South Med J. 2026 Feb;119(2):93-95. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001929.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are increasingly used in sports medicine clinics. Patient comfort for ATCs as clinical coordinators has yet to be determined. This study aims to determine patient comfort with ATCs as clinical coordinators compared with registered nurses (RNs).

METHODS: One hundred patients from a sports medicine clinic at a singular academic institution were recruited for a cross-sectional survey study. Patients completed a 10-question survey measuring patient comfort between ATCs and RNs in clinical tasks on a scale of 1 through 10. Demographic data of patients were collected, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare medians of survey responses.

RESULTS: The average age of respondents was 45.0 years (standard deviation 17.4), with 53% male patients. Patients were more comfortable with ATCs in performing an initial musculoskeletal (MSK) assessment, answering MSK-related questions, answering questions following orthopedic surgery, and coordinating care for an MSK injury (P < 0.01). RNs were preferred by patients for calling in medications (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: ATCs are preferred as clinical coordinators over nurses in most aspects of MSK care; however, RNs were preferred for calling in medications.

PMID:41627963 | DOI:10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001929