SLU AT Student Engages in Diverse On-campus Opportunities

New PY1 AT Student Blog Post - Caroline Miller (MAT Class of 2024)

This semester in MAT 3000 I really enjoyed the opportunities I got to do for my direct observation hours. My opportunities included shadowing ATs right here at Saint Louis University and at the NCAA division 2 wrestling championships hosted right on campus in Chaifetz Arena!

The athletic trainers I shadowed here at SLU were Elena Melillo ATC, Maddie Bozych MAT ATC, and Gwyn Brown MAT, ATC. While shadowing Elena I got to learn about what she does on game days with SLU womens basketball including treatment before the game and during half time. She let me know the injury status of her athletes, what she’s given them for treatment, and the most common injuries she sees with this sport. While shadowing Gwyn Brown, I got to observe her and Maddie Cavanaugh (both pictured), her PY1 student, at SLU softball games! I learned about the most common injuries seen with softball players and got to see what treatments players are given before, during, and between games! Fortunately at both of these experiences, none of the players were injured during games.

The coolest experience I had this semester was at the NCAA division II wrestling championships. I got to shadow PYs Eldwin Neritani and Mason Cotterel, and watch them work with other athletic trainers from the event. Along with specifically shadowing them I also got to talk to athletic trainers from other universities or other settings and learn about their experiences in their undergrad, professional years, and at their places of work. I was also able to talk to fellow junior student Grace Golembiewski and other students in SLU’s MAT program.  

I learned that there are many settings that I could work in as an athletic trainer. I’m extremely excited to be able to practice my skills and demonstrate my knowledge as a professional student in our program this fall!

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.