SLU AT Student participates in hands-on patient care in high school setting

By Alex Davis (MAT Class of 2023)

This semester, I returned back at Alton High School learning more from Andy Renner.  So far, we have been covering basketball and wrestling, helping athletes through their rehab, and I have been studying for the BOC exam.  This has been a great experience having Andy as one of my mentors.  He is a great teacher and a great athletic trainer that does not get many SLU students due to the distance between the school and campus.  These past few weeks have been exciting watching the girls’ basketball team work their way to sectionals and being able to help with the MVC tournament at Enterprise center last week with fellow SLU students.  

This experience has helped me become better at all my skills as a future AT and it has been great getting to experience this with Andy.  It is awesome getting to learn about how he came into the profession, and it is also a great to be with someone that is apart of an organization that I will so become a part of (IATA vice president).  He has helped me study for the BOC exam and helped me understand what I need to do for licensure and gave me suggestions on where to get my continuing education credits after I graduate.

This has been a wonderful school year getting to learn from Andy and being with the athletes at   Alton High School

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student gains clinical experience with D1 athletic programs

By: Alex Smith (MAT Class of 2023)

My name is Alex Smith, and I am a PY2 in the athletic training curriculum. My clinical site is at Saint Louis University. I am fortunate enough to collaborate alongside the preceptors in the athletic training facility at a division I collegiate level. My preceptor for this clinical experience is Elena Mellilo, ATC. 

I am fortunate to participate in athletic training duties with my preceptor that covers cross country, track and field, and women’s basketball. Each day, I am able to assist with therapeutic treatments on the patients, monitor practice, and then provide recovery regimens after. The experience has been nothing but exciting. New injuries that I have gotten little exposure of or have even seen have occurred while at my site. This experience has also helped me build my professional development as I can understand how to manage a division I level collegiate team. I obviously am thankful for all the patients that I have worked with and have understood my role. And a special gratitude to my preceptor, Elena, for giving me the opportunities to grow as a future athletic trainer. 

SLU Athletic Training Program Hosts MAT Capstone Day on May 5, 2023

Students in the Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2023 will be presenting their Capstone Projects in the Multipurpose Room of the Allied Health Professions Building on SLU's South Campus as well as virtually on-line on May 6, 2022 starting at 9:00 am.

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.

2023 MAT Capstone Day Schedule

9:00 AM - Mason Remeis

Eccentric Exercise and Its Effect with Pain Reduction in Athletes Suffering from Patellar Tendinopathy Injuries: A Critically Appraised Topic

9:15 AM - Olivia Mani

The Effects of Caffeine Consumption on Athletic Performance in Endurance and Strength Activities: A Critically Appraised Topic

9:30 AM - Alex Smith

Traumatic Partial Patellar Tendon Tear in a Female Basketball Player: A case report 

9:45 AM - Lauren Swords

The Influence of Joint Mobilizations on Chronic Ankle Instability: A Literature Review

10:00 AM - Giovanna Charles

The Emotional Health of a Secondary School Multi-Sport Athlete: A Case Study

10:15 AM - Alex Davis

The Effectiveness of Blood Flow Restriction Training During Postoperative ACLR Rehabilitation: A Critically Appraised Topic

10:30 AM - Stacie Galo 

Rehabilitation Considerations for use of Allograft in the Surgical Repair of Osteochondral Lesions Combined with ACL Reconstruction: A Case Study 

10:45 AM -  Emily Haley

Nutritional Supplementation Use in the Management of Concussion: A Literature review

11:00 AM - Muharem Komic

Effectiveness of Plyometric Training on Vertical Jump Power in Female Basketball Players: A Critically Appraised Topic

11:15 AM - Eldwin Neritani

The Effectiveness of Nordic Hamstring Exercises in Reducing Recurrent Hamstring Strain Injuries in Elite Level Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic

11:30 AM - Mary Margaret Cannatella

Post-Operative Outcomes and Return to Play in Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: A Literature Review 

11:45 AM - Jordan Hyink

Effectiveness of Kinesiotape on Scapular Dyskinesis in Asymptomatic Overhead Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic

12:00 NOON - RECOGNITION CEREMONY/PROGRAM AWARDS

Online Access via Zoom: 

https://slu.zoom.us/j/98891121987?pwd=L2xLcHY0R2ZZZ1VsMjNBRFpLbENOdz09

Meeting ID: 988 9112 1987

Password: 495404

For more information email Dr. Anthony Breitbach, Vice Dean and MAT Capstone Course Coordinator at anthony.breitbach@health.slu.edu.

