Athletic Trainers Role in Cybersecurity

This continuing education course examines the role of athletic trainers in protecting patient data and clinical systems within an increasingly digitized healthcare environment. The course situates cybersecurity within established athletic training competencies, particularly those related to health informatics, patient privacy, and risk management. Content includes an overview of common cyber threats affecting healthcare systems, including weak authentication practices, password reuse, phishing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and unsecured network environments. Practical vulnerabilities specific to athletic training settings are addressed, such as high patient turnover, shared systems, and mobile documentation practices. The course aligns cybersecurity principles with NATA educational standards and HIPAA requirements, emphasizing the responsibility of athletic trainers to safeguard protected health information (PHI). Best practices for risk mitigation, policy development, and incident awareness are presented to support secure clinical operations.