October 30, 2013

SLU Staff Members "Make a Difference" for Our Heroes


Saint Louis University's Make a Difference Day 2013 included nearly 3,700 students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and community members take part in the University's annual day of service. The participants provided service at 140 community organizations, schools, churches and homes across the St. Louis area.

Jennifer Baine, Administrative Assistant for the Athletic Training Program in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, organized the effort for the Staff Advisory Committee, which included staff members from Doisy College of Health Sciences. More than 25 staff members participated by packing care packages for overseas military members at H.E.R.O.E.S. Care in Fenton.



Volunteers from the H.E.R.O.E.S. Care site were: Jennifer Baine, Michael Bamber, Kathy Barbeau, Antoinette Dean, Jennifer Elwyn, Beth Glauber, Patt Hoffarth, Laura Mayer, Yvonne McCool, Darin McLaughlin, Joseph Moore, Kathy Neiger, Ann Scales, Rita Stites, Karen Stocke, Bridget Turner, Ellen Weis, Jeanne Young and Francesca Zanti.

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care is an affiliation of program partners working together to provide support to military families in the communities where they live. H.E.R.O.E.S. Care combines the power of national organizations dedicated to providing emergency financial aid, employment opportunities and mental health services through a network of specially trained care gives before, during and after deployment.

Make a Difference Day is a national day of service that takes place on the fourth Saturday of October. The day was established in 1992 and is the largest community service effort in the nation. Each year, 3 million people participate worldwide, helping millions more.

Photos from the H.E.R.O.E.S. Care site can be found at flickr.com/photos/slu_healthsciences

October 28, 2013

SLU AT Program Director Makes Presentation at National Conference


On October 24, 2013, Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program Director Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC made the presentation: "The Development and Implementation of a Process To Assimilate Interprofessional Education into a Health Profession" at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions.  The conference had a theme of "Interprofessional Education and Practice in the Allied Health Arena" and was held at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. In his presentation, Dr. Breitbach detailed the initiative to raise the awareness of interprofessional education and practice, and to assimilate them into the Athletic Training profession.


October 21, 2013

SLU AT Faculty Expertise Sought by Media and Organizations



Faculty members of the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have been called on frequently this fall to provide expertise for media and other organizations.  These activities are consistent with the focus of “Higher purpose, Greater good" which represents SLU's mission to pursue truth and serve humanity.


Kitty Newsham PhD, ATC and Amy Schork MA, ATC (Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine)
“Athletic Training” on Potpourri on 1380 AM
Roles, responsibilities, and qualifications of athletic trainers were discussed with host Marsha Schuman.
September 15, 2013



Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC
“Importance of Exercise While in Orbit” in RocketSTEM Magazine
Discussed NASA’s efforts to limit bone density losses in deep space travel.
October 2013 Issue
Available on-line: http://www.rocketstem.org/2013/10/03/importance-exercise-orbit



Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC
“Student Athlete Safety” on StayTuned on KETC Channel 9.
Discussed concussion and youth sports safety with a panel of experts, hosted by Casey Nolen.
October 10, 2013
Archived Show: http://staytuned.ninenet.org/episodes/student-athlete-safety/
Dr. Breitbach’s Segments on YouTube:
Priorities in Youth Sports



Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC
“Popular sports supplements contain meth-like chemicals” on 5:00 pm News on KSDK Channel 5
Discussed sports supplements and safety with Anne Allred.
October 14, 2013
Archived broadcast: http://www.ksdk.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=2743959654001



Kitty Newsham PhD, ATC
“A Multi‐Disciplinary Team Approach to Returning to School and Activities”
Dr. Newsham presented an athletic health care plan which utilizes multiple professionals in protecting students with concussion and other injuries. 
Brain Injury Association of Missouri
Annual Statewide Conference
St. Charles Convention Center
St. Charles, Missouri
October 17, 2013

October 02, 2013

SLU Athletic Training Program Now Offers Opportunity for Students in Madrid


Starting this fall, students enrolled in the Master of Athletic Training Program at Saint Louis University are able to complete their first two years of study at the SLU-Madrid campus. Students will then return to the St. Louis campus to finish their remaining three years of study. The Athletic Training Program is a 3+2 entry-level Master's program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Students can enter the program after high school or transfer to SLU as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student.

"This program offers to students a rich and exciting experience to develop language and cultural competency while being exposed to high caliber athletic health care in an international setting," said Mark Reinking, PT, PhD, SCS, ATC, Chairman of the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training.


Opening this study abroad program to SLU athletic training students will provide experiences unique to the international setting. While in Madrid, students have the opportunity to learn and speak Spanish in a native environment, develop intercultural competencies, and gain valuable experience with bilingual and native Spanish speaking health professionals and athletes.

Bilingual skills in Spanish and English are highly desirable in athletic training, especially in large metropolitan areas and in some athletic settings such as professional baseball.

SLU-Madrid has played a crucial role in internationalizing SLU, recruiting students not only from Spain, but from all over the world. The campus is home to students from over 60 countries. Many students are attracted to SLU-Madrid because it serves as a gateway to the programs offered in St. Louis. Athletic training, with the ability to complete the first two years in Madrid, will now be one of the options distinguishing both SLU and its Madrid campus from other international universities.

"The quality and variety of the programs are what attracts international students to SLU-Madrid," said Paul Vita, Ph.D., Director and Academic Dean of the Madrid Campus. "SLU's Athletic Training program is a unique one, one not available at other universities in Spain-or Europe, for that matter."

The Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training has also become an affiliate member in the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy, which Anthony Breitbach, PhD, ATC, Director of the Athletic Training Program, says, "will provide additional support, promotion and external validation for the program."This program with the SLU-Madrid campus is modeled after the School of Nursing's successful international nursing program which launched in 2003. The courses for the athletic training students taught in Madrid will mirror those in St. Louis and will be closely coordinated between the two campuses. Students will also be capable of completing their clinical internship course in Spain, giving them direct international experience in the field.

WFATT is a coalition of national organizations of healthcare professions in the fields of sport, exercise, injury and illness prevention, and treatment. Member associations are from other countries including Canada, Spain, Italy, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, South Africa, England and Ireland.