April 28, 2014

SLU AT Students Team Up to Practice Managing On-Field Emergencies


On April 22nd and 23rd, 2014, Saint Louis University Athletic Training students from the first and second year of the professional phase of the program teamed up to manage a scenario that simulated a football cervical spine injury that included cardiac and respiratory arrest. These students and SLU AT faculty utilized the outstanding facilities at the SLU School of Medicine's Simulation and Clinical Skills Center in an exercise to prepare for on-field emergencies.   The center features high-fidelity clinical simulators which are designed to prepare health professionals in the management of all types of trauma and injury.  They can be programmed to simulate many different conditions including cardiac and respiratory problems.


Seven person teams were responsible for determining professional roles and a management plan which they practiced in lab prior to the simulation. They were video recorded in the scenario which included a primary and secondary survey and acute management of the injury in a football player.  It also included transportation of the patient using a spine board.  Faculty members Kitty Newsham PhD, ATC and Katie Leible MS, ATC provided feedback and conducted a debriefing using the video with the teams after they completed the scenario. Experiences and resources such as these are invaluable in the professional development of the SLU AT students.


April 22, 2014

SLU AT Student Nygel Williams Profiled in Universitas Magazine

Saint Louis University Athletic Training Student Nygel Williams (MAT Class of 2016) was featured in a story in the SLU magazine "Universitas".  The article featured Nygel's experience at SLU and how the "Go Further" campaign and the Bob Bauman Endowed Scholarship in Athletic Training looks to benefit our AT students.

See the entire issue of Universitas online.
Learn more about the "Go Further" Scholarship Campaign.

Nygel also received a Servant Leadership Award for Residence Hall Leadership at the SLU Leadership and Service Awards ceremony on April 24, 2014.

Link to SLU Leadership and Service Awards press release.


April 14, 2014

2nd Annual SLATS Bowl-a-thon a Huge Success!


SLATS Bowl-a-thon #2...Twice the fun, Twice the Success!
By: Haylie Dehm (MAT Class of 2016)

This year the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Society (SLATS), our student association, hosted its 2nd annual bowling fundraiser at Moolah Lanes for the AT student scholarship fund.  The 2014 SLATS Bowl-A-thon took on a higher meaning for our program because, as a part of Saint Louis University’s new "Go Further" campaign, every dollar raised is being matched, which means our goal of $6,000 would become $12,000 in the blink of an eye! How awesome is that?!


With this University-wide program, that means that the scholarship fund is growing larger, sooner so more students may get the opportunity to receive a Bauman Endowed Athletic Training Scholarship! In the end we raised over $6,500! We reached our goal and I could not be any more proud of my peers for raising such a great amount of money in such a short period of time! (Just imagine what we could have raised in a longer period of time!)

Last year I had a blast at the event and this year I was extremely excited to be a Co-Chair with Rachel Spika! Prior to the actual event, students from the program submitted a list of potential donors. Every student that submitted a list got free admission into the event. Anyone who donated on behalf of a student had the opportunity to attend and partake in the fun of free bowling and food! Anyone else who came had to pay $12 which is a great bargain considering they were getting catered food from The Pasta House and unlimited bowling for 2 hours!

SLATS Executive Board Members -- Mary Rhatigan (back left) – PY2 Class Rep, Andria Lampe (back right) – Philanthropy/PR Chair, Kayla Kelly (front right) – PY 1 Class Rep, Haylie Dehm (front left) – Vice President – enjoying the catering from The Pasta House while working the door at check-in.
I think my favorite thing from this event was the Bowling Shirts! Anyone who got 10 people to donate in their name got one of these highly sought after items! Also the top 5 people that had the most money donated in their name got a free bowling shirt! And finally the person who had the most walk-in attendees received a shirt! In this case, there was a tie for most walk-ins and two people were given the awesome shirts! Michael Aaron and Christian Ahlstrom were the only ones to have 10 or more people donate in their name. Those two along with Rachel Spika, Raquel Roberts-Hamilton, and Emily Costabile were the Top 5 money-makers! Stuart Plamp and Kathleen McGovern brought the most walk-ins. Unfortunately the picture of Bowling Shirt winners was taken before it was revealed that Stuart and Kathleen got theirs so this picture is missing them in their Retro Bowling Shirt Glory!

