Athletic Therapy Student from Ireland at SLU Experiences Collaborative Approach to Sports Medicine

International Clinical Exchange - SLU and Athlone Institute of Technology
By: Cillian Worrall (Athletic Therapy Student, Athlone Institute of Technology)

My clinical experience began shortly after my arrival in St Louis, at Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School, where I was mentored by SSM Health Sports Medicine AT Cara Bowton, MAT. ATC. along with Jose Blanco, PY1, and Einne O’Connor, AIT.

This was a truly invaluable experience. Cardinal Ritter provided a fantastic opportunity to interact with ambitious athletes participating in sports that are not as popular or played in Ireland, such as American Football. Seeing the level of preparation that the athletes and coaching staff had was very insightful when compared to equivalent levels back in Ireland. It was great to be involved with a group that demanded a high standard of care of me. More, it was great to be involved with a group that had great characters, experiencing high scoring games and to see what “showtime” was really all about as they aimed for an undefeated season.

Given the physical nature of the sport, there were a lot of injuries and treatments to manage both on and off the field. During my experience at Cardinal Ritter I gained a wide range of experience from acute management of sprains to spinal board immobilization. Cara established a very educational environment which greatly helped my learning experience. She was always willing to share her knowledge and give valuable advice.

Coming over to SLU, I was very interested to learn about and compare the alternative taping techniques, concussion protocols, new and different treatment/rehab methods and I was very keen to learn about the different electronic documentation systems used, which is something that is only beginning to become common place back home. A highlight, thanks to Dr. Kitty Newsham’s Contemporary Clinical Practice module was learning how to suture and insert an IV in a sim lab.

To maximise my learning opportunities I also shadowed Ben Heimos ATC. SLU men’s soccer, as they made their way to the A-10 Quarterfinals and later Petra Knight ATC. SLU women’s basketball.

I’d like to thank both as well as the PY2 students present for the advice and insights they all shared with me. It was an invaluable experience to shadow in a collegiate setting, to observe how higher-level athletes prepared themselves for competition and learn about the wider range of care that the training staff could provide by virtue of having a larger facility to work with.

The training facilities at SLU are of a higher standard than most semi-pro, amateur clubs and smaller universities in Ireland so to learn about their intra-team coordination between coaching the staff, the Strength and Conditioning staff and AT staff, managing athlete workloads and game preparations was a great benefit. It was a highlight of my time at SLU to interact daily with each member of these teams.

Athletic Therapy Student from Athlone Institute of Technology Appreciates Varied Experiences in the USA at Saint Louis University

International Clinical Exchange - SLU and Athlone Institute of Technology
By: Éinne O’Connor (Athletic Therapy student, Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland)

For my clinical placement here in Saint Louis I was at Cardinal Ritter High School with fellow AIT student Cillian Worrall, SLU and SLU PY1 AT student Jose Blanco and my preceptor Cara Bowton MAT, ATC. We got a lot of hands on experience here at the high school as well as lots of field experience covering a range of sports like American Football, Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball. From this we got to experience American sports and got to see the different types of injuries involved in each sport. Luckily, I was involved in two great high school teams in Cardinal Ritter as their American Football team was ranked number 1 in the country in small schools, while the American Football team and Men’s Basketball team both remained unbeaten for my time there and it was an honour working with some of the athletes as they have such high motivation to make it to the highest level possible and many have offers from Division 1 universities around America.

I also got experience with SLU’s Men’s soccer team who made it to the Quarter final of the A-10 Championship. Although there was not as much hands on experience with the university team I did enjoy seeing how things were run at that level and seeing the professionalism involved especially in the Athletic training room in the Chaifetz arena which seemed to have everything needed for an athlete.

Coming to Saint Louis I really wanted to get more comfortable dealing with patients and having to work with them on my own and thankfully I have achieved this from help and guidance from my preceptor. I enjoyed taking classes and getting a taste of the American university experience and really enjoyed taking class Contemporary Clinical Practice with Dr. Kitty Newsham where we learned how to suture and take blood samples in the simulation lab which are things we would have never been able to do or learn back in Ireland.

