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.