Anna Tang

In high school, Anna Tang competed in golf, cheerleading, volleyball and softball. Yet it was a friend’s injury, not competition, that spurred her interest in sports medicine. When a teammate suffered an ACL tear, Tang was right there in the athletic training room while her friend worked through rehabilitation exercises. 

“I was fascinated by the way exercise could actually help someone recover,” says Tang, an exercise science major with a clinical concentration. “It made me start thinking about the people who guide athletes through that process and what it would be like taking on that role myself.” 

A native of Pepperell, Tang began her college career at Arizona State University, but the large number of students made it difficult to get the support she wanted. When she learned about the exercise science program and clinical concentration at UMass Lowell, she knew she had found the right fit. 

“At my previous school, I felt like I was a grain of sugar in a pot,” says Tang. “At UMass Lowell, the class sizes are smaller, and the professors really take the time to get to know you.” 

The coursework, combined with lectures and labs, allowed her to practice testing protocols, learn proper lifting techniques and apply what she was studying to real-world scenarios. 

“UML is where I discovered a program that went beyond the classroom and gave me the tools to succeed in the real world of sports medicine,” says Tang. “Faculty support helped me gain the experience and confidence I needed to take the next major steps in my career.” 

During her clinical experience at the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Tang worked alongside professionals who helped athletes recover from and prevent injuries. 

“This clinical experience showed me how much trust athletes place in the people helping them recover,” says Tang. “It reinforced that this was the kind of role I wanted to have.” 

Tang also completed 80 hours of athletic training observation in UMass Lowell’s Division I athletic training facility. After graduating, she will take the skills she developed at UML to Northern Arizona University to pursue a Master of Science in Athletic Training. Following the program and board certification, she hopes to work as an athletic trainer at the professional level. 

“This career is about helping people get back to doing what they love,” says Tang. “Being part of that journey is what always makes this work meaningful to me.”