I really enjoyed my time here in Saint Louis and unfortunately my time here has come to an end from this once in a lifetime experience which I would recommend anyone to do if they have the chance. I have made life-long friends from Saint Louis GAA club as well as students from SLU and placement at Cardinal Ritter which I hope to keep in contact with. I came here wanting to experience the American way of life and thankfully I have done that and have many stories and life-long memories to bring home with me.

SLU Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Hosting Continuing Education Program

Contemporary Approaches to Hip Impingement Syndrome

Hosted by the Saint Louis University Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training

Saturday, December 14, 2019
8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Allied Health Professions Building Auditorium
Saint Louis University Medical Center (South) Campus

Interventions for hip pathology evolve over time. Keeping current with the latest techniques can be difficult. What works? Does it work for everyone? How can I select the best intervention for my patient? Join colleagues at this 4-hour program addressing hip impingement syndrome

• Evidence-based Examination of Hip Pain – Jamil Neme, MD
• Hip Preservation in the Young Patient – Scott Kaar, MD
• Emerging Rehabilitation Practices for FAI – Nathan Jarman, MS, CSCS, ATC
• Manual Techniques (Lab) – Mike Markee, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, ATC
• Corrective Exercise Strategies for the Hip (Lab) – Tim Howell, EdD, CSCS, ATC

Registration and payment information

• Early Bird Registration Fee (payment by 11/29/2019) - $60
• Regular Registration Fee (after 11/29/2019) - $75

Complete course flyer, registration form and payment information are available through Saint Louis University here: REGISTRATION LINK

If paying by check, or for more information, please contact Dr. Kitty Newsham (knewsham@slu.edu)

Continuing Education

Athletic Training: Saint Louis University, Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training (BOC AP# P3877) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers. This program is eligible for a maximum of 4 EBP Category hours/CEUs

Physical Therapy:   Saint Louis University School of Medicine Continuing Education Program is a continuing education sponsor for the State of Illinois to provide Physical Therapy and Occupation Therapy CE courses. State of Illinois Physical Therapy Continuing Education Sponsor License # 216-000085 Expiration Date: 09/30/2020 CE Contact hours: 4.0

SLU AT Program Welcomes New Course Coordinators

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program welcomes two new coordinators for two courses that are held during the second 8 weeks of the Fall 2019 term.

Katie Sniffen MS, ATC will be the course coordinator in MAT 5550 - Rehabilitation in Athletic Training II.  She is a doctoral student in Public Health; is in her 3rd year as a lab instructor for Therapeutic Modalities; and also serves as Clinical Coordinator in the SLU Center for Interprofessional Education and Research teaching IPE 4900 and IPE 4905.

'In her short time at SLU, she has several publications and has made multiple presentations at national and international conferences.  Find her publication "Embedding Interprofessional Activities with Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Students in Shared Professional Course" from the International Journal of Health Science Education here: https://dc.etsu.edu/ijhse/vol6/iss1/4/

Katie came to SLU from Pepperdine University where she served as on their Athletic Training Staff after graduating with her Master's degree from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor's degree from Long Beach State University.

SLU AT Program Alum and Maryville University athletic trainer Max Alander MAT, ATC, CSCS will be the course coordinator for MAT 5650 - Research in Athletic Training.  It will be a seminar-format course with guest speakers and some online content. After graduation from SLU in 2017, he was a research fellow at the United States Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and he now also teaches at Maryville.

