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.

SLU AT Student Sees a Person-Centered Approach Modeled at University City HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - University City High School

By: Claire Love (MAT Class of 2024)

For my first clinical rotation this fall I have been at University City High School with my Preceptor Ashley Jenkins, CES, LAT, ATC. University City High school is a mid-sized high school nestled in between Clayton and Ladue.  My preceptor, athletic director, coaches and athletes have all welcomed me with open arms creating such an incredible learning environment.

Fall sports are in full swing and we see our athletic training room full of athletes day in and day out. While things have been busy, every day I feel like I am able to build trusting and caring relationships with the athletes, which has largely been modeled by my preceptor Ashley. Most days I help tape athletes and assist in applying different modalities to athletes so that they can get out to games or practices. I also spend a great deal of time walking athletes through their specific rehabilitation programs making sure they are using proper form to maximize the benefits of rehab. As we are learning more in class and I get more comfortable I also have started taking history of patients and getting the initial parts of the evaluation process started.

Everyday I feel like my skills and knowledge are being put to the test and I am learning and growing every single day. I am looking forward to the rest of the semester and all the ways I will continue to grow.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students Value Autonomy and Support Provided by Preceptor with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics 

By: Olivia Mani and Muharem Komic (MAT Class of 2023)

We are with preceptor Ben Heimos ATC at Saint Louis University with Men's Soccer and Baseball. We have really been honing our skills that we already know with Ben and have been learning more with our conversations with him. One thing that we both enjoy working with Ben is the amount of autonomy we have. We get to be on our own while Ben is there in case we need anything, but it is very nice that he lets us go on our own and helps us when we ask him to. Other than that we are in control of treatment for the athletes unless something specific needs to be done from Ben. 

Our hands-on experience has grown exponentially with working with athletes every day doing some type of soft tissue work, manual assistance, or just rehabilitation exercises that are needed. One big take is taping, everyday we are taping ankles and wrists. Some athletes require specific taping jobs due to certain injuries and being able to do them is a learning curve, but we are handling everything really well.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Appreciates the Opportunity to Build Rehabilitation Skills with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics 

By: Mary Margaret Cannatella (MAT Class of 2023)

This year I am at SLU with my preceptor and SLU alum Gwyn Brown MAT, ATC, the athletic trainer for Volleyball, Softball, and Track. With the start of volleyball season, I have gotten a lot of hands-on experience and although I have only been there for a short time Gwyn has already taught me so much and I have really enjoyed my time. With volleyball I have gotten great exposure with both upper and lower extremity. I have gotten the chance to work on my rehab skills and come up with different appropriate exercises for athletes and their injuries.

It has given me great experience with practicing sports specific rehabs in the later phases of recovery. I also have gotten to learn and use injury and load management and look forward to using this as the season progresses. I have gotten the chance to apply the skills I’ve learned in class and use them hands on. I look forward to the rest of the volleyball season and all I have to learn this semester with Gwyn.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Appreciates Preceptor's Impact on Clinical Learning at Edwardsville HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Edwardsville High School

By: Carlton McDonald-Jordan (MAT Class of 2024)

 

My time at Edwardsville High School thus far has been a spectacular experience. From learning and acquiring knowledge useful for propelling me as an athletic trainer to establishing new relations with different types of people involved in the AT environment, I would not change anything about my experience thus far. From the first day I arrived on EHS campus, my preceptor Katie Hamilton ATC made it her mission to ensure I felt welcomed and comfortable learning beside her. Those involved with EHS Football (players, coaches, etc.) also did a wonderful job of making me feel a part of their big family. I can honestly say that my perception of what it is like to work in the high school environment has done a complete 180 which is more-so because of my experience at EHS.

Initially, I was doing more observing at my site than hands-on. I watched the way Katie liked to do things and accompanied that with the way in which I was taught to do things to sort of get the best of both worlds. Katie told me there was no rush and that I could jump into the swing of things whenever I felt comfortable. I started out with a bunch of ankle and wrist taping, filling ice bags, and other such things that I learned over the summer. I seemingly progressed to walking athletes through exercises that worked on ROM, palpating and assessing injuries, and even evaluating. I would say that in these short five weeks, I have seen major improvement and have even received similar praise from the athletes and Katie. I have rounded out my expertise, being able to touch on multiple aspects of different areas. One area that I am still weak on and hoping to improve is assessing and evaluating upper extremity injuries/complications. This is something that hopefully Katie and I will continue to work on as the semester goes on.

