SLU AT Students are Excited to Learn in a Busy College Setting at Webster University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Webster University
By: Maggie Rowell and Cat Chua (MAT Class of 2019)

We are both students in the 1st Professional Year of Saint Louis University's Master of Athletic Training Program. Our Spring 2018 clinical rotation is with Webster University Athletics. We previously were placed at high schools and are transitioning into the college AT room atmosphere. Webster University is a NCAA Division III school located in Webster Groves, Missouri. It is a liberal arts school with approximately 2,500 undergrad students who take pride in their athletic population. Within the past year, Webster has sent their women’s soccer, women’s basketball and men’s baseball to compete in the NCAA Division III Championship Series. We are working with preceptors Jennifer Popken (MS, ATC) and Martin Fields (LAT, ATC).

We were limited in the modalities available in our previous high school settings. At Webster University, we have gotten the chance to utilize GameReady, Electrical Stimulation, Hydrocollator, Ultrasound, and a HivaMat. It has been a great hands-­‐on experience working with different modalities and knowing when to apply each one in the rehabilitation process. Additionally, we have gotten the opportunity to evaluate athlete’s injuries by performing a full evaluation including general history taking, manual-­‐muscle testing, palpation, joint play and special testing. After assessing the athletes, we interact with our preceptors for additional tips, changes to the process, and any additional feedback. It is a great learning environment that encourages us to think on the spot and fully apply what we've learned in the classroom in the clinical setting.

In the upcoming months we will be taking care of spring season athletes such as baseball, softball, tennis, and outdoor track and field teams. An interesting aspect about these upcoming teams is they all practice off site, which makes scheduling very important for rehabilitation and treatment. We are both very excited as the women’s basketball just won the SLIAC conference championship and are headed to the NCAA tournament this week! With only two AT's and over 300 athletes, it has been a very busy AT room.

We are excited to continue our clinical education process and grow as Athletic Training students with the Webster Gorlocks.

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.