His research project was awarded 3rd place at the 2017 ARL Summer Symposium:
https://www.slu.edu/doisy/doisy-news/2017/alander-arl.php

SLU AT Students Gain NCAA Division I Clinical Experience in Multiple Contexts at SIU-Edwardsville

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
By: Conner Mongoven and  Rachel Wilhelm (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

Coming into our last year in the professional program for Athletic Training at SLU, the two of us chose to spend last year’s clinical experience at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. SIUE is a Division 1 school and thus is a great opportunity for athletic training students who are interested in going into the college setting. We are able to learn from many different people, such as the Head Athletic Trainer Gerald Schlemer, ATC, as well as the Assistant Athletic Trainers and Graduate Assistants. Each member of the staff is in charge of their own sports. Because of this, at each sport season transition, the two of us will not only be changing the team that we work with, but also the Athletic Trainer we are learning under. Our first expected change is scheduled for the beginning of October. Both of us had an interest in volleyball and soccer, so we will be switching team assignments halfway through the season to be able to get the experience we really wanted in our last year. While we’re both enjoying working with our current teams, we’re looking forward to the new experiences as the year progresses.

Rachel: Beginning in August, my first sport rotation I began with is with the women’s volleyball team. The Athletic Trainer I am learning under is Katlin Grapes, ATC. She is a first year Graduate Assistant working to obtain her master’s degree in sports psychology. Katlin’s class schedule will sometimes conflict with practice times, so the Assistant Athletic Trainer that worked with the team over the summer, Kristin Weller, ATC, will step in to help. The volleyball team has no shortage of injured athletes, which has turned into a great learning opportunity for me. There are even many conditions I wasn’t expecting to see in this setting. Both Katlin and Kristin put their full trust in me when it comes to doing evaluations, using therapeutic modalities, and creating and teaching rehab protocols to athletes. Under them, I am able to learn a lot and actively practice my skills every day. This rotation is something I have been looking forward to, due to my having played volleyball through high school myself. I am really excited to be able to take my knowledge of the sport and work to incorporate that into developing sport specific treatment and rehabilitation plans. I am enjoying my time with volleyball, but I am looking forward to my future experiences the rest of the year.

Conner: To begin my clinical experience at SIUE, I have started out being with Mary McKee, ATC, and the women’s soccer team. In my time I have gotten to get to know the players and the coaches and learn about Athletic Training in the Division 1 Athletics setting, which I have not experienced yet before. In this setting, I have gained exposure to how the communication works between ATs, coaches and strength and conditioning specialist. I have gotten to understand more about the planning that goes into trainings and workouts for the athletes and how it is geared towards minimizing and preventing injury risks. I have learned new ways to implement rehab and therapeutic exercise as an addition to treatment with therapeutic modalities in order to further provide injury care and injury prevention for the athletes. After a great start to my experience with the soccer team, I am excited to continue on and to get exposure with other sports and their Athletic Trainers.

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.

SLU AT Student Values Support from Preceptor and Community at Rockwood Summit HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Rockwood Summit High School
By: Emma Yonkers (MAT Class of 2020)

So far, PY2 year has been a very challenging and rewarding experience. Having a year of clinical experience, as well as my summer field experience, has been proven invaluable to how I’ve approached this year. In only a month, Rockwood Summit High School has already helped me grow and learn so much. My preceptor from Mercy Sports Medicine, Tony Mosello, ATC, is a graduate of the SLU Athletic Training Program and he has been in my shoes. He knows the caliber of the program and what he got out of it, which has helped foster a trusting professional relationship.

Everyone at Summit is incredibly kind and welcoming so it was easy to feel like I was meant to be there right off the bat. The athletes, coaches, parents, and everyone in between trust Tony. It is really cool to see the community he has built in the athletic training room in just four years at Summit. Having a role model like that as a preceptor motivates me to be the best I can be.

With the clinical experience I have thus far, I have become much more confident in my knowledge and my ability to apply it to the everyday routine. This confidence has made it easier for me to step out of my comfort zone because I know I am capable of learning something new every day. The fact that I will be at Summit for the whole year is really exciting because the environment is so welcoming and I can really be myself, which will help my figure out the kind of AT I want to be in the future. Getting to know the athletes in their fall sport and I’ll be there to help if they play a spring sport is rewarding in itself.

