April 30, 2017

SLU Pre-professional AT Student Finds Excellent Role Models at Missouri Baptist University


New AT Student Blog Post - Ryan Frantz (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This spring, I had the opportunity to go and observe many different clinical sites in the Saint Louis area to increase my understanding of what it means to be an athletic trainer. Of the clinical sites visited, I found myself returning to Missouri Baptist most often. Ashley Broughton, MS, ATC and the PY1 students allowed me to practice my taping on them and provided advice as to how I could improve my work. Over the course of this semester, I have to say the success I have had at strengthening my taping abilities was greatly contributed to by those at Missouri Baptist. Observing at Missouri Baptist also provided a great opportunity to learn about the different types of technology used in the field, such as Normatek, ultrasound, and many others. Having little to no knowledge of such equipment, I was provided a quality introduction to how a lot of the technologies work which should prepare me for my future education.

Missouri Baptist and its athletic training staff are great role models for how I would like to be when I begin practicing. Ashley was able to teach me so much while I was there, and she allowed me to ask as many questions as I could while answering them to the best of her knowledge to help me. Every time I entered the athletic training room, I always felt very welcomed by everybody there, and each day, I always expected to learn something new that I had never expected to learn about. From my observations here and at all other sites, I haven’t decided whether I would rather work with high schools or colleges, but I do have higher hopes leading in to the first professional phase and clinical site.

This is one of a series of blog posts written by students entering the professional phase of the SLU AT Program as a part of MAT 3000 - AT Student Development II.

April 29, 2017

SLU Pre-professional AT Student Enjoys Observation in the High School Clinical Setting at Bishop DuBourg


New AT Student Blog Post - Erin Fabbri (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This semester I have enjoyed directly observing many different PY1 and PY2 students at their various high school and collegiate clinical sites.  I had the privilege of observing Killian Hollo as a PY1 student and Olivia Robinson as a PY2 student under SSM/SLU Hospital Athletic Trainer Nathan F. Jarman MAT, ATC, LAT, CSCS, CES/PES at Bishop DuBourg HS. I experienced numerous rehab programs they did for a few of their athletes along with evaluations that occurred during the soccer games involving sprained ankles, hip flexor strain, and a head collision. One major thing that stood out to me at this clinical site is that both Killian and Olivia work with Nate to improve athletes’ strength, efficiency and workouts in the weight room. 
I learned a lot about athletic training observing at this clinical site. I felt very welcomed and was engaged the entire time. I am extremely excited to start my PY1 year at a clinical site and start practicing as an athletic training student. I am very comfortable around the high school setting but I look forward to compare the difference between the collegiate setting once I officially start clinicals. 



I loved seeing the relationships all the athletes have with Nate, Killian, and Olivia. I hopefully will be able to observe at Bishop DuBourg again before the semester ends. I have gained a lot of knowledge this semester observing as a DO student at every clinical site. Now having these connections with the older SLU AT students and preceptors will benefit me in my future.

This is one of a series of blog posts written by students entering the professional phase of the SLU AT Program as a part of MAT 3000 - AT Student Development II.

April 27, 2017

SLU Master of Athletic Training Capstone Day to be held on Friday, May 5th


The Athletic Training Program in Saint Louis University's Doisy College of Health Sciences is hosting its Annual Master of Athletic Training (MAT) Capstone Day on Friday, May 5, 2017, The MAT Capstone Day will take place in the Multipurpose Room of the Allied Health Professions Building on SLU's South Campus.

Students in the SLU MAT Class of 2017 will present their Capstone projects. These projects represent a culminating scholarly work from these students' experience in the SLU AT Program. The presentations will be followed by a Recognition Ceremony and Program Awards ceremony.

The event is open to any members of the greater Saint Louis University community, including friends and families of the SLU AT Program.

For more information about the SLU MAT Capstone Day, call 314-977-8561 or email atep@slu.edu.


April 25, 2017

SLU AT Student Appreciates the Diversity of Clinical Experiences at Lindenwood-Belleville


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University-Belleville
By: Madeleine Bresnahan (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

This semester I am fortunate to get clinical experience with the Lindenwood University-Belleville's Rugby team. I get to work with their talented and knowledgeable athletic trainer, Sarah Hayden, MS, ATC. I been able to work with the athletes in the athletic training room, performing all different kinds of treatments. I also have the opportunity to work with them on the field during practices and games. I’ve had a taste of how a college athletic training room works and I really enjoy it.
I have learned so much at this semester so far. I have learned a lot of different stretching and PNF techniques. I have also learned a bunch of different manual therapy techniques that I get to practice. Along with learning new things I get to practice and continue to develop my evaluation, rehabilitation, and taping skills. Sarah is constantly teaching me something new or helping me perfect my existing skills.

