of settings, including Division I (University of Kentucky and Morehead State University), II (Kentucky State University), and NAIA (Georgetown College) collegiate, or with Lexington Sporting Club Soccer in the form of Athletic Training Fellowships. The AT Fellowships provide a salary, benefits and tuition coverage for our Graduate Certificate program. All AT Fellows interact with University of Kentucky Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine within the UK Health Care enterprise.  Please check out more information here.

Will This Help Me Get a Job???  

Our post-professional academic and clinical experiences will help promote your growth and development as an advanced, Scholarly Clinician. You will be exposed to cutting edge faculty and clinicians, some of the most advanced research facilities, and get access to a world-class health care system as you part of the University of Kentucky.  Plus, you will join the Big Blue Nation of University of Kentucky alumni, which will be invaluable to your professional opportunities. And perhaps most importantly?  Our graduates have a 100% job placement, in settings such as Division I, Division II, Division III, and NAIA athletic departments, High Schools, and Professional sports.  

Interested???? Students can find admission procedures here.   Please contact Dr. Phillip Gribble, ATC, FNATA with more questions phillip.gribble@uky.edu.