Episode 59: Ross Dexter - Why Are Athletic Trainers Still Underpaid? (And How This One Got a Raise)

In a world where professional and collegiate sports are billion-dollar industries, why do the athletic trainers who keep these athletes on the field continue to earn salaries that don’t reflect their value?In this episode, Andrew Rizza is joined by Dr. Ross Dexter, the Assistant Athletic Director for Health and Performance at Southern Oregon University. Dr. Dexter shares his own career journey and how he successfully secured meaningful raises for himself and his staff by understanding the system instead of fighting against it. The conversation explores the "ACL ROI"—the idea that preventing a single surgery can pay for an entire staff member’s salary—and the necessity of moving beyond the "water bottle and towel" stereotype. They also discuss the importance of being good at what you do, how to build a referral network, the role of professional organizations like NATA, and the realities of the current job market. Dr. Dexter provides a masterclass in how athletic trainers can become indispensable assets to their institutions and advocate for the compensation they deserve. MEET THE GUEST Dr. Ross Dexter, DAT, LAT, ATC, CSCS- Assistant Athletic Director for Health and Performance, Southern Oregon University- Former Head Athletic Trainer - Doctor of Athletic TrainingTOPICS DISCUSSED - The state of athletic training salaries and job market realities- Navigating institutional red tape and job reclassification- Why clinical excellence drives advocacyHIGHLIGHTS01:02 – The Evolution of Athletic Training03:11 – Dr. Dexter's Career Journey04:49 – Calculating the ROI of an Athletic Trainer08:40 – Moving Beyond the "Water Bottle and Towel" Perception11:31 – Strength & Conditioning vs. Athletic Training13:44 – Salary & Value Comparisons15:52 – Making the Reality of Athletic Training Visible and Exciting23:54 – Advocating for the Profession by Being Good at What You Do31:34 – The Evolution of Athletic Trainer Salaries38:58 – Dr. Dexter's Referral Network41:12 – Leveraging Competition to Improve Staff Salaries42:12 – A Model for the Continuity of Care44:38 – Market Trends: Why Job Openings Are Staying Open46:42 – Investigating HR Law to Break Pay Barriers50:19 – Advocating for Fair Pay and Building a Better Profession58:01 – The Role of NATA and Political ActionQUOTES:05:17 – “Look, one of my staff's salary for a year, not including benefits, is equal to one surgery that our insurance is going to have to pay for, and if we can do two-thirds of that in-house, we’re saving a ton of money. If we can prevent it or mitigate the risk of it happening, we're saving a lot of money.”07:18 – “My personal and professional position is that I am, and we are, the bulwark against major lawsuits.”20:26 – “One of the most fascinating things about athletic training is when we're at our best, doing our best job, we're not doing anything.”24:58 – “And one of the best ways to advocate for the profession is being very, very good at what you do.”54:00 – “Building a better profession, I think, means advocacy, it means outcomes, it means relationship building, it means program development. And I think that matrix of things and touch points for getting paid.”” LINKSDr. Ross Dexter - https://souraiders.com/staff-directory/dr-ross-dexter/226RELATED EPISODES Behind the Sports Medicine Podcast: The Future of Athletic Training with Dr. Chad Starkey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abGrBM19qZw Inside the Training Secrets of MLB’s Top Athletes (with Eric Cressey) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVgcAyO0YwQ 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.#AthleticTraining #SportsMedicine #AthleticTrainer #HealthcareAdvocacy