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Athletic Trainer- Orthopedics Full-Time Days

Northwestern Medicine · Warrenville, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 21, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

The hours run from early afternoon until activities finish, and depend on the school. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: Honest fit with hours the posting is unusually frank about.

How do you work with the physicians in clinic on an athlete you have been treating?

What they are checking: Whether they hand over well across the two halves of the role.

What is the hardest call you have had to make on a sideline?

What they are checking: A real decision under pressure, told honestly.

What would you do

A coach wants an athlete back on the field and you do not. What happens?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a clinical line against real pressure from someone with authority in that setting.

How do you talk to a parent about an injury that will keep their child out for the season?

What they are checking: Difficult conversation with a family, which high school coverage brings constantly.

This role splits between school coverage and clinic support. How is working in a clinic different?

What they are checking: Whether they have done both, since the posting requires both.

How do you build trust with athletes who want to hide an injury from you?

What they are checking: The central relationship problem of the job.

About the work

Tell me about your licensure and the settings you have covered.

What they are checking: That the Illinois licensure is current and the experience matches high school coverage.

An athlete goes down and you suspect a head injury. Walk me through the next ten minutes.

What they are checking: Concussion assessment and removal from play, which is the decision this role exists for.

Walk me through your emergency action plan at a venue you are covering.

What they are checking: Whether they plan before the emergency, which is the whole discipline.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The Athletic Trainer reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. A licensed athletic trainer who complies with the Code of Ethics/Standards of Practice as outlined by the State of Illinois. This position includes direct patient care, teaching, participation on appropriate committees and departmental process improvement. Serves as a role model for all clinical interns in all aspects of professional, clinical, communication, education and leadership activities. Responsibilities: • Uses organizational and unit/department resources efficiently. • Manages work schedule efficiently, completing tasks and assignments on time. • Contributes to opportunities and processes for continuous improvement. • Participates in efforts to reduce costs, streamline work processes, improve and grow services we provide. • Demonstrates creative problem solving and diversity when adapting the treatment to special circumstances as evidenced by team feedback and documentation. • Demonstrates essential skill competencies in selecting the appropriate evaluation, in the use of treatment modalities, equipment and protocols. • Performs re-evaluations according to department guidelines, adjusting the treatment plan accordingly. Evidenced by chart review. • Assumes complete responsibility over the course of Athletic Training under the supervision of the referring physician. Patient management from the time of initial contact to safety and treatment outcome as evidenced by team feedback and documentation. • Adheres to department policy regarding evaluations, all notes are legible. • Completes daily notes that reflect patient's response to treatment, actual performance, and assessment as to status, relevant to the treatment plan as evidenced by chart review, meeting all regulatory documentation requirements (e.g. allows other therapists to continue treatment, allows for interpretation by payers, supports reimbursement). • Provides educational materials and methods appropriate to the patient's level of understanding and motivation as evidenced by feedback. • Participates in committees, department processes and special projects in accordance with clinical expertise and individual performance plan. • Works to develop and maintain physician relations through phone communication, shadowing, marketing visits, rounds/surgery observation. • Creates a culture of respectful communication by listening, asking for team member input, open and honest conversation, approachability, and timely acknowledgement of individual and team contributions. • Accepts constructive feedback and is able to make timely changes as evidenced by written coaching forms/chart audits and team feedback. • Completes new evaluations and discharge follow up phone calls to support patient satisfaction goals. • Proactively completes non-patient care responsibilities within established timelines (coverage notes, PTO/schedule change requests, bonus pay forms and follow up phone calls). • Contributes to educational efforts of department/clinic (e.g. in-services, journal clubs, new hire orientation, PI). Minimal Expectation: in-service from continuing education course and/or leading one article review. • Proactively acts as a clinical instructor to students, observers, interns. • Maintains set by department and makes efficient use of non-billable time. • Demonstrates willingness to flex schedule to meet patient care needs, quarterly staff meetings department specific meetings outside of normal work hours. • Performs other duties as assigned Required: • Master’s degree in athletic training (if graduated after July 1st, 2020) Bachelor’s degree (if graduated before July 1st, 2020) • BLS from American Heart Association upon hire • BLS within 90 days of hire for cost centers 8619 and 8500 • Licensed Athletic Trainer in the state of Illinois Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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