SLU AT Student Builds Clinical Skills with Support of Preceptors at Bowling Green State University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Bowling Green State University Sports Medicine

By: Mason Remeis (MAT Class of 2023)

Over the summer I have been able to get insight through clinical experience with a collegiate football program, this time at the NCAA Division 1 level at Bowling Green State University.  There are a total of 3 athletic trainers on staff for the football team alone, two full time and one who splits time between the college and the local high school.  I have worked very closely under the two full time AT's, the Head Athletic Trainer Dani Coppes ATC and the Assistant Athletic Trainer David Florea ATC.  With two full time AT's on staff for the team, I have been able to see how they work together to make sure everything each of them has the necessary information about each athlete in case one of them is to spend more time with them one day, and the other one works with them the following day.  They have also formed great relationships with the coaching staff and players, which has created an atmosphere full of trust and respect on all ends.  Both AT's have had different experiences at their prior positions, so I have been able to learn some different things from each of them.

So far this summer I have been able to care for athletes who are on off-season rehab plans.  Since this summer consists of lifting and conditioning as well as non-contact practices, here have not been any major injuries that have occurred during my time here so far, except for some muscle strains and similar level injuries.  I do think that it has been beneficial to get to see what it is like for athletes at different levels of their rehab plans.  I have seen how they approach a lot of different treatments and a lot of it has been like similar to I have experienced at my other clinical sites, but some have been more common here.  Tool-assisted massage and cupping is something that I can expect to do about one of each every day I am there.  Although I have seen both before, these techniques have been used a good amount more at Bowling Green.  I was also able to assist with administering dry needling with electrical stimulation which I have not experienced before.  I have been able to get a lot of experience with treatments and it has allowed me the opportunity to keep building up my strengths.

When looking at all my experiences up to this point, I have continued to see how each AT has their own way of functioning.  I get excited to go into clinical each day because of the AT's and players at Bowling Green.  Since the beginning of the summer, the Dani instantly put her trust in me and made it clear that I was not restricted in any way with my experiences here.  I have been able to pick up any treatment or take a history for any athlete that comes into the room.  This freedom has allowed me to see what both my strengths and weaknesses are at this point in my professional phase.  

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.