The sports medicine aide program is designed to assist in the education of future medical professionals as well as to expose individuals to the qualities of athletic training as a profession. The sports medicine aides are undergraduate students enrolled full-time at Northwestern University, working under the direct supervision of an Illinois Licensed Athletic Trainer.
The sports medicine aide program has a work-study component and a volunteer component. All sports medicine aides are treated equally regardless of whether they are in a paid or volunteer position. Listed below are the basic expectations of our sports medicine aides. A more in-depth set of guidelines is included in the Sports Medicine Aide Policies and Procedures Handbook.
Minimum Time Commitment:
Expectations of the Sports Medicine Aide:
Responsibilities/Expectations for the Sports Medicine Aide:
Evaluation Procedures: Sports medicine aides receive a performance evaluation at the end of the fall and spring quarters. The Staff Certified Athletic Trainer or Certified Athletic Training Intern completes a written evaluation. These evaluations are then discussed with the sports medicine aide on an individual basis. Feedback is welcome from the sports medicine aides on their experience in the program.
Sports medicine aide Application and Hiring Process
Work-study Positions:
Currently, our program consists of fifteen work-study positions for sports medicine aides. Students interested in the program must determine if they are work-study eligible through the work-study office prior to applying for a position as a sports medicine aide. The hiring process takes place at the start of fall and winter quarter. The work-study positions within the program are advertised several ways. First, the program coordinator posts the positions on the work-study employment web site, which can be done by contacting the work-study office. Second, a display ad is placed in the summer issue and the new student week issue of the Daily Northwestern. In addition, fliers are mailed to all incoming freshmen at their home address during the summer and their campus address at the end of fall quarter. Interested students must then complete an application. As part of the evaluation process, applicants are required to participate in four observation sessions in the athletic training facilities. Students are then selected to complete a brief interview with the certified athletic training staff. After the interview process, the staff will review the applicants and select those to be hired based on the number of positions available.
Work-study positions begin the first day of fall classes and conclude the last day of classes in the spring. Although there is no set date for the hiring of work-study positions, it is ideal to have all the positions filled by October 1st.
Volunteer Program:
Currently, there is no limit to the number of volunteers that is accepted into the program. The number of applicants and the needs of the sports medicine staff will determine selection. The advertising and application procedure is the same as described above for the work-study positions. Depending on when the aide starts in the program, they receive a performance evaluation at either the end of the fall or spring quarter by the athletic training staff. The sports medicine aide's performance and desire to continue will determine their position upon return.
There are a limited number of paid positions into which volunteers who are not work-study eligible may advance. Students must have volunteered for a minimum of two full quarters before they are eligible for a paid position. A volunteer's eligibility for a paid position is then determined by seniority, performance, and the availability of funds. These positions are awarded at the discretion of the Assistant Athletic Director/ Director of Athletic Training Services and the Sports Medicine Aide Program Coordinator. There is no guarantee that a volunteer will be advanced into a paid position.
