Jump to Program overview

Jump to Program admission requirements

The UCHealth Athletic Training Residency application period is now closed. Please check back in February 2025 for application dates and deadlines.

Program description

Surgeon and operating room team

UCHealth in metro Denver offers a twelve-month athletic training residency program that provides a post-professional education experience with a clinical and didactic focus in the specialty of orthopedics.

Athletic trainers work with nationally recognized physicians and core faculty to complete a structured curriculum involving hands-on and scholarly opportunities. The comprehensive nature of this program builds on an existing foundation of athletic training knowledge to develop clinicians with enhanced investigative and evaluation skills. Individuals can expect to not only be challenged academically, but also mature professionally over the course of the residency.


Our mission

It is the mission of the UCHealth Athletic Training Residency to advance the knowledge and competence of athletic training clinicians with an orthopedic focused educational curriculum that blends treatment plan decisions with evidenced based practice and professionalism to provide personalized patient-centered care and ultimately improve lives.

Our vision

To empower athletic trainers with an innovative and evidence-based residency program that fosters exceptional leadership and takes patient-care from systematic to customized with interdisciplinary collaboration.

Our goals

  • A fully immersive experience to educate and expose residents to the role of the athletic trainer in a physician practice setting.
  • Integrate the athletic trainer’s existing knowledge and skill set with that of the clinical and surgical orthopedic specialist thereby optimizing patient care and satisfaction.
  • Athletic training residents are not only challenged academically, but are provided with opportunities to grow professionally and develop enriched leadership skills.
  • Upon completion of this program, athletic trainers are driven to pursue placement in a physician practice setting that allows application of the advanced orthopedic knowledge and expertise obtained during residency training.

Why choose UCHealth?

Our success is defined by more than our patient volumes or treatment outcomes. It’s about building a team of exceptional people, from our clinical staff to our expert physicians, who consistently do what is right for the individuals we are honored to serve.


Program overview

The athletic training resident will spend 8 weeks in each clinical rotation. These blocks of time are focused on various orthopedic specialties with the goal of exposing residents to the responsibilities and demands of clinical practice along with time spent in the operating room to observe surgical interventions applied first hand.

Specialty rotations
  • Orthopedic Sports Medicine (surgical and non-operative)
  • Orthopedic Foot and Ankle
  • Orthopedic Hand, Wrist, and Elbow
  • Orthopedic Trauma
  • Limb Restoration
  • Joint Reconstruction
  • Complex Shoulder
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Curriculum summary
  • Competencies and skills assessments specific to each clinical rotation
  • Reading list to be completed each rotation
  • Surgical observation requirements
  • Introduction to surgical procedures, sterile technique, and surgical instrumentation
  • Case study presentation
  • Mid- and post-rotation evaluations with preceptor and program director
  • Feedback from providers, program director, and peers along with exit interview
Clinical skills and associated education

Each rotation offers the athletic training resident a hands-on approach to the responsibilities and daily activities of the athletic trainer in a physician practice setting. This experience will vary depending on the specific physician team, but all clinical skills acquired during this time have an associated education component.

  • Perform physical exam with enhanced clinical evaluation skills
  • Order appropriate diagnostic studies and offer interpretation
  • Determine differential diagnoses
  • Use of electronic medical records system for clinical documentation
  • Direct clinic workflow
  • Patient education including pre- and post-operative instructions
  • Cast and splint application for upper and lower extremities
  • Durable Medical Equipment fittings
  • Set-up and assist with in-office procedures
  • Place physical therapy referrals and understand rehabilitation protocols
  • Introduction to insurance coding and billing specific to office visits and surgery
Education opportunities
  • Weekly orthopedic and sports medicine conferences with surgical indication discussions
  • Departmental Grand Rounds monthly
  • Musculoskeletal radiology image review sessions
  • Surgical observation
  • Lab sessions for UE and LE cast application and removal
  • Attend national, regional, and/or local conferences and symposiums

Program admission requirements

The UCHealth Athletic Training Residency application period is now closed.

The anticipated application period for 2024 residency positions will update in February 2024.

Qualifications

Qualifications are outlined in the application job description and include:

  • NATA-BOC Certification
  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Master’s degree preferred
  • Minimum of 2 years athletic training experience preferred
  • State of Colorado DORA registration (or application in process)
  • NPI number
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider certification

Qualified candidates are invited to visit the UCHealth Careers website and complete the application for Athletic Trainer Resident during the appropriate application time frame. Pay range is indicated within the UCHealth job posting. Applicants are required to submit a cover letter, current résumé/curriculum vitae, and will be asked to provide references.

Questions? For questions related to the Athletic Training Residency program or application process, please contact Hillery Magness, Athletic Training Residency Director via email at [email protected].

Selection process
  • Applicants who meet the qualification criteria will be contacted to set up a phone interview.
  • Finalists will be chosen and required to participate in an interview via virtual platform.
  • Final decisions will be made by the end of April and all finalists will be contacted.

UCHealth recognizes and appreciates the rich array of talents and perspectives that equal employment and diversity can offer our institution. As an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, UCHealth is committed to making all employment decisions based on valid requirements. No applicant shall be discriminated against in any terms, conditions or privileges of employment or otherwise be discriminated against because of the individual’s race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin or ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, genetic information or veteran status. UCHealth does not discriminate against any “qualified applicant with a disability” as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make reasonable accommodations, when they do not impose an undue hardship on the organization

Pay and benefits

The pay range of the UCHealth Athletic Training Resident is indicated within the job posting. Salary offers are dependent on qualifications and previous experience.

UCHealth offers employees a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. Some of the many benefits included in this package are full medical, dental and vision coverage; retirement plans; paid time off; employer-paid life and disability insurance with additional buy-up coverage options; tuition and continuing education reimbursement; and a full suite of voluntary benefits such as identity theft protection and pet insurance. Employees and their family members have full access to the Employee Assistance Program, which includes up to 5 free counseling visits and work/life solutions, such as one free legal consultation. In addition, other emotional counseling support is available depending upon need.

Back to top