Katelyn Scott
“Athletic training allows me to build relationships and really get to know the athletes that I work with. Working with them for injury prevention, doing rehab and treatment, and being a large support system for them is extremely rewarding.”
Why did you choose to come to WVU School of Medicine?
As someone from West Virginia, I knew I wanted to stay in the state. The WVU School of Medicine offered the best resources for me to achieve my goals. Here, I am able to be involved in research, utilize the lab, and work with some of the most supportive faculty members.
Why did you choose to pursue athletic training?
Sports have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I have always been interested in working in the medical field. Athletic training allowed me to have both in one. It is a growing field with job opportunities expanding to non-traditional sites like NASA, industrial- and military settings, so there is always something new to explore. I am also able to continue my focus in research to advance health care with athletic training and eventually get my PhD to teach athletic training in the future.
Why do you feel this career will be rewarding? Why is it the right fit for you?
Athletic training allows me to build relationships and really get to know the athletes that I work with. Working with them for injury prevention, doing rehab and treatment, and being a large support system for them is extremely rewarding. It is awesome to see that doing simple acts can make a huge impact on someone’s life.
Can you go more into detail about your internship/clinical experience in the program? What did you choose and how has this helped you in your career path?
My first semester, I was at University High School in Morgantown where I worked with a pediatric population. This was a great experience because of the high number of athletes I was able to work with to strengthen my skills for initial evaluations, rehab exercises, and emergency medicine. Currently, I am working with the Women’s Soccer team at WVU. This opportunity has allowed me to gain experience with using modalities and manual therapy, work with sports medicine docs and other athletic trainers, and see the inner workings of how a Division I team operates.
What is one of your favorite opportunities you have participated in as a student in the AT program?
One of my favorite opportunities I have participated in during my time in the Athletic Training program is doing research. I have worked on projects for mindfulness with chronic pain and ACL return to sport testing. It has been great to be able to work with different research mentors and learn from their expertise in their respective fields. I also had the opportunity to present my research on psychological readiness in ACL return to sport testing at the state athletic training conference.