A: Both. Daily administrative oversight (ensuring practice and competition coverage, hiring and evaluation of training staff - usually in consultation with the team physician, maintenance of a clean and well operated facility, overseeing ordering of equipments and supplies, etc.) of athletics training operations is the responsibility of the athletics director or his/her designee. However, medical oversight (specification of treatment, administration of prescription or OTC drugs, decisions on return to competition or competition restrictions, etc.) of the program must be provided by a licensed physician. That physician might be the Director of the Student Health Center if one exists at the institution or a “team physician” appointed by the institution for that purpose. Even NATA board certified and state licensed athletics trainers may only operate under the direction of certified medical doctors.