I like the high school environment because to get to see the athletes grow as people and figure out who they are. I am really excited to see what this year brings.

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.

SLU AT Student Enjoys Returning to Alma Mater for Clinical Experience at Webster Groves HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Webster Groves High School
By: Abigail Hoffman (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

Being at Webster Groves High School for my PY2 year is an opportunity that I wanted to have, but wasn’t sure if I could have it. Since I graduated from Webster, this experience is very different for me. It’s pretty much like coming full circle. Sean Wright ATC, my former teacher and inspiration to become an athletic trainer is now my preceptor. I couldn’t be more grateful. I am treated as an equal there and I have the freedom and trust from my preceptor to provide athletes with evaluations and plans for treatment. One thing that I appreciate about my time at Webster so far is that I was fully immersed in athletic training duties straight away. Normally that situation would scare me, but I felt comfortable enough to jump in because I have the support. As a PY2, I think being treated as a certified athletic trainer (with supervision) is necessary to prepare me for my future career.

I have been able to dive deeper into rehabilitation techniques so far and learn from my preceptor as well as teach myself along the way. Being handed the task of finding rehab for an athlete on my own time is intimidating, but it helps me in the end to make my own decisions and be confident in them. I enjoy my role in the AT room because the athletes trust me and know that I have the knowledge to help them. I’ve managed to create a good rapport with the athletes and coaches, which is an important skill to master before graduating with this degree because of the need for communication and tactfulness.

I look forward to new experiences with different sports as the year advances. I have already been able to be put in situations that make me think on the spot, which is something I didn’t experience as much at my other clinical placements. My ability to make tough decisions will continue to grow because my preceptor allows me to make mistakes and learn from them. As my experience at Webster continues, I know I will become a more resourceful and critical thinker.

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.

SLU AT Students Enjoy Learning in Dynamic Clinical Environment with Washington University Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Washington University Athletics
By: Mitchell Buerck, Maria Lingardo, Allison Stefan (MAT Class of 2020) and  
Maddie Bozych, Kaylla Juarez, Allison Stefan, Joey Wenzl (MAT Class of 2021)

At Washington University, we are fortunate to learn from four highly experienced athletic trainers while having access to amazing facilities and equipment. The semester there are three PY1’s, Maddie Bozych, Kaylla Juarez, and Joey Wenzl , and three PY2’s, Allison Stefan, Mitchell Buerck, and Maria Lingardo. The six of us have the opportunity to cover a well-respected Division 3 football program that is composed of great athletes who are appreciative of our help. Each day brings new learning opportunities in the fast paced world of football. Each week brings new injuries which we get to evaluate and treat with a multitude of modalities, and create rehab programs to get them back to play.

To prepare for practices and games, we use modalities such as electrical stim, laser, game ready, alter-G, and an underwater treadmill to treat and rehab our athletes to ensure they can play at their fullest potential. During games we are able to efficiently and effectively use the skills we have learned from Grant Rohrig, MAT, ATC, (our preceptor) and through our SLU AT program to help evaluate and treat our athletes to assist them to quickly get back to the game. During our clinical rotation we all get the opportunity to travel with the football team. During travel trips we get more exposure of what it may be like to have a career in a college or professional sports team setting. These trips present us a chance to use our skills in an environment that is different than our usual AT room that doesn’t have all the great modalities. It forces us to adapt to use what we have at our disposal.

As stated earlier, at WashU we get to learn and observe from four different certified athletic trainers who all come from unique backgrounds and levels of experience. Rick Larsen, MS, ATC, Jim Anderson, BS, ATC, Mary Collins, MAT, ATC and Grant Rohrig, MAT, ATC  give four perspectives on taping techniques, injury evaluations, and rehabilitation programs. There is a great balance between teaching by example, and letting us learn on our own. By letting us learn on our own, while they are overseeing, they challenge us to use the knowledge we’ve learned to make rehab and treatment decisions for our athletes. We all are looking forward to the rest of the semester and seeing how our skills improve.

