August 29, 2016

SLU Athletic Training Program - Professional preparation in a Jesuit context


The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program, in conjunction with Fr. Robert Murphy SJ from SLU Campus Ministry, developed a video highlighting the influence of SLU's Jesuit context on the program.

The video features interviews with alum Dustin Jamboretz MAT, ATC (MAT Class of 2016), and current students Madeleine Hauck (MAT Class of 2017) and Mike Milek (MAT Class of 2018).  All three of these students also attended Jesuit High Schools.

August 24, 2016

Clinical Exchange Student from Spain Enjoys Athletic Training Experience in the USA


My (American) Football Experience in the United States
By: Jaime Pomar (Clinical Exchange Student - UCJC, Madrid)

I came to the USA and Saint Louis University for clinical experience as a part of the Masters of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation in Sport program at the University Camilo Jose Cela. I decided to set out on this adventure when I enrolled in the Masters last year because he knew the options I had to come here and I could not refuse that opportunity. I have been getting Athletic Training experience at Webster Groves High School in an agreement with Saint Louis University under the tutelage of Anthony Breitbach ATC (SLU) and Sean Wright ATC (WGHS).


An Athletic Trainer could compare in Spain as a sports physiotherapist and who have similar skills and knowledge of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics, taping techniques and test valuation among others.

My day to day routine was to be attending the High School students but more specifically the football (not soccer) team players because they were still on holiday but the football team conducted their preseason training and workouts. Our work began looking after players in the athletic training room for who need a specific stretching or warming up and to perform preventive tapping. After preparing the coolers and bottles with water and ice and went to training camp to observe and take care for the players because the weather conditions were extreme with averages of 35 Celsius degrees (95 Fahrenheit) but with the humidity, the wind chill exceeded 40 degrees (105 Fahrenheit). I have had the opportunity to interact with two students from the SLU with whom I have been working with Sean. We talked about the similarities and differences, and we could learn from each other on how to make different tapping and ways of working.

I also took the trip to visit different cities and learn more about American culture and traditions and to live closely the world of football in his homeland. I was with the Athletic Trainer of the Green Bay Packers (professional football team) and visited all the facilities and knew how they worked. I also did the same with the professional baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals. And I have witnessed a preseason NFL Tennessee Titans game on my visit to Nashville.


In short it has been a great experience that I will remember the rest of my life and allowed me to compare my professional skills in the country that someday, I hope to return to implement them.
Personally thanks to Alvaro García-Romero (University Camilo Jose Cela), Dr. Anthony Breitbach and Dr. Timothy Howell (University of St Louis), Sean Wright (Webster Groves High School) and SLU students Morgan Jasperson and Alex Hubbs for this wonderful experience and the opportunity to make this trip.

See you soon USA!!!



Mi experiencia con el fútbol (americano) en los Estados Unidos
Por: Jaime Pomar ( Clínica del Estudiante de Intercambio - UCJC , Madrid)

Fui a  EEUU para realizar las prácticas del máster de fisioterapia deportiva y readaptación de la Universidad Camilo José Cela. Decidí emprender esta aventura cuando me inscribí en el máster el año pasado porque conocía las opciones que había para venir aquí y no podía rechazar esa oportunidad. He estado trabajando como athletic trainer para el High School Webster Groves en un convenio con la universidad de St Louis bajo la tutela de Anthony Breitbach (SLU) y Sean Wright (WGHS). 


Un Athletic Trainer se podría comparar en España como un fisioterapeuta deportivo ya que tienen competencias similares como conocimientos en anatomía, fisiología y biomecánica, técnicas de vendaje y test de valoración entre otras.
Mi día a día era estar atendiendo a los estudiantes del High School pero mas concretamente a los jugadores del equipo de football (que no soccer) ya que todavía estaban en vacaciones pero el equipo de football realizaba sus entrenamientos de pretemporada. Nuestro trabajo comenzaba atendiendo a los jugadores en la sala de athletic training para los jugadores que necesitaran estiramientos o un calentamiento específico y para realizar vendajes preventivos. Después preparábamos los coolers y botellines con agua y hielo e íbamos al campo de entrenamiento para observar y cuidar de los jugadores ya que las condiciones eran extremas con medias de 35 grados Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) pero que con la humedad, la sensación térmica superaba los 40 grados (105 Fahrenheit). He tenido la oportunidad de interactuar con dos estudiantes de la universidad de St Louis con los que he estado trabajando con Sean. Hemos hablado de las similitudes y diferencias, y hemos podido aprender unos de otros sobre cómo hacer distintos vendajes y formas de trabajar. 


También aproveché el viaje para visitar distintas ciudades y conocer mejor la cultura y tradiciones americanas, así como poder vivir de cerca el mundo del fútbol americano en su tierra natal. Estuve con el Athletic Trainer de los Green Bay Packers (equipo profesional de fútbol americano) y visité todas las instalaciones y conocí como trabajaban. También hice lo mismo con el equipo profesional de baseball, los St Louis Cardinals. Y he podido presenciar un partido de pretemporada de la NFL de los Tennessee Titans en mi visita a Nashville. 

