KU students pursuing a master’s degree in athletic training are serving a variety of teams across the region and beyond

On many Saturdays this fall, University of Kansas School of Health Professions graduate student Maggie deNoyelles has the best seat in the house for KU football games, though it’s not a seat at all. deNoyelles is second-year student in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program and is currently immersed with KU Athletics, working 40 hours a week with the football team — during practices, training and on the sidelines during games. She started the program two weeks after graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2024.

“My favorite part of my job happens during the rehab and treatment,” deNoyelles said. “This is where you get to create connections with the athletes and use what you know and apply it to help the person.”

Athletic training is one of the fastest-growing occupations in the U.S., projected to grow 11% from 2024 to 2034 — which, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is significantly faster than all other occupations. With estimated growth at 2,400 openings each year, KU School of Health Professions is preparing students for these opportunities through the athletic training degree program.

“Athletic trainers are the first line of defense for a lot of injury and illness evaluations in many health care settings,” said Ken Wainwright, M.S., clinical assistant professor and director of clinical education for the program. “After that initial patient encounter, we need to be knowledgeable about which health care provider is appropriate to refer to or include in the care plan, if needed.” He added that students in the program are exposed to students in other disciplines including physical therapy. The collaborative learning process starts early and continues throughout their time at KU School of Health Professions.

Since KU’s athletic training program transitioned from a bachelor’s degree to a fully accredited Master of Science by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education program in 2021, there have been eight graduates. Eighteen more are currently enrolled and on track to graduate in the next two years.

Previously located in Lawrence, the program has been housed in the Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science and Athletic Training at KU School of Health Professions in Kansas City since 2021. Students graduating in May 2026 will be the first who were recruited after the program received official accreditation. Previous cohorts enrolled with the understanding that the program would receive the full accreditation before their graduation dates.

“The two-year program begins in the summer, the Tuesday following Memorial Day,” said Carolina Quintana, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor and program director. The summer includes a foundational anatomy class, which is a six-credit cadaver course. “This is a make-it-or-break it experience for students … mentally and academically.”

In the second semester, students work in the field to gain practical experience.

“If you go to any high school football game in the Kansas City metro area on a Friday night, there will probably be one of our students on the sidelines,” Quintana said. “In some cases, our program’s graduates are working in those schools — helping to educate them.”

Students learn to work autonomously by first being supervised on the sidelines at these games. In the spring, students typically work in a college setting at KU, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Rockhurst University, Baker University and others.

“KU Athletics is considered a medical model, so all their athletic trainers are employees of The University of Kansas Health System,” Quintana said, noting that the health system is the clinical partner for KU Medical Center’s educational programs based in Kansas City. “That makes it easier to get our students placed in those settings.” Students also can observe orthopedic surgeons with patients, a unique experience for athletic trainers.

deNoyelles’ career aspiration is to become a high school athletic trainer, because she believes young athletes are at a place in their lives where they are creating healthy routines. She chose KU School of Health Professions’ master’s degree program because of how many connections and opportunities were available. “This program really sets you up for success,” she added.

“Day one, we ask the students where they see themselves, and we figure out how to get them there,” Quintana said. In January, students can go anywhere in the world where the athletic training department at KU Medical Center has a contract. For example, one student is headed to Seattle to work with a semi-pro rugby team — a relationship the student built by contacting a coach on LinkedIn.

“Most of the students come in wanting to work in professional sports, so they get to see what that is like,” Quintana said. By having the real-world experience, the students then can decide how their job might fuse with their personal aspirations of building a family or moving to a new city.

Past and current students have been immersed with Sporting KC and their development league, the Kansas City Current, the Kansas City Mavericks and the Kansas City Chiefs. Besides traditional team sports, options for athletic trainers could include gymnastics teams, ballet companies, cheerleading programs or anywhere their skills are in demand.

The program has a 100% employment rate after graduation.

Wainwright said the program offers experience and practical direction for each student’s transition to the job: “We aim to provide a robust didactic and clinical education program that prepares each of our students not only to pass the national certification exam, but also to be quality clinicians prepared for the everyday demands placed on athletic trainers.”