SLU AT Students Get a Wide Variety of Experiences with the Billikens

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University
By: Connor Doherty, Mike Griffith and Tori Lycett (MAT Class of 2015)

Saint Louis University has offered the three of us: Connor Doherty, Mike Griffith, and Tori Lycett, as PY2 students, a multitude of opportunities and diverse experiences. Currently for the fall season Connor is working under Angie Wills ATC with the men's soccer team; Mike is helping with Volleyball under Tammy Pastor ATC; Tori is assisting with women's soccer under Lizzy Kienstra ATC. We also interact with two other AT's at SLU:  Jonathan Burch ATC and SLU AT Program alum Kelley DeGreeff ATC. Each of our placements have offered us first hand experience work in the D1 setting.

Connor: "This year for my clinicals I am at Saint Louis University and have been gaining experience with Angie Wills, ATC.  We have been working with the Men’s Soccer team as well as the Men’s Baseball team.  The Men’s soccer team has enjoyed a great start to their season while the Baseball team has been preparing for the start of their season.  During practices and games I have gained experience with assessment and treatment of various injuries.  So far this semester I have been able to work on rehabilitation with a number of athletes using the great facilities that SLU Sports Medicine possesses as well as communicating and working with SLU Physical Therapists.  I am looking forward to a great rest of this season with Angie and the rest of the SLU Sports Medicine Staff."

Connor Doherty and Kelley DeGreeff ATC

Mike: “My rotation at Saint Louis University has been a great experience for me in my education and development as an Athletic Training student. This past month I have had the priveledge of working and learning under Tammy Pastor ATC as we manage the Women’s Volleyball team. Working in the Division 1 setting has been a great change of pace for me as I have found that the Athletic Training staff plays a much greater role in the overall success of a competitive sports program such as the Billikens. At Chaifetz, I have had the chance to improve upon my rehabilitation knowledge thanks in part to the level of attention that is able to be afforded to each team, allowing a more comprehensive study of an athlete’s injury and how to bring them back to play. I am extremely happy with my setting this year, and look forward to what the rest of the year has to offer.”

Lizzy Kienstra ATC and Tori Lycett outside Chaifetz Arena

Tori: "Transitioning from my internship at Georgetown University to Saint Louis University, I have been privileged to be able to compare my experience at the two collegiate settings. This year I am working under Lizzy Kienstra ATC, a former SLU MAT graduate. Currently we are aiding the Women's Soccer team through their season. I have been able to help treat, evaluate and rehab many of the girls. I have even had the opportunity to become more familiar with the SwimX and utilize it in facilitating rehabs. Even though it is soccer season, Lizzy also manages Swimming and Diving, and Softball so I have been able work with a diverse group of student athletes.

In addition to working with the athletes, I have also been able to observe the interprofessional practice. At each of the games there is always a SLU physician. In addition to the physician there are also doctors such as Orthodontists, Dermatologists, and many other specialists that work directly with the SLU athletic trainers. Rehab is also a way I have observed the interprofessional interactions. There are several PTs that are part of the Sports Medicine staff; Several of the women's soccer players utilize their services that they provide. The PTs keep good communication with the Athletic Training staff throughout the athletes rehabilitation and progressions. Having an interprofessional approach to a Sports Medicine staff helps to ensure primacy of the patient, and SLU is a good example of how it positively impacts the athletes."

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.