SLU AT Student Gets a Wide Variety of Experience with AthletiCo in Chicago

A Summer of Learning and Inspiration
By: Mary Finkenkeller (SLU MAT Class of 2013) 

Tony McCormick ATC with Mary Finkenkeller (SLU MAT Class of 2013)

For the past 2 months, I have been an intern for AthletiCo in Oak Park Illinois.  AthletiCo is a Chicago based company that offers health care services at over 70 clinics in the area and is a fantastic company to work for.  This company is the single largest employer of athletic trainers in the country, and also employs physical therapists, occupational therapists, and massage therapists.  Athletic trainers employed by AthletiCo are working in clinics, high schools, universities, professional sports, club sports, and US sports.  I have had the pleasure of working with Athletic Trainer Tony McCormick, who works both in the Oak Park AthletiCo clinic and at Fenwick High School.  Tony has been an athletic trainer at the university level and the high school level, as well as a college professor, which makes him the perfect clinical instructor for any student. 

            

During my time with him and AthletiCo, I have been given countless opportunities for experiences and learning.  Tony is very well known within the company, and he also has countless connections outside the company.  He has introduced me into fields that I am interested in like the performing arts, volleyball, and rugby.  He has also provided me with opportunities in the clinical setting that I never expected, like working with work conditioning patients, observing functional capacity evaluations, and assisting in physical screens at a local high school.  He really enjoys teaching and working with students, and has been an amazing mentor and clinical instructor for the past 2 months.  He will continue to be an inspiration to me and to all young professionals who know him.    

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Education Program have a required internship in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their internship experience.