En definitiva ha sido una gran experiencia que recordaré el resto de mi vida y que me ha permitido comparar mis habilidades profesionales en el país en el que algún día, espero volver para ponerlas en práctica.

Agradecer personalmente a Alvaro García-Romero (Universidad Camilo José Cela), Anthony Breitbach y Timothy Howell (Universidad de St Louis), Sean Wright (Webster Groves High School) y a Morgan y Alex por esta magnífica experiencia y por la oportunidad de realizar este viaje. 

See you soon USA!!!

August 17, 2016

SLU AT Alum Kemba Noel-London Returns to SLU to Pursue Doctorate


I'm Back!!!!
By: Kemba Noel-London MAT, ATC, CES (SLU MAT Class of 2012)

I am a Certified Athletic Trainer originally from the country of Trinidad and Tobago. I completed my BS in Exercise Science and Master of Athletic Training degrees at Saint Louis University in 2011 and 2012 respectively

After graduation, I went on to an internship at the University of South Carolina-Columbia. There, I was the Head Athletic Trainer for Swansea High School, Freshman Academy and Sandhills Middle School.  I also taught Sports Medicine at the high school as well as aided in the instruction of Musculoskeletal Evaluation courses at USC.


I returned to my twin island home in August 2013 and have been working at the international level with multiple national teams, including rugby and Women’s Soccer. I have also been a part of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s medical staff at the Commonwealth Games, Central American and Caribbean Games and PanAmerican Games. During my time at home, I joined the staff of Academy of Sport at the University of Trinidad and Tobago and was also the Athletic Trainer in residence at Movement Mechanics, a high performance facility.

I am excited to be returning to SLU to pursue a PhD in Public Health while also working with SLU and the school-based Mercy Clinic to care for all the students at Roosevelt High School.  I will also be a lab instructor for MAT classes at SLU.

Go Billikens!

August 02, 2016

SLU AT Student Experiences Collaborative Healthcare Provided at the Professional Level with Saint Louis FC


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Saint Louis Football Club, St. Louis, MO
By: Morgan Jasperson (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

For the past two months I have been gaining clinical experience at Saint Louis FC, the professional soccer club based in Fenton, MO. It has been an incredible experience to work with both the high level athletes and the Mercy Sports Medicine Team that provides coverage to the them. 
Brian Bounds, ATC, the club's Head Athletic Trainer and my preceptor, has been working with soccer at all levels for over a decade. After earning a bachelors’ degree in kinesiology from Michigan State and a masters in Physical Therapy from Missouri State, Bounds founded a youth soccer camp before leaving to work with the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC) of the MLS. He has also worked with collegiate soccer at Northwestern University and Missouri State, and most recently at Indian Hills Community College where he built their athletic training program from the ground up. 

On a daily basis, Bounds and I go through a variety of treatments with the athletes, from massage and soft tissue mobilizations to ultrasound and e-stim. That being said, Bounds places a great deal of emphasis on manual therapies and getting ‘hands on’ with the athletes, which has allowed me to further my knowledge and skillset in this area. I have also become responsible for a lot of communication between the medical staff, coaching staff, the other interns, and the players. At first this was quite daunting, but as the summer has gone along I have become incredibly appreciative for the opportunity to practice my professional communication skills. Furthermore, because the medical coverage is provided through Mercy Sports Medicine, I have been able to work with a vast range of health professionals in my time with the club, including orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors, physical therapists, and our CSCS. 
Overall, this has been an incredibly rewarding summer field experience. Having the ability to work with a new club, with young guys, and an incredibly experienced AT has really challenged me to grow and advance my own knowledge and abilities. I look forward to finishing out the summer strong!

 #AllFleurOne  

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.

August 01, 2016

SLU AT Student Builds Clinical Skills and Cultural Competence Internationally at Athlone Institute of Technology


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

The draw to spend our summer in Ireland at Athlone Institute of Technology may seem obvious. Being able to work with novel sports such as Gaelic football and hurling while learning new methods adopted by other parts of the world was hardly what any of us imagined before this opportunity presented itself. Our preceptor, Dr. Siobhan O’Connor did a wonderful job facilitating our experience by including not only clinical placements but also providing guest lectures on topics that are relevant to the profession. 
Time at our clinical site was spent between AIT athletics, county level Gaelic football and hurling, and researching fundamental movement skills in adolescents. Throughout these clinical experiences we were given all the freedom we wanted in the evaluation and treatment of athletes, often practicing new techniques on uninvolved limbs while athletic trainers within the program at AIT performed treatments on the injured extremity. Needless to say we were busy. 
Despite all of the time spent working on practical skills, we all agree that our biggest take away was from the cultural experiences in athletic training and healthcare as a whole. Operating in a rural country with a much different healthcare infrastructure has created a need for accessible healthcare professionals. Working in this environment truly helped develop the bond between patient and professional, something we all hope to bring to our athletes back home. 
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.