Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program
The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program in the Doisy College of Health Sciences is a graduate professional program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.
April 30, 2024
SLU AT Student Empowered During Basketball Season
SLU AT Student Embraces Clinical Opportunities
SLU AT Student Expands Clinical Abilities With Mentorship From Alumni
SLU AT Student Embraces Diversity at Clinical Site
April 10, 2024
SLU AT Student Practices Collaboratively Among Peers and Members of the SLU Medical Staff
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.
SLU AT Student Develops Clinical Autonomy Through Practice
SLU AT Student Enjoying the High School Clinical Setting at WGHS
For my final clinical rotation I am at Webster Groves High School with long time SLU AT preceptor, Sean Wright, ATC. Spending my last semester here at Webster has been exactly what I need as I prepare to transition from student to certified. From the very moment I walked in Sean has challenged me in every possible way. He gives me freedom to evaluate, create rehabs, and have conversations with coaches. But he is always there to encourage me, and help me if I have any questions or come across something I am not sure how to handle. He has been an incredible preceptor for me and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn from him everyday.
One of my favorite memories this semester was recently the ATR was pretty busy and I remember doing manual therapy on one person, correcting a rehab exercise on another, and then somehow also finishing an injury eval on someone else. I was in the zone and having so much fun and I looked up and Sean was like “ Do you even need me?” and I said “of course I do!” in which he responded with “well then tell me what to do then.” And I just stared at him with an absolute blank face. For one of the first times it hit me that I am only a few months away from being a certified athletic trainer (hopefully). In just a few months I am going to be doing this on my own. And to have a preceptor who has recognized that and has challenged me to lean into that has helped my confidence grow tremendously. He has absolute confidence in me, and it helps me to find that confidence within myself.
As winter sports have finished and we head toward the spring I am excited to continue to build relationships with the athletes, coaches, and the entire Webster community. This place has been instrumental in my growth as a clinician and I am so grateful for the way that they have welcomed me into the community.
SLU AT Student Refines Clinical Skills with STL City Academy
SLU AT Student Gaining Confidence Through Clinical Opportunity
April 09, 2024
SLU AT Students Share Clinical Experience with Saint Louis University Men's Basketball
SLU Athletic Training Student Explores a High School Clinical Experience with Program Graduate
SLU Athletic Training Student Thrives in Collegiate Clinical Setting
April 06, 2024
SLU AT Student Gains Valuable Soccer Experience with the STLCity 2 Team
SLU AT Student Enjoys a High School Rotation with a SLU AT Program Alumn
SLU AT Student Exploring Baseball as a Spring Clinical Experience
For my clinical rotation this spring I am with Ben Heimos, ATC, LAT, CSCS at Saint Louis University assisting with the Baseball team. Coming into this spring the staff, coaches, and athletes have really welcomed me into their environment and have created a fun and comfortable space to grow and learn. Something I really like about assisting Ben is the freedom to treat athletes but also having the guidance when it is needed. So far during this rotation I have gotten to hone in on skills such as taping, soft tissue work, and evaluating/assessing the athletes. While assisting baseball I get to assess and treat a lot of shoulders and arms which has been great for fostering my professional development. Going to clinicals I get to learn something new every day and while I am still in this developmental stage of my career it is exciting I get to see and assess so much while assisting Ben and the baseball team. I am excited to see what is to come within these next few weeks and know I will feel confident within my skills after my time assisting the Billikens!
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.
March 12, 2024
SLU AT Student share collaborative clinical experience at Missouri Baptist University
Our clinical placement at Missouri Baptist University has truly been an enriching experience. Here, we have had the opportunity to put into action a diverse array of skills acquired in the classroom, ranging from wound care and modalities to rehabilitation techniques, taping, and manual therapy. Working alongside our preceptor, Ceckia Blevins, MS, LAT, ATC, We have actively participated in injury evaluations and the rehabilitation process, contributing to a dynamic learning environment.
The bonds we have forged with the athletes, especially Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, as well as Baseball and Softball have been immensely rewarding. It's these personal connections that make the practice of athletic training so fulfilling. Through our time at Missouri Baptist, we have witnessed significant growth both personally and professionally.
This experience has underscored the importance of quick decision-making, adaptability, and multitasking in the role of an athletic trainer. While not always explicitly taught in the classroom, these skills are finely honed through hands-on experience in a clinical setting. We are profoundly grateful to Missouri Baptist and the SLU AT Program for affording us the opportunity to refine these essential skills in such a supportive environment.
SLU AT Student gaining clinical experience with Division II athletes
Congratulations to Our 2023-2024 Scholarship Recipients
November 15, 2023
SLU AT Student Engaged in Patient Care at St. John Vianney High School
By: Jacob Kidwell (MAT Class of 2025) |