The destination of working as a Certified Athletic Therapist is only a small portion of the journey. The student experience of practical hands-on learning, clinical placements and real-world opportunities make the path to becoming a Certified AT a captivating, meaningful experience.
We spoke to international student at the University of Manitoba, Debbie Fung, who is currently in her fourth year and completing the specialized Athletic Therapy program within the Bachelor of Kinesiology. From living in Malaysia and being unfamiliar with athletic therapy, to becoming an aspiring Certified Athletic Therapist, Debbie’s story is proof that everyone’s path is different.
From the beginning, Debbie had always had a passion for health and fitness, but did not exactly know where her career was headed. After being at a crossroad in university back home and wanting to pursue something related to health and fitness, she discovered athletic therapy and knew that this was her path. Her interest working within the healthcare field combined with her desire to remain physically active made her an excellent candidate for a career in Athletic Therapy.
Like many athletic therapy students, Debbie finds herself most comfortable in movement. She leads a fast-paced life, working as an athletic therapy student for the University of Manitoba’s Women’s Hockey Team, the Bisons, while also being the president of the Athletic Therapy Student Association. On top of all that, she is the Vice President Athletic Therapist for the Physical Education Recreational Kinesiology Student Council (or PERKS) at her University. Debbie’s average day would seem overwhelming to some, but through all her roles, she is motivated by her undying enthusiasm for athletic therapy.
She explains her average day as a fourth year student and describes that a lot has changed since her first term, which was slightly slower in pace and with more time in the classroom. In her fourth year, Debbie starts her day out strong, heading to the University for two hours for her clinical placement. After that, she heads to hockey practice and then goes to classes. If it is during the hockey season, Debbie’s weekends are filled with pre-game preparations and post-game treatments.
This year Debbie is the President of an athletic therapy student association and Vice President for her faculty’s Student Council. Some days, she can be found in her office for office hours or attending meetings. She seems to be everywhere at once, but the most notable thing about Debbie is the passionate presence she brings to every task or role she takes on.
For her summer clinical practicum, Debbie was placed with the Canadian Premier League team, Valour FC in Winnipeg. It was an eye-opening experience to see the amount of effort that goes into caring for a professional team! She was inspired by the Certified AT she worked alongside, who happened to graduate from the same program she is currently attending.
Athletic therapy stands out to Debbie with the practical, hands-on experience she’s been able to take part in. From learning about the different types of modalities like therapeutic ultrasound, IFC and shockwave, and actually getting to use them during her clinical placements, these practical experiences have been critical to her learning. Some of her most notable experiences in practical work were travelling around Western Canada for the women's hockey team, practicing hands-on, real-world work that she will one day use in her professional career.
After graduation this spring, Debbie hopes to become a Certified AT on any sports team, as she describes, “every sport is interesting to learn and be a part of!” If her university experience tells us anything about what her future looks like, Debbie will make a difference when it comes to the field of athletic therapy.
Debbie’s story, like many other Certificate Candidates and Certified ATs already practicing, signifies the importance of taking every opportunity that comes your way. Every person you connect with, every role you take on, every project you put your mind to, has the opportunity to blossom and lead you to the goals you wish to accomplish.
“If I had to do the entire program all over again, I would 100% do it again,” Debbie shared. “I have found my chosen family in this program, and it is something that I find unique about this whole experience.”
Interested in learning more about the journey to becoming a Certified Athletic Therapist? Check out our page on Education and Certification, or take a look at the list of institutions with accredited Athletic Therapy programs if you’re ready to apply. Stay up to date with CATA by following us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn!