SLU Pre-professional AT Student Gains Confidence Through Directed Observation Experiences

New AT Student Blog Post - Conner Mongoven (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

As a Junior in the SLU AT program, I am getting ready to transition into the professional phase of the program. It is hard to look ahead and know exactly what to expect and what it will be like starting with Gross Anatomy this summer, but throughout MAT 3000 and direct observation hours, I have gotten a much better grasp as to what I will experience these next two years.

I got to experience a lot of different settings in my Directed Observation (DO) hours, including the Missouri Valley Conference basketball tournament at the Scottrade Center, SLU Club Hockey at Webster Groves, SLU Track and Field at the Medical Campus track, and both the Southeastern Conference gymnastics championships and NCAA gymnastics championships at Chaifetz Arena. My favorite experiences were at hockey and gymnastics. I enjoyed the fast pace of hockey and witnessing PY2 student Pat O’Neill and Dr. Timothy Howell discuss their opinions of a shoulder injury of one of the opposing players, and hearing their thoughts of how that team’s athletic trainer was handling the situation and the injury. At gymnastics, which I had never before seen in person, it was cool to see the amount of team morale and crowd support, and the constant cheering as each event took place simultaneously. I got a lot of insight from PY1 students Adam Long and Jazmon Carroll at the SEC Championships about their clinical experiences and what to expect as I move on to the professional phase of the program.

After learning some basic skills in MAT 3000 and doing direct observation hours, I am really excited to begin the next phase of the program and work towards the Master of Athletic Training Degree and AT certification. Hearing from current students above me has given me the confidence to know that no matter how hard anything seems now, that I will be able to excel in the program. I can’t wait to move forward and continue this journey in the SLU AT program.

This is one of a series of blog posts written by students entering the professional phase of the SLU AT Program as a part of MAT 3000 - AT Student Development II.