Katie also taught me the importance of professionalism in the workplace. I was able to observe her interactions with student-athletes, coaches, and parents and saw how an athletic trainer is to appropriately conduct themselves in each situation. Communication and honesty are the staples of any relationship, but is readily apparent among AT’s, athletes, coaches, parents, and every member involved in this health care team. I think working in a high school setting presents unique communication challenges. In some cases, I’ve observed situations in which the parent(s) impede the ability for their kids to receive proper care. This obviously brings a huge obstacle into the process of providing the best care possible. I’ve learned that understanding each athlete and situation are unique and treating it that way, as well as establishing relationships with parents, goes a long way.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student's Knowledge and Skills Evolve with Clinical Experience at Lutheran North HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lutheran North High School

By: Lauren Smith (MAT Class of 2024)

My clinical experience so far at Lutheran North High School has been a whirlwind. There have been great days but also many hectic days, as to be expected. Within my first month at North, there were a couple of emergency situations. We are trained for these kinds of things, but it is different when you are finally thrown into that situation. Although these emergency events are unfortunate, they have allowed me to use the knowledge and skills that I have learned for them. They are also beneficial to look back on and assess what was done well and what could be done better for next time. 

In addition, I have learned how to evolve my skills according to what works best for me and my athletes/patients. I have also realized how important it is to build trust with the athletes, as well as the coaching staff. A part of building this trust can come with explaining why we take certain actions for certain injuries. 

Lastly, it has been nice to learn new skills from my preceptor SSM Health Sports Medicine and SLU alum Morgan Jasperson MAT, ATC. He is such a huge help and is always there to answer questions too. I am looking forward to many more learning experiences while at North. 

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students Experience a Welcoming and Supportive Learning Environment at Pattonville HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Pattonville High School

By: Emily Haley (MAT Class of 2023) Marissa Uecker (MAT Class of 2024)

Pattonville High School has been and continues to be an incredible hands-on learning experience. It is a very active and engaging clinical site and the student athletes love having SLU AT students around. Our preceptor, SLU alum Alex Hubbs MAT, ATC, provides guidance to expand basic skills of athletic training and develop new ones as well as allows us the autonomy to do anything we feel comfortable with from rehab and treatment programs to on-field evals. Alex’s teaching style always pushes us out of our comfort zones, and this allows for a ton of growth in our confidence and skills. 

Pattonville is a busy and engaging site that offers so many opportunities to see many different and unique injuries. It is always a welcoming and fun environment which makes it a great place to learn and prepare to become a certified athletic trainer. 

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students Inducted into National Allied Health Honor Society

The Saint Louis University chapter of Alpha Eta, the National Scholastic Honor Society for Allied Health Professions, held its annual induction ceremony in the Multipurpose Room of the Allied Health Building at Saint Louis University on November 1, 2022.

The Society is named for the Greek letters equivalent to the first letters of Allied Health (AH), which are Alpha Eta.  The purpose of the Society is the promotion and recognition of significant scholarship, leadership, and contributions to the allied health professions.

The following SLU AT students were honored in this year's ceremony:

• Emily Haley - Mundelein, Illinois (MAT Class of 2023)
• Grace Golembiewski - Columbus, Ohio (MAT Class of 2024)
• Claire Love - Oak Park, Illinois (MAT Class of 2024)
• Julia Martinez - Chicago, Illinois (MAT Class of 2024)
• Marissa Uecker - Franklin, Indiana (MAT Class of 2024)

Photo gallery from the event

SLU AT Students Apply Knowledge and Skills in Team Approach with SLU Billikens Men's Basketball

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics 
By: Stacie Galo and Eldwin Neritani (MAT Class of 2023)

During our clinical experience SLU Men’s Basketball, we have been fortunate to learn from our preceptor Jonathan Burch ATC and the rest of the athletic training staff. On top of the athletic training staff at SLU, we have had the opportunity to talk to and interact with the rest of the sports medicine staff as well, including team physician Dr. Kaar. We have been able to apply the knowledge and skills we have learned over the last year from our previous clinical rotations and classes to help the athletes however we can. Being able to be a part of this staff and to work with these high-level athletes has been a great experience that has been a great step into us learning how to manage ourselves as we grow in the profession.

The time we have spent so far applying our knowledge and seeing how thing are done here has been very worthwhile. Even though it is still early in the season, we have already been tasked with providing treatment to the athletes. Utilizing the variety of modalities SLU has to offer, we have a good opportunity to be creative in our treatment plans and experience everything there is to offer in the athletic training room. Being part of this high-level environment has also been quite the learning experience, as we both have learned more about the dynamics and relationships between medical staff, coaches, and players. Having the chance to work with this team has given us a great hands-on experience that has been valuable in our growth as athletic training students, and soon to be certified athletic trainers. One of the biggest changes we have experienced as PY2s at SLU is the larger number of responsibilities we have. This includes keeping records and logging all injuries and treatments of the players, as well as having more freedom and input in what we think would be a good choice of action for treatment and rehabilitation.

As the season progresses, we have enjoyed the experience of preparing for the start of the official season. Being able to learn from the athletic training staff and learn their approaches and practices has been great to help us tailor how we want to approach things as well. This has been a great experience so far and will only get more exciting as the season truly begins.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Values Learning from Multiple Preceptors at Lutheran HS South

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lutheran High School South

By: Lauren Swords (MAT Class of 2023)

This semester my clinical rotation has been at Lutheran South with SSM Health Sports Medicine Athletic Trainers Cara Bowton ATC (SLU alum) and Laura Shellaberger ATC. It has been super fun and unique to get to learn from two preceptors. I am mostly working with football, volleyball, soccer, cross country, and softball. It’s been nice to be back in the high school setting after almost a year.

So far I have been practicing my skills in rehab and evaluation. We have had some significant acute and chronic injuries, so I am excited to be seeing a spectrum. For our rehab, I am getting to work closely with athletes as they strengthen their bodies each day. I am getting to see return to play in these athletes as well so its great to witness the full circle. 

I very much appreciate how hands-on I’ve been this semester and look forward to gaining more experience and confidence as the year continues.  

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

Athletic Therapy Student from Ireland Appreciates Opportunity to Learn with Elite-Level Soccer at Saint Louis University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics 

By: Tiernan Collins (TUS-Ireland Athletic Therapy Student)

This fall I made the journey from the west of Ireland to Saint Louis University for my clinical experience. After being kindly welcomed by Dr. Breitbach and Dr. Howell, who helped tremendously in coordinating my exchange from Ireland, I was introduced to my clinical supervisor/preceptor Angie Bradley ATC. Angie is currently the athletic trainer for the SLU women’s soccer team. She kindly took me on as her student for the semester after I had expressed my interest in getting involved with the soccer program.

From day one it has been everything I hoped for and more. Even within these first month I have seen what it is like to work with and be part of such an elite level program. Coming from a soccer background and with aspirations to one day pursue a career in a soccer organization, the experience I am gaining from my clinical site is phenomenal. In my short time here, I have already dealt with such a variety of injuries, from a simple turf burn, all the way to post-op hip arthroscopy, and many in between. Each week I have multiple opportunities to practice my rehab skills and improve my knowledge on all the different treatment modalities. I have also seen how training loads and other daily activities can be monitored each week and utilized in an injury prevention scheme which thought was particularly interesting.

The experience so far has given me an insight into life as an athletic trainer in an extremely professional environment. It is providing me the opportunity to deal with situations that could only be seen in the field on practice. I am excited to see what the remainder of the semester has to offer and to continue to grow my abilities as an athletic trainer.  

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Builds Clinical Skills and Professional Development with Washington University Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Washington University Athletics

By: Mason Remeis (MAT Class of 2023)

This semester I have returned to Washington University in St. Louis primarily primarily with football responsibilities, but it looks much different than it did a year ago.  The Head Athletic Trainer from last season took a new position at a new university and we are currently in a transition, so there is currently not an athletic trainer on staff who is solely in charge of the football team.  On top of that, there is only one other student who is working with the team for the time being.  That being said, we have been able to make things work.  There are two ATs on staff that both help out the football team during practices, games, and treatments.  It was interesting to see how the players reacted to having to work with new ATs.  It seems like the players were able to get comfortable and gain an overall trust pretty quickly.  As for me personally, since I was there working with them last year, I already had a relationship with most of the players so the transition back was very easy.  I do find it beneficial though to get to work with the other ATs more now and see how they tend to treat certain injuries or how they run things.  

