Jan 29, 2015Interested in Healthcare Administration?
On Wednesday, June 23, Aaron Hajart, MS, ATC, Director of Administration for the Department of Neurosurgery at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, will lead the third annual Healthcare Administrators Networking Meeting. All convention attendees are invited to check it out. Here, Hajart describes the meeting’s subject matter and goals.
•••
Athletic trainers are known for our ability to handle a wide range of tasks and develop skill sets outside our traditional role. Besides thriving in the athletic training room, we have moved into other settings, such as physician offices, occupational sites, and health and wellness centers. As a natural part of this progression, more and more athletic trainers are joining the ranks of healthcare administration. We are becoming decision-makers in medical practices and hospitals, and the opportunities continue to grow.
Not long ago, the use of athletic trainers as physician extenders was a novel idea. Today, ATCs work side-by-side with orthopedists, primary care physicians, and other specialists. We help run clinical trials, occupational wellness programs, and hospital wellness programs. As the profession develops, today’s ATCs have more employment options than ever, and that’s an exciting trend.
For the past two years, a group of athletic trainers has met during the NATA Annual Meeting to develop new professional relationships, discuss current issues, and expand the body of knowledge in this growing sect of the profession. This first group of 25 met in St. Louis in 2008, and it grew to 35 in San Antonio last year. We’re expecting the meeting in Philadelphia to be the biggest one yet.
We participate in a roundtable discussion on various topics that impact the practice of athletic training and medicine in general, and help to foster innovative ideas for those involved. The ideas that have emerged from this group have helped the NATA format and reformat program offerings for its members and provided them with resources throughout the year.
Join us for this year’s Healthcare Administrators Networking Meeting on Wednesday, June 23rd at 12:00 p.m. Anyone currently involved or interested in pursuing a career in medical practice, hospital administration, or clinical administration is welcome to join in the discussion, or just come and observe.
This is a great opportunity for practice administrators, hospital administrators, outreach coordinators, and anyone else involved in healthcare administration to meet other athletic trainers in similar positions. If you have any questions or would like to attend, please e-mail [email protected] or [email protected], or contact me, Aaron Hajart, at 973-972-2341.