SLU AT Student returns to alma mater for athletic training clinical experience at Fontbonne University

By: Lauren Smith (MAT Class of 2024)

My clinical experience at Fontbonne University has been going very well so far. I have enjoyed being able to come back to my alma mater and help provide the care that I once received as a former student athlete myself. It is also nice to see friends and familiar faces around although my role is different now.

Within the past couple months, I have already learned so much and built upon my skillset. I have done countless evals, treatments, and carried out multiple rehab plans. I have gotten to experience and do so many different things like E-stim, ultrasound, cupping, Graston, and GameReady. It’s been great to apply prior knowledge and skills that I learned in labs and also get the opportunity to learn new skills at the same time.

Although there is a lot more to improve on, I have noticed a huge change in my confidence level. I attribute a lot of that to my preceptors Samantha Hochmuth, MAT, LAT, ATC and Clay Thebeau, MAT, LAT, ATC. They always give me the go to look at an athlete who comes into the AT room with an injury and I jump at the opportunity. It’s been fun learning from Sammy and Clay, and I’m looking forward to even more learning experiences as the semester goes on.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student gaining valuable hands-on clinical experience at Rockwood Summit High School

By: Jennifer HasslerMAT Class of 2024)

This semester I am completing my clinical rotation at Rockwood Summit High School with my preceptor and SLU alum Tony Mosello MAT, ATC, LAT. As a PY1 that transferred into SLU mid-year, Tony is phenomenal at not only fostering a learning environment but also making me feel welcome to the SLU family. While I have only been here a short amount of time, I can already see an improvement in my taping and evaluation skills. 

Rockwood Summit boasts many MSHSAA spring sports such as water polo, baseball, boys’ volleyball, and girls’ lacrosse which provides numerous opportunities for me to improve my skills with both lower and upper body injuries while also witnessing new sports. My preceptor allows me to take the lead during patient interactions, but is always available to provide positive criticism and talk through different scenarios afterwards. This style of teaching has allowed me to gain more confidence in myself and has renewed my excitement for my future career as a certified athletic trainer. I’m grateful for the warm welcome I have received from everyone at Rockwood Summit and the patience the athletes show as we work through various learning moments. I am looking forward to the remainder of the semester and my continued growth under Tony’s direction. 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student utilizes clinical placement at Maryville University to enhance professional development.

By: Marissa Uecker (MAT Class of 2024)

My clinical assignment at Maryville University has been a positive learning experience. At Maryville, I practice many skills learned in the classroom including wound care, modalities, taping, and manual therapy. I also perform injury evaluations and assist my preceptor, Chris Donner, MEd, ATC, with rehabilitation. I have come to build strong relationships with the athletes that I treat every day. These relationships are one of my favorite parts of athletic training. My experience at Maryville has positively impacted my professional development. For instance, my preceptor allowed me to practice being in charge for a day. 

From this experience, I learned the importance of making decisions, thinking critically, and multitasking as an AT. These skills are not always taught in the classroom. Instead, they are often best developed with practice in a clinical setting. I am grateful to Maryville and the SLU AT Program for providing me with this opportunity to develop my skills in a hands-on environment.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student gaining valuable clinical experience at Kirkwood High School

By: Nia Callion(MAT Class of 2024)

    My name is Nia Callion and I am a Saint Louis University PY1 athletic training student. My clinical placement site this semester is Kirkwood High School. I was really excited to be placed at Kirkwood High School. I played on the women’s lacrosse team when I went to school here. It has been so nice to come full circle and see everything from the athletic training point of view. I have also enjoyed seeing coaches and faculty that knew me in high school when I first thought about athletic training see me actually accomplish those goals. I have learned and grown a lot in the past two months and I am so excited to see how much more I will accomplish before the semester is over. I have enjoyed my time at Kirkwood this semester and I am so grateful to be learning and growing in this environment, and have learned so much in such a short time. I came into the semester with high hopes and my expectations were exceeded. 

