I have learned so much during my time at Tri-City Wellness and fitness center. From business management to class programming, I have learned many of the ins and outs of running a medical fitness business from the trainer, management, and client side.
I was able to understand client details about how they got to Tri-City and the ailments that were causing them to lead a lower quality of life. Because the general age group was above 60 years, we were challenged with clients who would not check their accounts, wanted everything in paper form, and many could not justify paying for the Medical Integration price, despite it not being more than a monthly cable bill. I found that in the older populations, health and fitness are not as prioritized by the elderly; Many would rather take a handful of medications than take part in a fitness program.
From the business management side, it was fascinating to work on the metrics and financial planning for the business. There were so many people to consult, from the hospital to the general manager, before purchasing anything or moving forward with any decision. Because medical integration is a business, as well as a fitness center, and a hospital program, there were quite a few opinions flowing in when making new decisions.
I am really thankful for everything I learned at Tri-City. Moving forward, I want to gain more experience in business, as it is always a useful skill in negotiating or working at any location. Furthermore, I want to learn more about neurological conditions and how fitness changes the brain to encourage healing. I think through medical fitness programming, I would be better able to understand and connect with patients.
To work at Tri-City Medical Integration, I would recommend having a good understanding of business management, design, and neurological conditions, as well as being an efficient researcher. All of these skills became increasing useful throughout my time as an intern. Being able to work quickly and efficiently also allowed me to get more done and learn more from my team.
My team at Tri-City consisted of only three people working every day at Medical integration. While there were many more people involved, it was mainly myself and my two bosses that worked on Medical Integration every day. From my second boss, I learned the importance of asserting authority as a woman, to individuals who don’t believe you because of your gender. Many times, my female boss was questioned and dismissed by other members, despite her knowing the right answer. She showed me how she asserted herself in a field that is often dominated by men and how to make your voice heard when others try to drown you out.
I have learned to ask questions and seek answers on your own. If you are not satisfied with something to speak up, and if you do not understand why things are the way they are, ask why. I learned so much from my head boss by just asking why. Many times, it was unclear to him as well because many decisions came from higher management, but it was interesting to learn how to operate a business when you do not always get to say what happens when.
Overall I learned so much from this internship and met so many amazing people along the way. I am so thankful that I was able to work with such inspiring and engaging leaders whose true goal is to make a difference in people’s lives. My boss said it best, “at the end of the day, we are here to make a difference in people’s lives, and that is what I come to work every day with the mindset to make happen.”
I thank Tri-City Wellness and Fitness center for this opportunity, and the chance to learn about the ever-expanding field of exercise as medicine.
