SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Missouri Baptist University
By: Josh Yanzer (SLU MAT Class of 2016)
For my 2nd Professional Year (PY2) Fall Clinical Rotation I was placed at Missouri Baptist University. I had not worked with football on any of my other previous rotations as a PY1 except for preseason this summer so I was very excited when I learned that I would actually be with Missouri Baptist’s football team. It was also really nice to know that I would be working with multiple preceptors there. Meredith Dill ATC, Craig Zurliene ATC, Ashley Broughton ATC, and Emily Lawrence ATC all have different styles of teaching and some prefer doing things differently than the other so there was definitely a lot that I could learn from each of them. Right from the start I was able to learn different ways to do particular special tests or ways the special tests could be altered base on the size of the Athletic Trainer since Craig and Emily are so different in size. They also taught me better and more effective ways to write my SOAP notes so that I could include all the information that is needed without being really wordy. Game days are a blast with all of them even though the days are extremely long. We all bring in food for dinner and we are all very involved with the game making it a very exciting time. All of them are really big on rehabilitation with their athletes and getting the athletes back to play faster so I have learned to be very organized with my rehab plans because of my preceptors.
Working with football for me is one of the most enjoyable things I have done at a clinical site. There are so many more athletes on one team that you can make a connecting with and you just never know what the day will bring. I always have to be on my feet, especially for games and full contact practices because while working football you see so many more injuries than in any other sport and you also see much more severe injuries. Being a PY2, I have been able to get some really great practice with my evaluation skills and having three preceptors to give feedback on my evaluation skills helps me really improve so that my skills are where they need to be in preparation to being a certified Athletic Trainer. I am always getting a chance to practice some sort of skill that I learned in class and I have also been able to evaluate injured areas that I have never really looked at before or even just practice my skills on injured areas where I was not confident with my skillset yet.
One of the most rewarding thing about being at Missouri Baptist as a PY2 is I was actually able to help teach and facilitate the learning of Sarah Haenchen, Mada Hauck and Morgan Jasperson, the PY1’s in the class below me. Being with them was really great because I was not only teaching them but also giving myself a review and figuring out some of my weak areas based on what the questions they asked me. Not only did I teach them and helped give myself a review but they also reminded me of things that I did not really think of as often. Since they are currently in the evaluation classes they have all the information fresh in their minds so having them there to help remind me of information that I have since forgotten is a huge help. It is truly a lot of fun to hang out with all of them and I enjoy seeing them learn and develop their skills just as I am trying to better develop mine. I have really enjoyed my time at Missouri Baptist University thus far and I hope that I will continue to grow and develop professionally as I continue being a PY2 clinical student there for the Spring Semester.
This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.
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