The typical day consists of coming in for treatments, setting up the field for practice or game, taping, being out on the field during the practice or game, and ending with post-practice treatments.  Now that I am in my second year in the graduate school program, and also due to there not being one designated AT for the football team, my overall responsibilities have increased.  I have continued to set up and assist with different modalities that I have already had a lot of experience with, but have also gotten to work with some other modalities that I haven’t necessarily worked with as much.  The most common treatments include e-stim, Game-Ready, and Graston.  I have gotten to work with the underwater treadmill, and set up other e-stim variants like Biowave or Marc Pro. I also have been able to evaluate injuries and then create rehab plans for the athletes.  

I have consistently seen my responsibilities increase each semester of clinicals up to this point.  A lot of it has to do with me being further down the line in school and experience, but also I have done a good job of gaining the trust from my preceptor and the players to where I am able to be fully hands on and be in control when an injury occurs or when an athlete comes into the training room.  I continue to learn more about what I need to work on and I have also seen growth in my overall skills.  This experience has been very beneficial so far and I expect that the semester will just continue to improve as the season moves forward.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students Thrive in an Exciting Learning Environment at John Burroughs School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - John Burroughs School

By: Giovanna Charles (MAT Class of 2023) and Grace Golembiewski, Brandon Pavon and Karsen Kohl (MAT Class of 2024)

John Burroughs School, JBS, has been an exciting experience for all of us. We enjoy

learning from our preceptor, Dean Tiffany, ATC, as well as other Certified Athletic Trainers that

come every once in a while to help when we get busy. With the different levels of knowledge and

years in Athletic Training, we all bring something very different yet special to the table. This

prestigious high school brings a lot of unique experiences while also more common experiences.

Those experiences include a dislocated elbow, an UCL injury, ACL and MCL instability injuries,

concussions as well as the more common ankle sprains, Osgood Schlatter and a couple of bloody

wounds from the turf.

Upon our arrival at JBS, we got right in the midst of things covering football's preseason

practices. We quickly went over helmet and shoulder pad removal as well as stabilizing the C

spine, how to evaluate the ankle and knee in addition to being taught the “correct” way to tape an

ankle by our preceptor. We have also been covering the other fall sports such as Cheerleading,

Cross Country, Field Hockey, Boy’s Soccer, Volleyball, Swim, Golf, and Tennis.

We get the opportunity to evaluate athletes as well as tape those that need it. Not only did we

learn a new way to tape ankles, we were also taught by our preceptor how to tape the achilles,

shin splints, turf toe, arch taping for plantar fasciitis, along with learning how to make an ankle

cast with elastikon. JBS is also fortunate enough to have a handful of modalities we get to use

everyday. Once the after school rush ends, we help in the rehab aspect for the athletes and

provide on-field and/or court assistance to the team’s games.

The experience has been exciting since our arrival, and it's only going to get even better

throughout the rest of the semester from here. Everyday is new and has brought new experiences

to all of us to remember that we will be able to carry along with us for the future. As our time at

JBS continues to grow, we have gotten more comfortable and involved which has allowed more

athletes, their coaches and Dean to understand our role. We enjoy the countless opportunities and

hours spent at JBS and cannot wait to see how much we continue to grow throughout the

process.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Makes the Most of Opportunities to Learn at Fontbonne University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Fontbonne University

By: Nia Callion (MAT Class of 2024)

When I first arrived at Fontbonne University, the traffic seemed slow, which could be due to it being so

early in the season and no one was feeling too nicked and bruised or if it was going to be a slower paced clinical site. I tried to make it work in my favor by taking advantage of the ‘free time’ by doing things like reading and learning the emergency action plans thoroughly so that I would have a good understanding of my role in the athletic training room. I also took that time to become familiar with how to use a lot of equipment in the athletic training so that when athletes did come in I was prepared to assist my preceptor in the best way possible.

After the first week or so things did start to pick up and I began learning a lot more from my preceptors Samantha Hochmuth ATC and Clay Thebeau ATC; so much so that it felt like an advanced course. I have seen an Athlete who came into their season with a partially torn ACL rehab and worked to play in their season before getting surgery in the winter. I have also seen and been learning about trigger point releases and manual massages on athletes who are experiencing muscle tension and or pain. I was expecting to be doing a lot more taping and working on my taping skills, but I haven't really done too much taping outside of game days when the athletes would like their wrist wrapped or ankles taped before games. I’m happy that the pace has picked up a bit and that I am getting more hands on opportunities in the athletic training room.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.