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Advanced Career Education Center at Hermitage

Sports Medicine

Sports Medicine

  • New in 2026–2027: Program-specific course content will be weighted as Honors-level coursework. See Program Coursework below for more details.

    Prerequisites: Sports Medicine Program

    Must be a Junior
    Biology: Grade “C” or better
    Algebra I: Grade “C” or better

  • The Sports Medicine program prepares students for study and careers related to athletic training, sports medicine, and allied health fields. Coursework emphasizes sports-related anatomy, injury prevention, assessment, rehabilitation concepts, and professional responsibilities within athletic and physical activity settings. Students should expect academically rigorous instruction combined with applied learning.

  • This is a highly physical, hands-on course. Students are active daily and should expect extended standing, bending, lifting, kneeling, and working on floors or treatment tables. Instruction includes taping, wrapping, stretching, conditioning, and therapeutic techniques practiced with classmates. Students must be comfortable with close physical interaction and physical exertion as part of skill development.

  • Experiential learning is a required component of this course. Students complete a 90-hour externship in partnership with athletic trainers at their home high schools. In addition, students participate in specialized observation experiences with athletic trainers at collegiate athletic centers, providing exposure to professional sports medicine environments and expectations.

  • Students are expected to participate in HOSA– Future Health Professionals, a Career and Technical Student Organization that prepares students for leadership and careers in the health sciences.

    In addition to earning course credit, students will work toward industry-recognized credentials, including:

    These credentials allow students to graduate with documented skills, certifications, and career preparation—not just a grade.

  • This program operates with expectations aligned to athletic training and healthcare environments. Students are expected to:

    • Wear required work attire daily
    • Display a visible ID badge at all times
    • Demonstrate professional behavior, punctuality, accountability, and respectful communication

    Work attire sample images appear in the image carousel below

    A chart titled 'Sports Medicine Program Work Attire Standard' showing two models demonstrating required clothing.

     

Program Coursework

2 years (6 HS credits) – Advanced Career Education (ACE) Center at Hermitage

This program is designed to be completed in two years during the 11th and 12th grade.

Year 1 (Junior Year)

Sports Medicine/Athletic Training I - 2 credits (Honors): In this course, students earn a certification in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automatic external defibrillator (AED). The course introduces students to topics such as human anatomy and physiology, nutrition, medical terminology, injuries and illnesses, and legal and ethical issues in sports medicine. Students will learn and demonstrate emergency care, taping and wrapping of injuries, and apply other hands-on skills for treating injury. Students also examine prospective careers in the sports medicine field. Upon successful completion of this course, students are eligible to take Sports Medicine II and pursue industry certification as a personal trainer.

Career Strategies - 1 credit : Career Strategies consists of an in-depth study of career clusters and pathways through a variety of investigative activities. Students analyze career assessment results, compare various educational options, and develop or revise a plan related to their academic and career-related goals.

Year 2 (Senior Year)

Sports Medicine/Athletic Training II - 2 credits (Honors): Students will be eligible to take the National Academy of Sports Medicine-Certified Personal Trainer exam. This course builds on basic knowledge acquired in Sports Medicine I on topics such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, exercise program design, and injury prevention, assessment, treatment, and management. Students will assess fitness, measure body composition, and design exercise programs. Students prepare for a career in sports medicine, including completing an internship, practicing interview skills, and building a resume.

Entrepreneurship I - 1 credit: Introduces students to starting and managing their own business. Covers planning techniques, design thinking, business model development, financial statements, marketing, sales, customer service, and fundamental economic principles for success.

Instructor

B. Southard, M.S., ATC, VATL, C-PT, PES