From Left to Right: Michael Aaron – 17 donors and 3rd overall highest donation total, Christian Ahlstrom – 13 donors and 1st overall highest donation total, Emily Costabile – 2nd highest donation total, Rachel Spika – 5th highest donation total, Raquel Roberts-Hamilton – 4th highest donation total
‘Twas a great night and I can’t wait to attend the Third Annual Saint Louis University Society Athletic Training Bowl-A-Thon!

SLU AT Students and Faculty Participate in NATA District V Meeting


District Meeting Provides a Memorable Experience!
By: Nick Gastorf (SLU MAT Class of 2014)

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program had six athletic training students along with faculty members Kitty Newsham PhD, ATC and Tony Breitbach PhD, ATC traveled to Des Moines, Iowa on March 27-29, 2014 to represent the program at the 35th Mid-America Athletic Trainer's Association (MAATA) Annual Meeting and Symposium.  Tyler Wood, Cat Costello, and I represented the Missouri Athletic Trainers' Association (MoATA) in the District Quiz Bowl competition after previously taking home the state title at the MoATA conference earlier in the year. We gave a valiant effort, but we fell short of our goal of reaching the finals of the Quiz Bowl, which is held at the National Athletic Trainers' Association Annual Meeting this upcoming summer in Indianapolis, Indiana.



Quiz Bowl Members: Nick Gastorf, Cat Costello, Kelly Peck (alternate) and Tyler Wood
While there, we were able to attend a number of lectures discussing various topics in athletic training, including talks on drug interactions and concussions.  One of the talks given that we were able to attend was on food and exercise-induced anaphylaxis by Dr. Newsham, one of the faculty members in attendance from SLU.  Not only did we have the opportunity to attend these lectures, but we also attended the MoATA meeting.  We were able to hear and get an update on the athletic training related events that are happening in state.  One topic of interest for many of the students was the young professional group.  With graduation approaching shortly, this young professional’s group is a great way to network and meet other professionals in the field who are also trying to start their careers.


Overall, the MAATA symposium was a great experience!  We were exposed to a number of items for the first time in this type of setting.  We were given the opportunity to meet professionals within athletic training, hear multiple talks on differing topics of athletic training, and represent SLU AT Program in the Quiz Bowl. We would not have had these wonderful opportunities without attending the symposium.

SLU AT students Cat Costello, Kelly Peck, Tyler Wood, Jess Buschjost, Nick Gastorf and Dan Herrin prepare for the drive to Des Moines.

SLU AT Student Presents MAT Capstone Project at SLU Graduate Research Symposium




Emily Grace (SLU MAT Class of 2014) presented her MAT Capstone Project entitled: "Management of Recurrent Exertional Compartment Syndrome in a Competitive Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Athlete" as a poster at the 2014 GSA Graduate Research Symposium at SLU's Busch Student Center on Friday, April 11, 2014.  She and her classmates will all be making public presentations of their capstone projects on Friday, May 2, 2014 from 8:00 am -12:00 noon in Room 1036 AH on the Medical Center Campus.  For more information about attending MAT Capstone Day contact 314-977-8561 or atep@slu.edu.

SLU AT student Emily Grace with faculty mentor Dr. Anthony Breitbach
The SLU Graduate Student Association's Graduate Research Symposium is held each year during the spring semester. This year's symposium marked it's 20th annual year. This is the second year in a row an AT student presented in the symposium. 2013 MAT graduate Bridget Quirk MAT, ATC presented at last year's event.

Emily Grace and 2013 presenter Bridget Quirk MAT, ATC
The GSA Graduate Research Symposium is an event open to all SLU graduate students. Every department with graduate degree programs is encouraged to participate in this interdisciplinary forum. Each year's paper and poster presentations are divided into categories based on the distribution of the participants. Judges are selected from SLU faculty to represent the variety of disciplines.

Emily Grace making presentation to faculty judges.