Athletic Trainer, Cassie Bugbee, L.A.T.
Get to know Cassie Bugbee. She is an Athletic Trainer at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists, a service of Alomere Health.
Where did you grow up?
Perham, Minnesota.
Why did you choose to become an Athletic Trainer?
I always knew I wanted to help people. To be fair, I didn’t even know what athletic training was until I went to college. At that point I needed to pick an undergraduate degree and athletic training was one suggested. After learning about it, I told my advisor that it sounded exactly like what I was hoping to do anyways. So I jumped right into the program and never looked back. As an Athletic Trainer I rarely feel like I am working when I’m doing what I love.
Why did you choose to work at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists?
My husband and I wanted to stay close, but not too close to our family. Having grown up in Perham, Alexandria was the perfect distance. During my interviews with Heartland Orthopedics, I learned about the large team we have here and ultimately what school I would get placed with. Knowing I wanted to work with a small high school, getting placed with West Central Area Schools (WCA) was the best-case scenario for me. Over my years of working with Heartland and WCA, I’ve continued to be grateful for this opportunity and have continued to love it more and more.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
It’s the team we have here. We have a large group of Athletic Trainers, so when I go on vacation or my kids get sick, I know my patients are still going to get the care they deserve. The other benefit of our large team is that we can bounce ideas off each other—I’ve never felt like I’m on an island trying to figure things out on my own. In addition, we have a stellar group of physicians and physical therapists which makes for very smooth care for all our patients.
How was your first days of starting work at Heartland?
Starting a new job is always scary. Within the first months at Heartland, I knew I’d be here a long time. I have learned so much and I have met some wonderful medical personnel. I’m so thankful I took the leap of faith and landed in the position I am in now.
The Heartland Orthopedic Specialists team.
