June 28, 2016

AT Students Get Unique Experiences from the Special Events on the SLU Campus this Summer


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Nike Elite 100 Basketball Camp and USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials, St. Louis, MO
By: Danny Smith (MAT Class of 2017)

This summer, I have had the opportunity to work at a few athletic events outside of my summer field experience.  I have been fortunate enough to work alongside my classmates, professors, and other health professionals at the Nike Elite 100 basketball camp and the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials. Both of these events were held on the campus of Saint Louis University and the SLU Athletic Training Program played an integral role in providing health care at these events.


At the Nike Elite 100 camp, I was fortunate to get to work with many of my fellow classmates. Through this experience, we were able to put many of the skills we have learned in the classroom into actual practice.  It’s amazing to see how far we all have come in the past year.  Just last year we were learning about the body’s structures in gross anatomy, and now we are able to use our knowledge to provide treatment and care to injured athletes.


At the camp, we took player measurements such as weight, height, wingspan, and reach.  We also were available to tape players before each playing session.  When the players were on the court, we stood courtside in case an injury occurred and when one did, we used our injury assessment skills while under the supervision of our professors.  Getting to work alongside all of our professors was one of the best aspects of this experience.  Over the past four years we have been able to learn from their expertise, but through this camp we were allowed to see them use their skills in real life situations.  


I was lucky enough to spend a few days at the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials at Chaifetz Arena. At this event, our program played a supportive role to the USA Olympic Medical Staff.  It was a joy to get to see the techniques used by the medical staff to help the hopeful Olympians to compete at their best.  This experience also gave me the opportunity to network with athletic trainers and physicians from across the country.  I was able to ask about how they became involved with the USA Gymnastics Team Medical Staff and the journey it took to get to such a position. Additionally, this opportunity gave me experience with a sport that I do not get to cover in my typical clinical rotations.



Through both the Nike Elite 100 camp and the USA Gymnastic Olympic Trials I have been able to assist elite level athletes.  I have gotten a glimpse of the athletic training services these athletes need in order to achieve success.  


It is experiences like these that help the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program stand out as one of the best in the country.       

June 27, 2016

SLU AT Student Enjoys Learning from an Excellent Preceptor at Palatine HS


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Palatine High School, Palatine, IL
By: Stephanie Uhrich (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

I have really enjoyed my experience at Palatine High School so far.  I feel welcomed by the staff and trusted by the athletes at Palatine.  So far I have had the opportunity to work with numerous sports including football, basketball, cross country, gymnastics and many other sports.  My preceptor Katie O'Keefe ATC has been such a great teacher to me.  She gives me feedback on my evaluations and really pushes me to think outside the box.  She is helping me expand my knowledge about rehab and is also teaching me about some of the “behind the scenes” of athletic training.  


My experience at Palatine will definitely impact my future because it has helped me realize that I really enjoy working with high school athletes.  I can see myself working in an environment similar to Palatine after I graduate.  I am looking forward to the rest of the summer, and I plan on soaking up as much as I can from this experience.  I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from Katie and the staff at Palatine High School.  

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

June 21, 2016

SLU AT Student Gets Clinical Experience Internationally in Ireland at Athlone Institute of Technology


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Athlone Institute of Technology - Ireland
By: Brandi Burgett (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

This summer I have had the opportunity, with 2 other SLU students, to go to Athlone Institute of Technology in Athlone, Ireland as my summer field experience. SLU has a Clinical Exchange Agreement with the ARTi Program at AIT.


WE have gotten to do so much.  We were able to do a couple lectures on joint mobilizations, injury tracking, dry needling, message, orthotics and epidemiology. Along with classes we have gotten to learn about the Gaelic games. We have attended a few games and helped the Athletic Therapists. Being able to learn from the Athletic Therapist how they work games and events has been very beneficial. Because of the different resources we have seen that certain techniques such as, message are used more often.  I have really enjoyed working with hurling and Gaelic football. I wish we had them in the states.


I have also had the privilege of assisting in a master’s student in her research. We have been collecting data on FMS for primary school students. We have done testing and recording at 3 schools and over 300 students. It has been a great learning process. It makes me more excited about research then I was before and very respectful of those who do it. It is a lot of hard work and hours. We have been able to assist Siobhan with recording her data on epidemiology of injuries in primary school children in Ireland. We have gotten to use a new program on the computer adding more knowledge to our list.


I have fallen in love with Ireland and all the people who I have met and became friends with. We have not done all work here. We have gotten to travel to other major cities like Galway and Dublin. We have hiked and seen amazing sites like the cliffs of Moer and experienced the Irish culture. It will be a summer I will always remember and friends I have made for life. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

June 20, 2016

SLU AT Student Benefits from Multiple Settings at Mercy Sports Medicine and St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Mercy Sports Medicine and St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, St. Louis, MO
By: Sarah Haenchen (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

My summer field experience is at Mercy Sports Medicine Clinic with Meghan Mulloy, ATC and Amanda Keenan, ATC. I am getting experience with Saint Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club with Emily Costabile, ATC (SLU MAT class of 2015). I enjoy the two settings as it provides me with different challenges.