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.

SLU AT Student Appreciates Preceptor's Role in Clinical Experience at Westminster Christian Academy

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Westminster Christian Academy
By: Alejandra Chavez (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

For my PY2 clinical rotation, I am at Westminster Christian Academy. I have been enjoying my time a lot at WCA and have enjoyed learning from my preceptor and SLU alum Katherine Love MAT, ATC, from Mercy Sports Medicine. Katherine and everyone at WCA have been very welcoming and have made me feel like a very valuable member of the team. Getting to know and be around the athletes has also been a lot of fun. I am happy to be back at the high school setting for my final clinical rotation.

I am surprised as to how much I have grown to like being at the high school setting. Prior to entering the professional phase of the program, I was not too sure I was going to like being in this type of setting, but I have had great experiences that have made me really enjoy being in this environment. Although it can be chaotic at times, it is a fun environment because every day is a different day and you never really know what to expect. Since the beginning of my clinical rotation at WCA, I have had so much hands-on experience and I have grown a lot more confidence in my clinical skills because of how much I have been able to practice them on a daily basis. Every day at WCA is a busy day full of opportunities to grow as an athletic training student.

My preceptor Katherine always makes sure I am very involved and is continuously providing me with opportunities to learn and practice my skills. I appreciate her trust in my clinical skills and how encouraging she is. I am excited to continue learning from Katherine and from my experience at WCA and I look forward to the rest of my year here.

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.

SLU AT Student Gets Varied Perspectives in Immersive Clinical Experience at Fort Zumwalt North HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Fort Zumwalt North High School
By: Cheyenne Meinershagen (MAT Class of 2020)

I spent my summer gaining experience at Fort Zumwalt North High School. I had the opportunity to be mentored by SLU alum Jay Maturan MAT, ATC, from Athletico, and multiple other athletic trainers gaining insight to their ways of thinking and had the opportunity to see how that translates into their practice.

We had multiple different team camps with athletes in the athletic training room before and after each of their practices. I have had the opportunity to learn multiple different rehab programs and instruct different athletes through them.

I am enjoying my time spent at Fort Zumwalt North and can’t wait to spend the rest of my PY2 year there!

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Builds Clinical Confidence and Communication Skills at New Trier HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - New Trier High School, Wilmette, Illinois

By: Gwyn Brown (MAT Class of 2020)

My summer clinical experience is as New Trier High School in Wilmette, IL. New Trier has a highly recognized athletic program in the Midwest with many of their athletes going on to play at the collegiate level. This summer New Trier has been an amazing experience and has helped build my clinical confidence and communication skills. 

I had the opportunity to be there for all the summer sport camps which include, football, girls’ and boys’ lacrosse, girls field hockey, girls’ soccer, and occasionally basketball. What has been new for me at new trier is that I am used to athletes playing one sport a season or just one sport period but not at New Trier in the summer. These athletes are going back to back practices for different sports. It is a great experience because I get to be involved with multiple sports consistently that don’t occur during the same season regularly. 

Another highlight of New Trier that I haven’t seen anywhere else at my clinical sites, is that they, in the last year, built an athletic training room right next to the fields, fully equipped with an ice machine, plinths, whirlpool, electrical stimulation and ultra sound machine, and enough space for rehabs to take place, and if there is not enough space, take 10 steps and you have an entire turf field. Being so close to the fields makes us more accessible to the athletes. They come in more and are more willing to come in and get checked out versus us being all the way in the building down in the basement which tends to be a deterrent being so far. 

Communicating with high schoolers can be hard and at New Trier, their Athletic Trainer Jordan Anderson ATC who was my preceptor really helped me improve on how to communicate with the athletes and how to understand the way they communicate. This has helped me immensely get increasingly better at evaluations and being able to walk the athletes through rehab or explain their injuries to a parent or coach. New Trier was a great summer clinical because it helped me keep old skills and knowledge sharp but improve skills that needed to be sharpened. It was truly an incredible experience with intelligent mentors and high-end equipment and tools.  

