Sports Medicine Student Aide Program & FAQs

Virginia Tech Sports Medicine is comprised of 21 Certified Athletic Trainers and we couldn’t run without our amazing Sports Medicine Student Aides! If you are interested in Sports Medicine, the medical field or need an HNFE/Human Development Field Study-this may be the place for you! Every year we have many students from our program get accepted into Athletic Training Masters programs, Physical Therapy programs, medical school and more! Please note, this is not a paid position.

FAQs

Which semester’s do you have students helping? Students may apply for Fall, Spring, Summer 1 and/or Summer 2.

How many students do you take each semester? The Fall and Spring semesters we take 49 students to be part of the rotating program. The Summer Sessions are dependent on needs. These students are comprised of Field Study where the hours count for class credit and Volunteer’s.

What should I expect if I’m doing rotations? New volunteers and all Field Study students will rotate their first semester. Every 2 weeks you will rotate through a different sport or Athletic Training Room. This will give you a behind the scenes look at what the Sports Medicine department does every day in different environments.

What is required of me?

  • You must have at least a 2.75 GPA to be considered for the program.
  • Before you begin rotations, you will need to be CPR certified. The CPR certification needs to be an in-person class, not online. If you have been certified in-person previously, you may do the online refresher course but will need to show proof of both classes.
  • You will need to fill out the application online along with the confidentiality form, dress code, provide a copy of your unofficial transcript as well as your CPR certification.

Do I need any experience? For specific majors only? We do not require specific experience; we hope to help you build experience! We accept all majors, though some may not be eligible for Field Study credits.  

How many hours will I work per week? If you are a Field Study student, then your credits dictate your hours. If you are volunteering, then we work around your current schedule to help fit the rotations in. Volunteers do not have a set number of hours per day or week. Our students typically average around 7-10 hours per week but some will work more and some less so it is very flexible!

“A Day in the Life?” No two days are the same in Sports Medicine so you may be filling coolers, learning to tape ankles, instructing rehabilitations, making ice bags, stretching, observing practice, learning how to evaluate an injury, cleaning and organizing, assisting with on field demands, preparing for travel…you never know!

I’m a senior, is it too late? Definitely not! We have many seniors that joined their last year and made lasting impressions.

How should I stay up to date? The best way is to join the Virginia Tech Sports Medicine Club. Go here for more information. You can also follow us on social media:
Twitter: @vtsportmedclub1
Instagram: VTSportsMedicineClub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/VTSportsMedAideProgram/

How and when do I apply? You can apply online at any time prior to the semester you plan to work with us. We have a lot of interest and are typically full the semester prior so apply early!

I’ve applied, now what? We will review applications towards the end of the previous semester. Keep an eye on your email as that is how we disseminate important information! You will be required to attend a meeting and an orientation before beginning rotations. The first semester you will do rotations and then can discuss full time positions at the end of the semester.