I’m learning so much and having such a good time. I love my clinical site this semester!

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.

April 11, 2017

SLU AT Students Value Preceptor's Approach to Clinical Teaching at John Burroughs School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - John Burroughs School
By: Katie Love (MAT Class of 2017) and Patrick O'Neill (MAT Class of 2018)

This semester we have had the pleasure to do our clinical rotation at John Burroughs School in Ladue, MO. John Burroughs School is a unique clinical site in that we work with athletes from 7th-12th grade. JBS requires students to participate in an after school sport every season, so we not only see a high volume of athletes every day, but also a large variety of athletes. We have had the opportunity to work with men’s and woman’s basketball, ice hockey, girls swimming and diving, wrestling, and dance. This spring, we will work with boy’s golf, boy’s tennis, baseball, water polo, girls’ soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s and women’s track.
Working alongside Dean Tiffany, ATC has been a great experience. As a preceptor, Dean is extremely knowledgeable in all domains of athletic training. He values our opinions as athletic training students and makes feel like an essential part of the sports medicine team here. Dean allows us to have a lot of hands on experience by having us perform musculoskeletal assessments, therapeutic modalities, prevention taping, and design rehab protocols. This setting really helps us grow as athletic training students and we are glad to have such an amazing preceptor and clinical site!

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.

April 10, 2017

SLU AT Students Experience Team-Based Health Care with the Billikens

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics
By: Alex Hubbs and Abby Klosterman (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

Thus far, Saint Louis University Sports Medicine has been an advantageous experience for us as PY1 students in SLU’s Athletic Training Program. Being able to work with Division 1 Athletics has given us a unique exposure to a population of high intensity athletes and the demands of competing in sports at this level. In this setting, we are given the opportunity to transition our knowledge from the classroom to hands on clinical application. At SLU, Athletic Training students take on tasks ranging from acute wound care to injury evaluation to executing rehabilitation programs and more. The staff of Saint Louis University’s sport medicine department is more than supportive in encouraging us to learn from each situation that arises and expand our skill set on a daily basis. Jonathan Burch ATC, Ben Heimos ATC, Lizzy Kienstra ATC, Tammy Pastor ATC, and Petra Knight ATC, have been knowledgeable mentors and valuable resources as we pursue our journey to becoming Certified Athletic Trainers.


Additionally, Saint Louis University is a clinical site that provides Athletic Training Students with a vast array of resources. The variety of equipment available including Whirlpool, Ultrasound, Electrical Stimulation, Normatek, Game Ready, LASER, SwimEx, Alter G, etc. allows us not only to learn and gain confidence with using modalities, but to diversify treatments and rehabilitation plans for our athletes. Access to Physical Therapists, Sports Nutritionists, and Sports Performance Coaches also contribute to our growth and development as health care professionals and aid us in learning how to be successful in caring for our athletes.


Overall, SLU is a clinical site that offers a well-­rounded experience and allows for hands on involvement to practice and develop skills that can be applied to future practice.  

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.

April 09, 2017

SLU AT Student Grows Clinical Skills in Professional Setting with STLFC


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis Football Club
By: Amelia Meigs (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

The last 6 weeks, I have had the privilege of working with the Saint Louis Football Club team, under their Head Athletic Trainer, Brian Bounds, MPT, ATC, LAT, CSCS. Working with a professional-level team is markedly different than my previous clinical experiences. While I have previously worked with soccer, the level of athlete, training, and healthcare are very different. My background in soccer has become useful as Brian and I have worked together to improve current injury prevention efforts and streamline the team’s exercises. Brian leads cool-down each day at practice, so we are developing a rotation of stretches and exercises that are relevant to the elite soccer player.


Working with the athletes at Saint Louis FC has been incredible--the dedication and effort of these players to improve their personal fitness and wellbeing makes injury prevention easy. While we spend a lot of time managing current injuries, we are also able to spend a significant amount of time analyzing data through the GPS trackers and heart rate monitors the players wear at each practice. Since this technology is new to STLFC, we are exploring the technology and are able to use it to guide our practice. I have gained a lot of soccer-specific knowledge, including the most common muscular deficits soccer players face.

Brian has been an excellent preceptor so far, allowing me input into decisions and pushing me to research new topics. His dedication to athletic training and to the continual pursuit of a better way to perform his job is an exemplary model for my own practice. The lessons I have learned at STLFC will lead me in my future career.

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.

April 08, 2017

SLU AT Students Get a Rich Experience Guided by Veteran Preceptor at Webster Groves HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Webster Groves High School
By: Morgan Jasperson (SLU MAT Class of 2017) and Michael Milek (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

Webster Groves High School has provided an incredibly diverse clinical experience with an emphasis on student to student collaboration and hands on experience. Our preceptor, Sean Wright ATC, has been the sole athletic trainer of WGHS for the last ten years and a member of the SLU preceptor network since its creation. He is great at establishing an environment in which we can communicate openly and problem solve with one another.

