SLU AT Student Practices Collaboratively Among Peers and Members of the SLU Medical Staff

By: Justin Epperly (MAT Class of 2024)

During the spring semester of 2024, I have been assisting Elena Melillo ATC, MAT, LAT. My prime responsibility has been coverage of the SLU women’s soccer team. This previous season, the fall of 2023, the women’s team won their 6th consecutive A-10 championship and achieved a historic playoff run, reaching the sweet 16 of the NCAA College Cup. The furthest the team has reached in SLU history. It was an amazing honor to serve not only the players, but coaches, team physicians, physical therapists, and all other members of our interprofessional team along the way. This experience has been extremely rewarding and exciting.  My preceptor has helped build my confidence by putting me in direct charge of patient care and pushing me to build personalized rehabilitation plans for injured athletes. A skill that I hope to utilize as I aspire to work in the MLS post-graduation.

I am very grateful for this experience as it has built up so much confidence in my abilities. I would not be where I am today without the help and guidance from my preceptor Elena Melillo, Erik Schwartz, Hannah Daily, and Scott Kugler.

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.