Mercy Sports Medicine takes a different approach to therapy. We do not just treat the injured area; we treat the whole body. When one part of the body is injured, other parts may have to take up more work and this can cause movement dysfunction. I have learned how to assess movement through the Selective Functional Movement Assessment and the Functional Movement Assessment screens. Once we find a dysfunction, we will work on breakout sessions that target the dysfunction so that the patient can become more functional. The dysfunctions we find are related to mobility and stability. We first work on mobility, and then focus of stability so that we can prevent the dysfunction from returning. 


While at the clinic, I have also improved my skills in manual therapy especially massage. The clinic does not have any modalities because they believe that the hands can do as good of a job as a modality. Working with my hands lets me assess the areas that need treatment. After the treatment, I am able to feel the difference in the quality of the soft tissue. I love working in the clinic because of the wide range of ages that I work with and the variety of conditions that are seen. Amanda and Meghan have let me choose exercises and expand my knowledge about different conditions and their theories to therapy. 

With Saint Louis Scott Gallagher at Soccer Park, Emily and I provide athletic health care for the U 15, 16, 19, and 23 teams for camps. There are two small athletic training rooms that we share with Saint Louis FC. Sometimes it gets packed in the rooms, but we do our best to make sure that everyone is taken care of and out on the field in time for practice. Emily gives me the opportunity to choose the exercises and come up with the treatment plans for those who need rehab. It is a challenge to determine which exercises are best, but I am glad that Emily is there to also provide her input. I am also able to practice my evaluation skills especially when there is an acute injury. 


My time at both places has been very valuable and I have gained a new perspective in treating patients. Amanda, Meghan and Emily are great athletic trainers to work with, and I am always ready for the challenges they give me. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

June 15, 2016

SLU AT Faculty and Students Team Up to Provide Medical Care for Prominent Nike Basketball Camp


Since 2000, Saint Louis University's Simon Recreation Center has served as the home to one of Nike's most prestigious basketball camps.


The Nike Elite 100 Camp brings 100 of the top basketball players 15 years to participate in 4 days of competition and instruction along with leadership training. Many future NBA players have participated in this camp as a high school athlete.


The SLU AT Program faculty and students have also been providing AT services for this camp since the program admitted its first group of students in 2008.  It has provided a great opportunity for SLU AT students and faculty to work together at a fun event.


June 14, 2016

SLU AT Student Gets a Dynamic Learning Experience caring for the Cadets at West Point


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
By: Amelia Meigs (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

This summer, I have had the opportunity to complete my summer field experience in New York at the United States Military Academy, better known as West Point. This site is incredibly unique—although I am assisting the athletic trainers in the Office of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (NCAA Division I sports), there is also the club sport and intramural sport level. Every cadet is required to participate in one level of sports each season, in addition to their regular physical training. There is a separate athletic training department with 4 athletic trainers for club level sports, intramurals, and injuries sustained during physical education courses. Additionally, there is a physical therapy department which handles injuries outside the Academy. Cadets are a unique population, especially the cadet-athlete, considering their courses and field training consist of physical maneuvers. This requires cadets to be physically ready for tasks at all times, meaning injuries sustained can have larger consequences than for the average collegiate athlete. A cadet injured may have to retake physical education courses depending on the time or severity of injury.


Each day I have learned something new—from West Point specific acronyms, training, and rules to improving performance for injured athletes. With the other athletic training student, Erin Guida, from University of Tennessee- Chattanooga, I have been able to have hands-on experience. We have been on a two week rotation with Men’s Rugby, who we got to see win the CRC Bowl Championship in Philadelphia, as well as spending time with Football rehabilitation. We have also been able to work with the Physical Therapy department to assist and observe Sick Call. Sick call is the way West Point handles acute injuries—cadets report to the Physical Therapy department at 0630 and can wait in line to receive care from one of the physical therapists. It is hard to know what you will get with sick call—one day it could be one cadet, another day it could be 50. It depends on the point the cadets are in training, as well as time of year.


One highlight of my experience so far has been visiting Camp Buckner for Sick Call. Camp Buckner is where the cadets will complete various summer trainings—all rising seniors (or firsties) just recently finished 4 weeks at Buckner, complete with a 12-day field experience. One of the football players we have been working with has been at Camp Buckner, so his ability to perform rehabilitation depends on his duties for the day. Each cadet is different depending on their major and year in school, so I am learning a lot about the many facets of military education and training.