            This semester my preceptor is Kelsy Cunningham; She is a licensed athletic trainer ATC, LAT. Kelsey received her bachelors of athletic training at Truman State University. Kelsey is a member Athletico as one of their athletic trainers and she is contracted to be the head athletic trainer of Kirkwood High School. Kelsey has been at Kirkwood for a little over a year now and she works with every team on campus, so her days are typically busy but she loves it. She has really embraced me as a member of the athletic training room, and has pushed me out of my comfort zone making sure everything I do in the athletic training room has a purpose. 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students share clinical site and experience at Washington University - St. Louis

By: Mason Remeis (MAT Class of 2023) and Mark Romero (MAT Class of 2024)

This semester at Washington University in St. Louis, there are two of us assigned to this site for our clinical experience. We are currently gain clinical experience alongside three full-time athletic trainers employed by Washington University, and our role is to assist them with any needs they may have with their respective teams.  Once spring sports fully start up, we will begin to focus on athletes with specific sports more, rather than simply whoever comes into the athletic training room.  It is somewhat more challenging to situate ourselves with the winter sports that are currently going on since we were not a part of a good majority of their season since they began late last semester and through winter break.  That being said, all the athletes are very welcoming to us providing care for them.

            So far this semester we have been mostly helping with men’s and women’s basketball as their seasons wrap up.  We help with gameday setup and assist the head athletic trainer for each team with any treatments or athlete care that may take place.  On non-gamedays, our roles consist of helping with anything in the athletic training room such as evaluating an athlete who comes in with a new injury, setting up modalities for treatments, assisting an athlete through their injury rehabilitation plans, or anything else that our preceptor and other athletic trainers may need assistance with.  Most of the treatments we administer consist of GameReady, electrical stimulation, instrument-assisted soft tissue massage, and ultrasound.  We will begin to see an increase in our responsibilities and time spent at our clinical site with the spring season inching closer.  Since it hasn’t been too busy currently, we have been split up between days as there isn’t the need for both of us there at the same time.  We’re looking forward to being a part of more home sporting events and getting to experience new and different sports.  We have begun treating athletes who play spring sports as they prepare for their upcoming seasons, so there should be a very easy transition once those seasons begin.

We have been able to gain the trust of the athletes and the athletic trainers on staff and we are respected within the athletic training room.  Our preceptor truly values the aspect of us learning the most that we can when we come in each day and giving us the opportunity to practice skills we have learned.  We are provided with opportunities to not only learn from our preceptor, but also from physical therapists from an outreach clinic that some of the athletes are sent too, as well as the doctors that come into the athletic training room each week.  Throughout the remainder of the semester, we will continue to grow with our skills and knowledge of athletic training, and it will shape us into being better professionals in the future.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students gain valuable experience with NCAA DI Basketball Program

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics - Men's Basketball

By: Anastasia Galo and Eldwin Neritani (MAT Class of 2023)

We have been fortunate to gain a fantastic clinical experience with the SLU Men’s Basketball team. Learning from our preceptor Jonathon Burch, ATC, has allowed us to grow as PY2s and as future health professionals.

Under JB’s supervision, we have multiple opportunities to work with patients on our own, handling treatments, doing rehab, or performing evals. We also had the opportunity to work alongside one of SLU’s team doctors, Dr. Kaar, MD, with various injuries such as concussions and working with the patient on their return to play. It has positively impacted our development into future ATs to be trusted by JB to work independently with our patients. We are always encouraged to think for ourselves and are reminded that “we will be doing this on our own in a few months”. It has been great to see our confidence in our practice grow.

We have learned so much on daily practice and how to carry ourselves as future health professionals. We have been so grateful to learn as much as we have under JB and are excited to see what the future holds.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students share a clinical site and collaborate to provide hands-on patient care

For the Spring 2023 semester, PY 2 Giovanna Charles, PY1 Grace Golembiewski, and PY1 I-Chen (Hugo) Lee collaborated together in a shared clinical experience at John Burroughs School (JBS) under the supervision of their preceptor, Dean Tiffany, ATC.

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - John Burroughs School

By: Giovanna Charles (MAT Class of 2023), Grace Golembiewski and I-Chen Lee (MAT Class of 2024)

Gio:

During my time at John Burroughs School, JBS, I have grown and learned so much from my preceptor, Dean, as well as the PY1s with me, Grace and Hugo. After a short amount of time, I have gained Dean’s and the coach’s trust to the point where Dean allows me to do on field and court evaluations/assessments without him having to run out with me, unless it's urgent. I have been hands-on with all the sports at JBS and have been able to evaluate and/or perform special tests on the foot, ankle, hand, wrist, hamstring, knee, nose and mouth. There have also been times where I was able to perform several manual muscle tests, MMTs, concussion protocols followed by a SCAT5, as well as construct rehab plans for a variety of different injuries. With this being my last semester and looking back at all that I have accomplished, I can say that I am prepared for what’s next. I am very grateful for all the experience my preceptors and classmates have shared with me over the years and can't wait to see what the near future holds for me.