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Learns Many Skills in Comprehensive Clinical Experience at Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital Chicago

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
By: Allison Stefan (MAT Class of 2020)

My summer field experience at Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital Chicago was amazing! During the week I had the opportunity to cover four pediatric orthopedic clinics with four different preceptors at various locations throughout the Chicagoland area. I also had “Flex Fridays” which consist of shadowing different departments that work close with the Pediatric Orthopedic team, such as the Orthotics and Physical Therapy Departments.

In a nutshell, on Mondays I covered Dr. Labella’s clinic with my preceptor Kristi McCracken, MBA, ATC. Through this clinic I have seen multiple concussion cases. During the appointments my preceptor let me run BESS testing on patients, as well as, SCAT questions. On Tuesdays I went to clinic with Dr. Hang and Maddie McHugh, MS, ATC. This clinic schedules more fracture/ orthopedic injuries and I assisted with casting patients, in addition to practicing my documentation skills in Epic. Wednesdays were clinic with Dr. Finlayson and Emily Worobec M.S.Ed, ATC, LAT, which mainly deal with seeing various orthopedic patients, such as ACL tears and OCDs. Dr. Finlayson is one of the surgeons on the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine team so many of his appointments are referrals for possible conditions that may require surgery, or post operation check-ups. On Thursdays I covered a clubfoot children’s clinic with Dr. Carl and Adam Potteiger MS, ATC. In this clinic, I have learned about the Ponseti Method of correcting clubfoot children and much more about the casting procedure.

In addition to these clinics, I had the opportunity to observe the OR, teach female athletes Lurie’s Knee Injury Prevention Program at summer camps, and attend the Orthopedic and Sport Medicine team’s monthly meeting. I couldn’t be more thrilled about my summer field experience, the doctors and my preceptors are outstanding. They made me feel apart of the team by explaining each condition to me, letting me view images, and just overall including me into their clinics. I can tell that I will walk away with a toolbox full of skills that I did not have before.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Appreciates Preceptor's Role in Immersive Clinical Learning Experience at St. Louis Scott Gallagher

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - St. Louis Scott Gallagher

By: Becca McGrail (MAT Class of 2020)

For my summer field experience I had the opportunity to assist my preceptor, Emily Costabile MAT, ATC (SLU MAT Class of 2015) from Mercy Sports Medicine, with preventative care and rehabilitation of the athletes at St. Louis Scott Gallagher. During my time caring for these athletes, I was exposed to various new learning opportunities that have made me more confident in my abilities. Emily has taught me a lot about different ways to perform manual techniques and how to implement rehabilitation programs with this unique athlete population. Since the SGSL has such a large athlete population ranging from young kids to high school seniors, I have learned to adapt my communication skills in order to best explain to my athletes what their injury entails and how to best treat it in a way that they will understand.

I could not be more appreciative to Emily for allowing me to practice my evaluations skills, improve my techniques and develop rehabilitation programs on my own in order for me to become the best future Athletic Trainer that I can be. She has created a positive learning environment that encouraged me to consider and work through different situations that I may face again on my own in the future. 

I have really enjoyed getting to work with soccer especially because that is what I aspire to do in my future career. I cannot wait to apply everything I have learned this summer at my next clinical site in a few weeks!

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Gets Hands-on Learning Experience at Roswell NeuroSport Physical Therapy

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - NeuroSport Physical Therapy, Roswell, GA

By: Carmen Roberson (MAT Class of 2020)

This summer I am doing my clinical rotation at the Roswell NeuroSport Physical Therapy clinic in Georgia. So far, it has been such a great experience that I always look forward to throughout the week. My preceptor at the clinic, Chris Ross is a certified Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist, and I have learned so much from his expertise. Being in this setting has given me the opportunity to work with patients one-on-one each hour and increase my knowledge on the use of a variety of different modalities, manual and myofascial techniques, and joint mobilizations.

