Due to the holidays over the past 2 months there was no spotlight column, but we are back and ready to highlight some of our amazing graduate alumni! This month we would like to spotlight Kristen Sutton Carey, graduate class of 2013!
Kristen is from Lima, Ohio and is currently 27 years old. She earned her Bachelors degree in AT the The Ohio State University in 2011 and then pursued her masters here at USC! While at USC she had men's soccer/baseball as her first year clinical assignment followed by a year at mid-caroline high school. We asked Kristen to share 1 unique thing about herself and she told us how she is involved with the Central Ohio Men Against Prostate Cancer organization promoting men's health in honor of both her grandfathers fight against prostate cancer. Keep reading below to find out more about Kristen, and to see how a career in athletic training has shaped her life!
What was your experience like in graduate school (i.e. balancing working and being a student, which two assignments you had, what your research project was, etc.) and what were your professional goals when graduating? My time at USC was amazing. Looking back, I accomplished a lot and some days it’s amazing how many things you can balance at one time if you put your mind to it. (It makes me tired thinking about it haha). My assignments were Men’s Soccer and Baseball at USC with my second year being the Head AT at Mid-Carolina High School. I figured out time management very quickly having very time demanding assignments. Studying during lunch breaks, and on road trips along with a balance of working out and a social life. I never felt like I was in over my head or falling behind in school- I had a great support system near and far. I truly believe if you manage time well it makes you better academically and clinically because there is no time to procrastinate. My research project was The Significance of Energy Expenditure and Optimal Energy Availability in the Collegiate Soccer Athlete in Relation to the Female Athlete Triad. My professional goals after graduation were to be a head athletic trainer at a high school. I knew I could make a larger impact on kids’ lives while they are still developing their own lives, as well as keeping a good work-life balance by having more time for myself with family and friends.
What was your experience like getting job after grad school; what was your first job? I knew I wanted to move back to central Ohio after graduation to be closer to family. Through networking I found a job within a month of graduating at OhioHealth Sports Medicine. I was placed at a large Division 1 high school named Olentangy Orange in Columbus as the Head Athletic Trainer. It was a quick and painless transition. I am very fortunate to have found a job so quickly but great education and networking pays off.
In what ways do you feel that the masters program prepared you for the future, or helped you become a confident clinician? The master’s program gave me experience through clinical assignments with large successful programs and small rural high schools. Practicing on both ends of the spectrum builds clinical skills and forces you to be creative with resources. Also, classes through the program especially those with Dr. Blanck and Terri LaSalle furthered my clinical skills and anatomy knowledge making me more confident with background knowledge to treat injuries quickly and efficiently.
What are your professional goals at this point in your career? At this point in my career I plan to continue working in the secondary school setting with a possibility of change into a clinic or teaching in the future.
What advice would you give newly graduated Masters students looking for their first professional AT position? Network! Athletic Training is a profession of 2 degrees of separation. You never know who you will meet to get you to that next step of your career. Work hard and work smart. Finding a healthy work-life balance and not over committing to things is hard when you are used to balancing class and work assignments. Be an advocate for the profession and get involved in the community you work in. But, most of all know that to be a good clinician you have to treat the whole athlete not just the injury.
Is there an AT that you would identify as being influential in your career thus far? I have been surrounded by many professionals in my short career. Many have been influential but I would say the 2 most influential AT would be Dr. Laura Harris and Brainard Cooper. Dr. Harris was my undergraduate clinical coordinator at OSU. She Is the epitome of the professional and caring women I have always aspired to be. The close second would be, the one and only Brainard Cooper. Learning to use resources wisely and take time out for yourself every day are just small highlights I have learned from the man who really helped me discover the clinician I was and wanted to be in my first year of graduate school.
Can you share 1 thing interesting/unique about yourself? I serve as a board member for the Central Ohio Men Against Prostate Cancer coordinating baseball games around Central Ohio at universities and high schools promoting awareness for men’s health in honor of both of my Grandfathers that died from complications with prostate cancer. Also, my brother is an athletic trainer. We like to think of it as the family business.
Thank you Kristen for taking the time to answer our questions! We hope you enjoy this months spotlight and be on the lookout for February's addition of Alumni Spotlight!
-GSCATA Alumni Committee