Grace:

My time at John Burroughs School has helped me grow my professional clinical skills exponentially. Right away, my evaluation and injury management skills, athletic taping skills, and injury rehabilitation skills have improved under the direction of my preceptor as well as my collaboration with my fellow student athletic trainers. For instance, collaborating with two other students at JBS with differing levels of professional experience has illustrated to me the importance of utilizing other health professionals in order to maximize the health care provided to a patient. In continuation, my preceptor does an excellent job at letting me take the lead in on and off field patient interactions, while also providing helpful, direct, positive criticism afterwards. This method of learning has greatly improved my confidence in the knowledge that I have retained and practiced so far, and also inspires confidence in what I have yet to learn in the future. Also, my preceptor’s high expectations have really enhanced my own attention to detail as I review content and prepare to head into my final year of classes at SLU.

Hugo:

This is the second high school where I have had clinical experience, and John Burroughs School has been an absolutely different experience for me. There are a lot of facilities and modalities that we are allowed to use, which provides us with more options to treat patients and also more opportunities to sharpen our skills. As this is our last semester of professional year 1, our preceptor, Dean, has allowed us to do more things if we are confident in our abilities. I will always remember the first day when he told us to act as if we were doing our own jobs. He has definitely given us confidence and more opportunities to practice.

In addition, I appreciate the overall practice environment at John Burroughs School. The students and staff all work together well and are always available to answer any questions. Building a trusting relationship like this allows us to discuss not only the injury but also the patients' mental health issues and daily quality of life. Showing concern for our patients always strengthens our bond with them. This is always a perfect working environment for me.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student refines her clinical skills under the supervision and mentorship of a SLU AT Program Alum

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Pattonville High School

By: Emily Haley (MAT Class of 2023)

Pattonville High School has been my clinical site for a just over a year now, and it is one of the best hands-on clinical sites for SLU AT students. Pattonville is very busy as there is a high volume of students and activities, but the schedule is very accommodating.

Preceptor Alex Hubbs MAT, ATC provides a supportive learning environment by not only challenging me and pushing me outside my comfort zones, but by always taking the time to explain everything and anything. My PY2 year has been all about preparation for my own practice, so I’ve been practicing a lot more on-field evaluations, planning treatment and rehabilitation programs, and enhancing my documentation skills. It’s never a boring day at Pattonville whether that’s because of the injuries that arise or just the interactions had with the student athletes. Everyone at Pattonville is super welcoming, Alex is an amazing mentor, and overall Pattonville is top tier in terms of learning and professional preparation. 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Speaker Series Event Addresses Key Factors in Reducing Health Disparities

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program hosted its 12th Annual Speaker Series and Recognition Ceremony on Monday, February 20 at 7:00pm in the Education Union Auditorium on SLU's South Campus. 

The event was presented by the Saint Louis University chapter of Iota Tau Alpha - the Athletic Training Honor Society - and supported by the SLU Student Government Association. The evening began with the 2022 initiation ceremony for the SLU Alpha Iota Chapter of Iota Tau Alpha, the National Athletic Training Honor Society.

Alpha Iota Chapter - Iota Tau Alpha

2023 Honorees

Tori Connelly

Olivia Hiscox

Scholarship award winners Alex Smith, Lauren Swords and Emily Haley were also recognized.  Bob and Marnie Burgett recognized the winner of the Brandi Burgett Memorial Award and Scholarship.

Erin Schmidt, Campus Minister, started off the event with an invocation.  

The keynote speaker for the event was Kysha Harriell, PhD, LAT, ATC, Associate Dean of Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami.

The title of her presentation was 

Reducing Health Disparities: The Importance of Culture and Communication

Following the keynote presentation, there was a panel discussion moderated by SLU faculty member Katie Sniffen MS, ATC featuring Destinee Grove, MS, LAT, ATC, East St. Louis High School Head Athletic Trainer; Rabia Rahman, Ph.D., RD, LD, Interim Chair of the SLU Nutrition and Dietetics department; and Enzo Okpoye, current SLU student and member of the SLU Men’s Soccer team.

This event was an informative and memorable experience!

Photo gallery from the event.

Recorded video stream of the event.