One of the best parts about West Point has been working with many of the 17 athletic trainers that work in the Division I sports department (ODIA). Having many different views and strategies allows me to learn comprehensively—often I will ask a question of several of the athletic trainers to get a wide variety of viewpoints. In addition, the incredible physical fitness of many of the cadet-athletes makes rehabilitation a learning experience—we have had athletes do a bench press or rows with a 30 lb bar with kettlebells attached by Theraband. It is much harder to challenge someone in incredible physical shape, and being with Football and Rugby has allowed me to explore new creative options for rehabilitation at a high level. 


I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with so many incredible athletic trainers especially my direct supervisors Alex Lane ATC, Herb Reinhard ATC, and Mike Schiavone ATC,

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

June 13, 2016

SLU AT Student "Doubles Up" on Her Summer Field Experience in Chicago


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Midwest Orthopedics at Rush and Kane County Cougars Baseball Club, Chicago, Illinois
By: Stephanie Ross (SLU MAT Class of 2017)


This summer I had the opportunity to work with Midwest Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Kathy Weber, MD, Russel Lyons, ATC,  and Latoya Miller, PA, mentored me in this experience.

Dr. Kathy Weber is the director of Primary Care/Sports Medicine and Women’s Sports Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Weber and Russel have now worked together 3 years full time in the clinic, however he was part time with her for 6 years before that, for a total of 9 years. Dr. Weber serves as the head team physician for the  DePaul Blue Demons and as the sports medicine physican consultant for the Hubbard Street Dance Company and the River North Dance Company. She also serves as a team physican for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, and the Chicago Force Women’s Football. Dr. Weber is the only female team physican in Major League Baseball and also serves on the MLB Physicians Advisory Board. Before Russel joined with Dr. Weber, he worked with Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers combined with Athletico Physical Therapy in the South Suburbs of Chicago for 7 years. I have found out that with most of the Midwest Orthopedic Physicians at Rush, they have ATC on their full time staff in the clinic.

While at the Midwest Orthopedic Clinic at Rush I have been able to see almost every type of pathology and more that I have read about in class, including both common and rare cases. I have been able to observe joint injections, a compartment test, a platelet rich plasma injection, and many more things.


This Summer I also had the opportunity to work with the Kane County Cougars, which is the single A, minor league baseball team affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where Chris Schepel, ATC, mentored me. This is the first season that Chris has worked with the Kane County Cougars. He was first introduced into minor league baseball with the West Michigan White Caps, then last year he was with the Missoula Osprey, which is another minor league baseball team affiliated with the diamondbacks in Missoula Montana.


Being with the Kane County Cougars this summer I have been able to work with doing some rehabilitation with the athletes. For example, the pitchers are required to do “arm care” after they pitch in a game. This arm care consists of a D2 PNF pattern along with external rotation, and working on forearm and hand muscles. I also have gotten the chance to see the different equipment they use that I have not seen previously. They have a machine that is called HIVAMAT. The HIVAMAT is a deep oscillation therapy that is a new effective approach to treating swelling, relieving pain, and helps an injury recover faster. It provides an electrical current to stimulate the lymphatic system to decrease swelling.


Overall between these two experiences so far this summer it has been a  great clinical experience. I have been able to meet and form a lot of connections. I look forward to finishing the rest of this summer with both clinical sites and running into them again in the future in the sports medicine world.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

June 01, 2016

Congratulations to 2016 SLU AT Program Award Honorees!

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program has announced the 2016 Program Awards. These awards go to graduating Master of Athletic Training students who are nominated by faculty and their preceptors.  The Program Awards committee review the nominations and determine the award honorees.  Members of this committee are: Dr. Mike Markee (chair/faculty), Dr. Tim Howell (faculty), Dr. Paul Nativi (advisory board member), Lizzy Kienstra (alum/preceptor) and Kevin Clear (staff/NATA Journals).

Demeisha Crawford with Dean Wilson and Dr. Breitbach
Academic Excellence Award
Criteria: Highest GPA in AT Program Professional Phase
Honoree: Demeisha Crawford (Phoenix, AZ)

Community Service Award
Criteria: Significant participation in community service through entire academic career. Nominated by students (including self), faculty or staff.
Honoree: Demeisha Crawford (Phoenix, AZ)

Rachel Spika with Dean Wilson and Dr. Breitbach
Professional Service Award
Criteria: Significant participation in service to the profession through entire academic career. Nominated by faculty or staff.
Honoree: Rachel Spika (Apple Valley, MN)

Angelina Vitale and David O'Loughlin with Dean Wilson and Dr. Breitbach
Clinical Excellence Award
Criteria: Excellence in clinical performance. Nominated by faculty, staff or preceptor.
Honorees: David O'Loughlin (Kenosha, WI) and Angelina Vitale (St. Louis, MO)