Abstract
Recent societal trends have created an overlap in the populations served by athletic trainers and physical therapists, while the current healthcare environment has served as a catalyst for market exploration and niche establishment. Physical therapy (PT) and athletic training (AT) have come into conflict as each emerging profession seeks to establish its own place in society. As these occupations develop, they seek to demonstrate their continuing and increasing fulfillment of societal needs. The subsequent evolution becomes the history of the profession. The purpose of this case study is 1) to compare the evolution of PT and AT to a model based on core concepts of professionalization and 2) to explore the similarities and differences between the two professions in the areas of education and practice using the model of professionalization.