SLU AT Student Experiences Clinical and Professional Growth with Mizzou Football

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - University of Missouri Columbia

By: Eldwin Neritani (MAT Class of 2023)

During my clinical experience with Mizzou Football, I have been fortunate to work with the athletic training staff here. I have worked exclusively with the football team so far with my time here and I have learned a lot. I have been able to apply my own knowledge and learning to my everyday tasks to help the athletes and gain a good hands-on experience during my time here. Being able to work with this staff and these athletes has given me a great experience that I have found to be extremely valuable to my growth in the profession as well.

With my responsibilities starting with morning practices, I have been able to get a good on field experience learning and seeing how a NCAA Division 1 football team works in real time. Whether that is practice, weight-lifting, or during their rehab sessions, I have experienced all parts of it and have learned so much about every different environment that I am in while interacting with these athletes. Becoming part of a new environment and learning the dynamics between players and training staff has been very insightful for me, and being able to be hands on through the whole process has allowed me the chance to also get myself to be part of this dynamic. Being able to treat these athletes with the vast amount of different equipment Mizzou possesses has been very interesting, and has given me the freedom to really let my creativity and previous experiences dictate how and what path the athlete and I want to take to treat their injuries.

Mizzou has provided me many experiences in all aspects of athletic training; from on-field practices and injury prevention to injury assessment and rehabilitation. I have been able to learn and grow through the training staff and learn through their methods and practices what best can suit me. This has been a great experience so far, and I am excited to see what the rest of the clinical rotation has in store.

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.