April 25, 2019

Students in SLU MAT Class of 2019 to Present Capstone Projects on Friday May 3rd.

Students in the Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2019 will be presenting their Capstone Projects on May 3, 2019 starting at 8:00 am in the Multipurpose Room on the 3rd Floor of the Allied Health Building on SLU's Medical Center (South) Campus.  The event is open to the public, and presentation of these projects mark the completion of their experience as students in the SLU Athletic Training Program. 

SCHEDULE

7:30 am   BREAKFAST
8:00 am   Erin Fabbri - Playing surface and ACL Injuries
8:15 am   Cody Hutson - Footwear/equipment and Lower Extremity Injuries
8:30 am   Maggie Rowell - Short Foot Exercise Program and Balance
8:45 am   Jazmon Carroll - Early Weight-Bearing After Achilles Tendon Rupture
9:00 am   Matt Eifert - Acute Pain Management and Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
9:15 am   Rory Cusack - ACL Injury Prevention Programs for Female Collegiate Athletes
9:30 am   Adam Long - Blood Flow Restriction for Strength in ACLR patients
9:45 am   Juan Calero Alonso - Functional Knee Braces for ACL Protection post-injury
10:00 am Sarah Menzuber - Platelet Rich Plasma vs Stem Cell Therapy for Connective Tissue
10:15 am Matt Murphy - Therapeutic Ultra-Sound with Soft Tissue Manipulation for Tendonopathy
10:30 am Jesse Schmitt - Light Resistance Training and Hamstring Injuries
10:45 am Chris Mecherle - Cupping vs Massage for Neck and/or Shoulder Pain
11:00 am Danielle Jabczynski - Vestibular Rehabilitation for Benign Paraxysmal Postural Vertigo
11:15 am Paul Lamb - Resistance Training to Reduce Injury Rates in Young Athletes
11:30 am Justin Ullom - Oxford vs DeLorme Method of Strength Training
11:45 am Cat Chua - Relationship between Fatigue and Injury
12:00 am Dimitri Killian - Relationship between Depression and Immune Responses
12:15 am Brian Leach - Entrepreneurship in Athletic Training
12:30 am PROGRAM AWARDS AND PRECEPTOR RECOGNITION LUNCHEON

For more information call 314-877-8561 or email sluptat@health.slu.edu.

April 13, 2019

SLU AT Student Recognizes Preceptor's Impact on Clinical Experience at John Burroughs School


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - John Burroughs School
By: Caitlyn Thomas (MAT Class of 2020) 

This semester, I have been placed at John Burroughs School as my clinical site. Dean Tiffany ATC is my preceptor and Matt Eifert is the PY2 at JBS. It has been a transition for me from the college setting to the high school setting, but I am enjoying the high school setting much more than I thought I would. We are very fortunate to have an incredible athletic training room and access to a handful of modalities, as well as respectful and friendly students and staff.
At John Burroughs, Dean is very willing to let me and Matt take the lead on doing assessments and only steps in when he sees we need help. This is allowing me to get out of my comfort zone and realize that I know more than I think I do. I get loads of hands-on experience at JBS and it has helped my confidence improve ten-fold. Dean is extremely knowledgeable and has many tips and tricks up his sleeve that he has shown me and Matt. I think he is an incredible preceptor and I am learning so much from him! Matt has also been a great resource for me because I can turn to him for any questions I have. He practices with me when I don’t understand something and he is always enthusiastic when he is in the Athletic Training room. He makes me excited to walk into the Athletic Training room every day!
So far, John Burroughs couldn’t be any better. I really feel like my knowledge of Athletic Training has sky rocketed since I arrived at JBS, and I am excited to continually learn more. Dean is a phenomenal preceptor and I have enjoyed every minute learning from him.

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.

April 12, 2019

SLU AT Students Enjoy Immersive and Engaging Clinical Environment at Lindenwood University - Belleville


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University – Belleville
By: Hannah Daily and Becca McGrail (MAT Class of 2020); and Adam Long and Justin Ullom (MAT Class of 2019) 

This semester we have gotten the opportunity to experience NAIA collegiate level athletics at Lindenwood University – Belleville. We are helping provide care for all sports including but not limited to: Men’s and Women’s Hockey, Baseball, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Track and Field and Wrestling.

We have gotten the chance to learn together in an engaging environment with each other as well as with the LUB athletic training students and amazing AT staff. Our preceptors, Stephen Slone MS, ATC, LAT, Curtis Wilkerson MS, ATC, LAT, Timothy Woodstock MS, ATC, LAT have been incredibly helpful by showing us new treatment techniques as well as other ways to help the athletes.

The entire Lynx AT staff is extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions we may have. It is obvious that they want us to reach our full potential, so they are constantly there to encourage us and make sure that we are confident in our abilities. Some of our responsibilities include developing and implementing rehabilitation programs for individualized athletes, writing SOAP notes, preventative care such as taping and stretching, use of modalities, and performing evaluations. Lindenwood University – Belleville offers an immersive environment that has been very rewarding since we are able to really get to know some many different athletes along with being able to witness multiple athletes progress in their rehabilitation post-injury.
Adam and Justin, the PY2's, have gotten to primarily assist with pre-, in-game, and post-game responsibilities for both men’s and women’s hockey; along with practice coverage. Their main role as of now is to help prepare the team and gear up for their national tournaments in Nashville and Texas for men/women respectively. PY1's Hannah and Becca have been helping out with mainly baseball as well as other duties in the athletic training room. We are really getting to see how different the collegiate level is from the high school setting considering we were both placed at different high schools last semester. Every day we continue to improve our skills as well as learn how to connect with our athletes and peers to provide the best patient centered care.

