"The Master's Upgrade Hurt Us": A Candid Conversation with Athletic Trainer Dr. Erin Hassler
When athletic training shifted to a master's-degree entry requirement, it was supposed to elevate the field. Instead, says 26-year veteran Dr. Erin Hassler, it may have priced athletic trainers out of the market, saddling clinicians with student debt while their pay stayed flat.
In this episode, recorded live from the 2026 NATA Convention, Dr. Hassler joins hosts Andrew Rizza and Dr. Cameron Roth to unpack why she believes the industry pulled the wrong lever, and what it would take to fix the coach-heavy sports model that still puts athletic trainers at the bottom of the hierarchy. An athletic trainer, entrepreneur, educator, and executive coach with 26 years of experience across high school, collegiate, professional, and international settings, Hassler also shares how faith, family, and a refusal to take no for an answer shaped a career built on service to others.
The conversation ranges from the Sistahood, the mentorship network she built for women of color in sports medicine, to the lessons she's carried home from working with athletes in Peru, Qatar, the UK, and Canada. Hassler also opens up about her book, GOLD MEDAL DOC: From Goals to GOAT, her newest venture, Sports Toolbox — a certification platform designed to close the gap between athletic trainers and the rest of the care team — and why she believes branding and NIL may be the biggest opportunity athletic trainers are leaving on the table.
MEET THE GUEST
Dr. Erin Hassler - DAT, MBA, MS, ATC, LAT, PES
– Athletic Trainer, Entrepreneur, Educator, Executive Coach, and Nationally Recognized Speaker
TOPICS DISCUSSED
- Building an entrepreneurial career in athletic training
- Creating opportunities through mentorship and networking
- Building the Sistahood, a mentorship network for women of color
- Balancing family, career, and entrepreneurial freedom
- Why the master's degree requirement is hurting the profession
- Lessons from international clinical experiences
- Expanding athletic trainers' value through branding and NIL
HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 – Introduction
01:00 – How Different Levels of Sports Medicine Shaped Dr. Hassler's Career
03:18 – Bringing a Global Perspective on Athletic Training to a Local Campus
04:30 – Sponsor: Beck Bode
05:07 – Relationships and Opportunities Originating from NATA
08:30 – Taking the Leap into Entrepreneurship
10:46 – Overcoming Barriers and Building "The Sistahood"
14:05 – The Role of Family in Career Success
15:52 – Insights from Goals to GOAT
19:31 – Lessons from International Sports Medicine
23:33 – Staying Relaxed on the Road & Packing Secrets
27:42 – The Problem with the Master's Requirement & the Sports Hierarchy
32:02 – Collaborative Care vs. Territorial Mindsets
34:58 – What Is the Sports Toolbox?
38:04 – The Opportunity Athletic Trainers Are Missing: Branding & NIL
41:13 – Lightning Round: Mentors, Leadership & Success
QUOTES:
27:52 - “Honestly, I think the master's upgrade hurt us. It significantly impacted the workforce because now you're required to go back into school, obtain all these loans. So now your debt goes up, but your pay doesn't go up … But I truly believe that we didn't change the right entity, right? You’ve got to change the whole sport model.”
30:47 - “It comes down to who's a revenue generator and who's not? If you're not making money, I'm not listening to you. How do we know? The NIL of all the kids, right? Now you have student-athletes that make more money than the coach. Right? So we listen to them. We’re not maximizing our NIL opportunities as athletic trainers. And I think with the master's minimum approach, we outpriced ourselves.”
LINKS
Dr. Erin Hassler - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drerinhassler/
Gold Medal Doc - https://goldmedaldoc.com/
GOLD MEDAL DOC: From Goals to GOAT (Gold Medal Doc TM) - https://www.amazon.com/GOLD-MEDAL-DOC-Goals-GOAT-ebook/dp/B09GB64DV9/
The Sistahood - https://goldmedaldoc.com/the-sistahood/
Sports Toolbox - https://www.sportstoolbox.org/
SPONSORS
- Beck Bode is a fee-only fiduciary firm that builds personalized roadmaps to keep your money aligned with your life goals. See what real planning looks like at https://beckbode.com
DISCLAIMER
The opinions presented on Behind the Sports Medicine are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any affiliated institutions or partners. The content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making any health or treatment decisions. Behind the Sports Medicine and its affiliates assume no liability for the accuracy or application of the information discussed.
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