Purpose: Previous literature has reported that athletic trainers in the professional sports setting (PSS) experience role strain from extreme organizational expectations and demands, resulting in perceived limitations in patient care and work-life balance.Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of athletic trainers working in the PSS. Methods: We recruited 18 participants from various professional sports who partook in a semi-structured, one-on-one phone interview. A 3-person data analysis team used a multi-phased process to identify emerging domains and core ideas, ultimately developing a consensus codebook. Trustworthiness was established with member checking, multiple researcher triangulation, and external auditing. Results: Three domains emerged: 1) job attractors, 2) feeling valued, and 3) characteristics of the workplace environment. Participants reported being attracted to athletic training in the PSS to work with elite athletes, because of supportive coworker relationships, having a network of athletic trainers, and increased access to resources and education. Athletic trainers reported feeling valued by employers through increasing professional responsibilities and increasing compensation or recognition. They also reported having trusting relationships with their patients. Participants described mutual organizational and employee loyalty in their workplace environment. Participants detailed examples of inappropriate behaviors and a sub-culture of acceptance, whereby these workplace experiences were accepted as a byproduct of the PSS. Participants discussed common coworker tensions related to miscommunication. Although participants were overall positive about their workplace`s experiences, they acknowledged sacrifices to acquire and retain their positions, including significant time commitments, regular travel expectations, family compromises, and fewer opportunities for promotion. Conclusion: Athletic trainers in the PSS feel valued for their work despite the long hours, family and promotional sacrifices. Positive coworker environments and access to resources continue to attract athletic trainers to the PSS. A sub-culture of accepting inappropriate workplace behavior within the PSS should be further explored. Application in Sport: Athletic trainers in the professional sports setting feel that they have added job attractors that may include access to resources and education. The professional sports setting may include a sub-culture of acceptance, where inappropriate behavior is overlooked as a result of the setting.
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