SLU AT Student Improves Clinical Skills with Preceptor at St. Mary's High School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - St. Mary's High School

By: Jack Liu (MAT Class of 2019)

I was placed at St. Mary’s High School high school for my first Athletic Training clinical experience. This clinical site has been a great practical experience and has provided me many learning opportunities.

I am very glad that I can gain clinical knowledge, skills, and abilities under the supervision of my preceptor Cara Bowton MAT, ATC; who works as the Athletic Trainer at St. Mary's through SSM-Saint Louis University Hospital. She graduated from SLU in 2016 and is very knowledgeable about injury management and prevention. 

My primary sport exposure at St. Mary’s has been with football team, and has been performed very well. It has been a good learning experience due to the variety of injuries that have occurred  on field. 

Working with my preceptor, I have improved my clinical skills through various clinical site activities. I have gotten some experience managing concussions, evaluating injuries to joints, and assisting in the treatment of environmental conditions such as heat stroke and muscle spasms during this football and soccer season.

Cara has been a tremendous preceptor and has provided me with some great opportunities to develop these hands-on experiences during my time at St. Mary’s High School. Furthermore, I expect that the knowledge I have gained in the classroom and my clinical site will be beneficial to my future career as an athletic trainer.

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.