SLU Athletic Training Student Explores a High School Clinical Experience with Program Graduate

By: Nia Callion (MAT Class of 2024)

This semester I have had the opportunity to complete my clinical rotation at Clayton High School. I was ecstatic to hear that I would be able to have a rotation at Clayton, especially since my preceptor Amara is a recent graduate of the athletic training program at SLU. The day-to-day tasks at Clayton include a mad rush of students after class lets out; it’s always a fun rush getting them in and out of the athletic training room as efficiently as possible. After the rush, I am usually able to spend longer one-on-one time with the athletes doing their return-to-play rehab. 

One of my favorite parts about this experience is the rehab and how the athletes, especially those who are more advanced, give me the challenge of being creative with the rehab exercises I choose. I have also gotten a chance to be even more hands-on with the documentation process; I’m grateful for that because documentation is one of my weaker skill sets, however, the more I practice it the better I have gotten whether that be hands-on navigation of documenting systems or hoe I may plan to document in my future endeavors. I am thrilled about the opportunity and knowledge I have gained from this experience and the fact that I still have the rest of the semester to continue my growth. 

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.