Overall, we are all looking forward to what the rest of the semester has in store for us!

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.

April 08, 2019

SLU AT Student Appreciates Support from Preceptor and School Community at Parkway Central HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Parkway Central High School
By: Christopher Mecherle (MAT Class of 2019) 

Parkway Central High School has been a valuable experience on my path to becoming a certified athletic trainer. I’m certain once I’m out and working after college that I will look fondly on the skills that I have forged and refined during the last two semesters. My preceptor and SLU alum Michael Aaron, MAT, ATC, from Mercy Sports Medicine, is very enthusiastic about having an athletic training student. He always considers when and where there may be a learning opportunity to take advantage of, and for that, I am grateful.
For the most part, I feel comfortable in the athletic training setting. Performing evaluations, treatment, rehab, and first-aid definitely feels more natural than it did a year ago. So in my perspective, this semester has been more about discovering how I want my athletic training identity to take shape. It’s made me think about how I can be a transformational force in whatever setting I choose to be in. I often tend to question more about how I carry myself and if I project a fitting aura of professionalism. All in all, my skills are getting to be more second nature, and now it’s my persona that needs fine-tuning.

Parkway Central staff and athletes have been appreciative and accommodating of me, and I cannot thank them enough for their support. I look forward to finishing out the year with the Colts!

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.

April 07, 2019

SLU AT Student Builds Clinical Skills and Acquires New "Tools" at Parkway West HS


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Parkway West High School 
By: Courtney Nall (MAT Class of 2020) 

I have the pleasure of being at Parkway West High School for my Spring clinical site with preceptor Matt Berning MAT, ATC from Mercy Sports Medicine. Coming from a university setting, things are a bit different at the high school setting. Parkway West does not have as many modalities as my previous clinical site. I have enjoyed learning how to care for and manage injuries with the resources that are at our disposal. I have also learned some new taping techniques that Matt likes to use. I like learning new techniques that I am able to keep in my “tool kit”.


Every day starts with taking care of the kids that come into the training room after school. We tape ankles and wrists, monitor kids who are doing their exercises as well as determine what injured athletes are going to be able to do that day. After everyone goes out to practice, we head outside and make our rounds in the golf cart. We stop by each of the teams that are practicing, checking to see how everyone is doing. If there is someone that needs to seen, we will head right over to where they are. Matt makes it a fun and easy learning environment where I feel comfortable getting critiqued and asking questions. I look forward to learning from him every day.


Being the only SLU student at West has allowed many more opportunities for me to practice what I know. I appreciate that Matt lets me do evaluations on my own first. These are chances for me to put my knowledge and skills to the test as well as build up my confidence. Spring sports have recently started, and we are already much busier in the training room. I am excited for the many learning opportunities ahead. I am eager to see what the rest of the semester has in store for me.

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.

April 03, 2019

SLU AT Student Appreciates Opportunity to Practice Clinical Assessment Skills at Chaminade College Prep

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Chaminade College Preparatory School
By: Justin Durham (MAT Class of 2020) 

Chaminade College Prep has been a great experience and has given me the opportunity to further my skills. Scott Kugler ATC is my preceptor at Chaminade and has helped me whenever I need it and explains his thought process on certain situations as well as his process on evaluations.

I have had multiple opportunities to practice evaluations and well as help athletes in their rehab programs. Starting my clinical rotation at Chaminade I did not have much experience going through evaluations start to finish so my experience so far has really helped.

Most evaluations I have performed were on the lower extremities and only a couple for upper extremities. One of the biggest things I have learned from going through the evaluations is to really think about the questions you want to ask in the history so you can get a whole picture of what happened and what may be wrong.

My experience so far is that some athletes will come in and immediately tell you anything and everything about what happened while others are really quiet and you have to ask multiple questions to get a glimpse at what is going on. Another thing I have really tried to work on with my evaluations is being systematic and knowing what I want to do so that I do not forget anything. 

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.

April 01, 2019

SLU AT Program Faculty and Students Have a Great Time in Tulsa at the MAATA Annual Meeting

Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program faculty and eleven students traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma from March 28-30, 2019 for the Mid-America Athletic Trainers' Association's Annual Meeting.

Allison Stefan with Dr. Breitbach and Dr. Newsham
For SLU, the meeting had many highlights including:
  • Dr. Kitty Newsham, faculty member and MAATA Secretary presented "Single-Subject Research Design Informing Clinical Decision Making".
  • Allison Stefan, MAT Class of 2020, was awarded a MAATA Graduate Professional Scholarship
  • SLU AT Students Cody Hutson, Matt Murphy and Jesse Schmitt participated in the MAATA Quiz Bowl.
Quiz Bowl Competition

SLU AT Students attending the MAATA Business Meeting.