SLU AT Student Learns More than Clinical Skills from Preceptor at Missouri Baptist University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Missouri Baptist University
By: Killian Hollo (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

This semester’s clinical experience at Missouri Baptist University has not only expanded my Athletic Training skillsets, but also my understanding of the profession itself. I work with MOBAP’s Football team. The Athletic Trainers arrive in the morning to do paperwork and things of that nature. Three hours before practice, the Athletic Trainers do rehab with the athletes. Before practice, we do water, base set up, and taping. We watch over the players during practice. Finally, we do treatments until two hours after practice. I mention this daily routine because before this experience I didn’t know what college football ATs’ days looked like.  My Preceptor Michael Nolan ATC told me that his job is a selfless devotion to student athletes. At this Catholic university I am humbled to be a part of this progressive and spiritual environment.

My first day at the site, I was alarmed by how many individuals wanted to be taped. As a dozen players entered the room at once, my preceptor looked at me and said, “Do you know how to tape?” I jumped right into the mix. The athletes were trying me on for size, watching every rip of tape and asking questions with skeptical mindsets. This is when I learned my first lesson of Athletic Training.

Confidence is a key component to gain respect of patients. I know a breadth of knowledge that would assist these individuals with injuries, but I had to radiate it to be given the opportunity. This type of attitude enabled early opportunities. After only a week, my preceptor had handed off a chronic ankle injury case to me during rehab. My preceptor actually let me implement some rehab activity homework on my own. Little by little word of mouth spread through the players that there was another trustworthy person to visit about an injury and my days became even more interesting.  I was capable, but over the next six weeks, the confidence, communication, and repertoire would improve.

I am fortunate to be able to treat these players with a variety of therapeutic modalities. On a daily basis I could be found doing treatments with ultrasound, different variations of electric stimulation, combo (electric stimulation and ultrasound), hot packs, ice, Normatech (compression therapy), Game Ready (cryotherapy and compression), and Paraffin. For a few weeks I really had to just assist other trainers as they applied treatments. Now I know how to function the machines and calibrate them properly.  As our Modalities class has progressed, I have better learned the concepts of this science.

These hands on opportunities are valuable as a PY1. I am excited to have been a part of the Indianapolis road win (42-43) which was MOBAP’s first win in two years. They also won the following game this past week in overtime marking the first time MOBAP football has ever earned back to back wins. After many losses the teammates had lost faith in each other. These past two weeks have really brought the team together. I am eager to see what the coming weeks will bring.

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.