Overall the experience I have had thus far has been beneficial to my growth as an AT student and has given me a great idea on the patient population that I would like to work with when I have completed my program. I look forward to learning more as my last couple weeks wrap up and I am excited for the future.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Students Enjoy an Immersive Summer Experience Providing Care for the SLU Billikens

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics
By: Mitchell Buerck (MAT Class of 2020) and Maria Lingardo (MAT Class of 2020)

Starting in July, we had the pleasure of gaining clinical experience at Saint Louis University. Our preceptors, Jonathan Burch ATC and Petra Knight ATC, caring for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Each week we switch off, getting experience with both teams.

Mitchell - I was with the men’s basketball team during the spring semester. It was nice coming back, jumping right back where I left off with practices and helping the players. The women’s team was a new experience for me but I enjoyed it just as much. Being with the men’s basketball team really helped my transition to the women’s team with how they do their practice and rehab. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the summer goes.

Maria - This has been an incredible experience so far. I hope to have a future in Division I athletics, so this setting is perfect for helping me get a feel of how things work. I started off with Petra and the women’s basketball team. I helped set up for practices, helped with treatments and recovery and even ran through rehabs with the athletes. Petra is also in charge of ordering and inventory for the AT room. Getting to help her puts in perspective all of the hard work that AT’s do behind the scenes that no one thinks about. Being with the men’s basketball team has been a similar experience. The players work hard, even at early morning practices, and I’m honored to be helping out.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Builds Rehabilitation Skills with a Variety of Patients at Illinois Bone and Joint Institute

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Highland Park, IL
By: Alejandra Chavez-Hernandez (MAT Class of 2020)

This summer I have the privilege of being at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute in Highland Park, Illinois for my summer field experience under the guidance of my preceptors Paul Schmidt PT, ATC and Bria Wanzung PT, DPT, ATC.  The Illinois Bone and Joint Institute is one of the largest independent orthopedic practices in the US.

IBJI is truly a great fit for me because one of my goals for the summer was to learn more about rehab and being at this site has helped me achieve that goal and so much more. I have two great preceptors that have each taught me a lot about the rehab process from different perspectives. I am often challenged to think creatively when thinking of new exercises that are appropriate for different patients according to their injury and rehab goals. I have especially learned a lot about different manual therapy techniques as well as rehab tools that I found very interesting such as a blood flow restriction used to help patients recover from their injury by periodically reducing the blood flow to the limb as they perform different exercises to help increase their strength.

I typically spend two days out of the week with Bria and then two days with Paul. I usually observe my preceptor as they work with their patient and then I lead the patient through their rehab exercises. This has helped me learn a lot about how to properly communicate the right cues to the patient to make sure they are doing their exercises in a safe and correct manner. I have also had the opportunity to shadow other health professionals at IBJI such as sports medicine doctors and other physical therapists who specialize in things such as rehab for patients with concussions.

Something that I really appreciate from being at IBJI has been learning to practice my skills with patients of all ages. I am used to being around high school and college athletes from previous clinical experiences, but at IBJI I have been able to utilize my skills with kids, adults and elders, which has been great because I have learned a lot about how to modify different rehab exercises to fit the patients needs.

I am enjoying this experience because it has showed me a different setting where athletic trainers work, especially because it is a setting I aspire to practice in the future. I am grateful for this opportunity to learn from great clinicians in this dynamic learning environment. I look forward to the rest of my summer at IBJI!

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Appreciates Opportunity to Learn in High-Profile Setting at Ole Miss

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - University of Mississippi Athletics
By: Caitlyn Thomas (MAT Class of 2020)

This summer, I got the opportunity to get my field experience at Ole Miss with the women’s soccer team. I was super stoked to get experience at a Division I, Power-five university since this is the setting I want to pursue in my career.  My preceptor, Corbit Franks, MS, ATC, CES, is highly knowledgeable and is a fabulous teacher. The women on the soccer team are a fun bunch to be around and I am enjoying spending my time with them.

