Licensed

Athletic Trainer

Tara McCohony
Jenna Schaefer
Job Description:
Business: Mayo Clinic Health System/Menomonie High School
Who I Job Shadowed: Tara McConohy
Job Title: Licensed Athletic Trainer
Daily Tasks:
- Apply protective or injury-preventive devices such as tape, bandages, and braces.
- Recognize and evaluate injuries
- Provide first aid or emergency care
- Develop and carry out rehabilitation services for injured athletes.
Positive Aspects:

● Appreciation and Recognition: For all of their hard work to allow us athletes to play our
sports, athletic trainers get lots of appreciation and recognition which they deserve for
what they do for us.

● Working with Athletes: Tara stated that she loves working with athletes and helping them
heal their injuries. Athletic trainers tend to love what they do especially when it comes to
seeing an athlete who was hurt, be able to play again.
Negative Aspects:
● Stress and Pressure: An athletic trainer’s work is constant. As soon as they fix one
problem, they’re on to the next. They also have tough decisions to make such as
deciding if an athlete is allowed to keep playing or if they should sit the bench.

● Travel and Schedules: Traveling as an athletic trainer is also constant. Tara works for
Mayo Clinic and MHS making her have to run between both consistently. She also
may have to work weekends on top of weeks depending on where and when sporting
events are.
Training and Education
1. Complete a Sports Level 1, 2, or 3 certification. You can find these at many
schools who offer the sports medicine courses.
2. Complete a bachelor of Medicine, Sports Management, or Exercise Science at a
university.
3. Need a police clearance and working with children check if working with people
under 18.
Tara’s Suggestions - Starting this career:
● Have confidence!
● Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone.
● Be mindful.
● Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
● Prepare yourself to see “gross” things/injuries.
● Be prepared for anything.
● Pay attention in school, do well.
● Always work hard for what you want to do!
Influence on my Career Choice:
This career related very closely with my main career choice, an MRI technician.
This is because athletic trainers work mainly with athlete injuries, and when those
injuries are bad enough, they get x-rays to look at mainly bone injuries and MRI’s to
look closer at muscle tears, tendon tears, and more. Being an athletic trainer was
something I have considered going to school for, but after my injuries where I’ve
needed MRI’s and x-rays, those are something that became very interesting to me.
Overall, this job shadow influenced me because if I were to choose not to work in the
area of radiology, an athletic trainer would be one of my next few choices.