At Ole Miss, Corbit and a few other AT's have been teaching me about some new rehabilitative techniques, such as Active Release Technique and Postural Restoration Institute. They often use these techniques in their rehab protocols and see great results.

Another interesting aspect of my experience is getting to observe Brian Wiseman CSCS, the strength and conditioning coach, work with the women’s soccer team. I have been able to chat with him about why he incorporates certain exercises into their conditioning routine and I have seen Brian and Corbit work closely together to ensure the athletes are as healthy and fit as possible. I am excited for preseason to officially begin and to be around for the women’s first regular season game!

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Returns to Clinical Site with Improved Confidence at Christian Brothers College HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Christian Brothers College High School
By: Abigail Hoffman (MAT Class of 2020)

I’ve enjoyed my experience at Christian Brothers College High School (aka CBC) so far this summer. It is nice to be back and be able to work on my skills here again. I know how everything works and who everyone is, so it was an easy transition. I am excited to see how much my skills have improved from being here in the Fall to being here now. I can confidently do things I was not comfortable doing before. 

When I was here during the fall semester, it took me a while to warm up and become comfortable practicing new skills. Now since I have been able to practice what I learn in class for an entire year, I have confidence to go ahead and tape athletes without needing to consult with Kristen Jeans, ATC, LMT, my preceptor from Mercy Sports Medicine, as well as do evaluations on athletes. Evaluations are something I never felt comfortable doing during my first rotation here at CBC, so I’m proud of myself for being able to throw myself into evaluations since I’ve started my summer field experience.

I look forward to improving my skills this summer. CBC football is a good place for me to keep doing evaluations because injuries happen often and since my preceptor is a licensed massage therapist, she is teaching me some of her techniques for treating athletes with neural tension. Kristen teaches me things that I feel I would only learn from being in the field practicing. That is why I have always appreciated my time here at CBC because it is a valuable learning experience.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Grows Clinical and Time Management Skills in Busy Professional Setting with the Schaumburg Boomers

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Schaumburg Boomers 
By: Rachel Wilhelm (MAT Class of 2020)

Having finished my first year as a professional student in SLU’s Athletic Training program, I am now preparing for my second year with a summer field experience. I am set with the Schaumburg Boomers, a professional baseball team apart of the independent Frontier League. My preceptor is Mylie Leatherman, ATC. She is employed by the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute (IBJI) and is currently going on her third year as the head athletic trainer for the Boomers. She received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Tulsa (Oklahoma) in December of 2016 and is currently working toward her Master’s degree. Having already been with the team for a few years, Mylie really understands what is required of her to keep the team running with their hectic schedules of games six days a week and constant travel. Everyday, we come in even before the set treatment time to prep for the day. The athletes then come in and we work to get their treatment and rehab done before BP (batting practice). Even then, we go out with them to observe and do a little bit extra here and there for some of them, such as eccentric ball toss or agility training drills. But one of the best parts, is being able to see the team in action from the dugout. I have definitely learned a lot about baseball since starting with the Boomers.

Treatment time before games is when I really get to practice my skills and learn new techniques. Honestly, it can get a little crazy with just Mylie and me for the whole team, but it’s training me to be able to think quickly and be more efficient with my time. Since coming to the team, Mylie has given me the responsibility of designing rehab protocols for a few of the players. I have been doing the evaluations and helping athletes complete the treatment plan I lay out for them. We also make use of different soft tissue techniques to help with cases involving muscle strains, trigger points, neural tension, and more. There are also modalities that we include in some treatment protocols such as electric stimulation and ultrasound. While I am very familiar with these options from my previous clinical sites,  it is always interesting to me just how different the uses of these treatment methods are just going from sport to sport. Because of this, I am trying to make sure I learn as much as I can in the short time I have left here with the Boomers. I am really looking forward to how much I will have learned by the end of the summer.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.