In addition to providing athletic training services, Sean also teaches Athletic Training I and II, as well as Health and P.E. Students from his athletic training class are required to gain a certain number of observation hours in the ATR or with us at games or events. They love to test us on what they are learning in class…and ask lots of questions. But it keeps us on our toes and helps expose some of the areas in which we need to review.
Over the last couple of months, we have had the pleasure of gaining experience with our winter sports teams, notably basketball and wrestling. While we sent two wrestlers to the state tournament earlier this month and our women’s varsity team were recently crowned district champions, our men’s basketball team have stolen the spotlight as they just became state champions! In convincing fashion, of course. Working with such high-level athletes in the high school setting has challenged us to become more creative and intentional in designing functional rehabilitation plans.

As spring sports are now upon us we must transition into a busier time of the year with more of a focus on evaluation. On a typical day, we are presented with numerous opportunities to practice our skills in evaluation both on the field and in the clinic, and Sean encourages us to work as a team on harder cases, ‘tapping out’ only when we have exhausted all of our options. This has really pushed us to be more prepared, not only for our athletes, but also for each other. We are all looking forward to seeing what the next couple of months brings.

#GoStatesmen!#StateChamps

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.

April 07, 2017

SLU AT Students Experience Holistic and Collaborative Clinical Setting at Bishop DuBourg HS


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Bishop DuBourg High School
By: Olivia Robinson (SLU MAT Class of 2017) and Killian Hollo (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

This spring semester at Bishop DuBourg High School has been great. Killian is the newest addition to our team, and as a PY1, has really enjoyed the change in atmosphere after having his college rotation last semester. We have been caring for winter and spring sports along with our preceptor Nathan F. Jarman MAT, ATC, LAT, CSCS, CES/PES from SSM-SLU Hospital Sports Medicine.


This winter we worked closely with boys and girls basketball. It was awesome to work with brand new additions to DuBourg’s coaching staff, and watch the teams develop into a family. Spring sports are now in full swing. We have been collaborating with our basketball coaches to work on enhancing performance for next years season. We are also working on overall strength and efficiency with a variety of in season athletes.

At Bishop DuBourg we are the first, and many times, the last line of medical care for our athletes. We develop personal connections with them from evaluation to recovery. We counsel the students daily about good life choices, nutrition, and general physical and mental health. This means that we are more to these kids than just professionals. We are friends and role moles.

We are looking forward to an exciting and healthy spring season at DuBourg, and are ready to bring home some wins! GO CAVALIERS!

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.

April 06, 2017

SLU AT Student Appreciates Experience with Preceptor at Westminster Christian Academy

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Westminster Christian Academy
By: Collin Peterson (MAT Class of 2017)

My experience at Westminster Christian Academy has given me the valuable insight and experience of what working in the high school setting looks like. My preceptor, Hilary Orf MAT, ATC, has taught me the preparation and energy needed to balance the health care coverage for multiple teams. Covering soccer, baseball, track, lacrosse, and volleyball teams this spring has taught me how to prioritize responsibilities and account for injury risk. Everyday I get the chance to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of athletes with a wide array of musculoskeletal conditions.


As someone who wants to work in the high school setting after graduation, learning from a recent graduate who works in my desired setting has prepared me well for the challenges ahead of me when I enter the professional athletic training world.

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.

April 05, 2017

SLU AT Student Enjoys a Positive Clinical Experience at Kirkwood High School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Kirkwood High School
By: Stephanie Uhrich (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

Throughout my entire education at SLU, clinicals are by far my favorite part. Having the opportunity to apply what I learn in class makes all the long nights of studying and stressful exams worth it. Kirkwood High School has been a great place for me to practice and improve on my clinical skills. The faculty and students at Kirkwood are enjoyable to work with and they have made me feel very welcome. My preceptor, Denise Grider ATC, Head Athletic Trainer, has been a great mentor for me. She is always providing me with opportunities to learn and ask questions. Her dedication to athletic training and the teams at Kirkwood High School go above and beyond her duties as an athletic trainer. Denise has impacted my clinical experience in such a positive way, and she has provided a great learning environment for me.
I am so thankful for all the experiences I have had at Kirkwood. This experience has influenced my future plans in a positive way. I have realized that I really enjoy working with high school students, and I hope to find a job in that setting for next year. My time at Kirkwood High School has been very enjoyable, and it has made a huge impact in my education and life.

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.

April 02, 2017

SLU AT Student Presents Poster at SLU Graduate Student Association Research Symposium


On Friday, March 31, 2017, Saint Louis University Athletic Training student Amelia Meigs (MAT Class of 2017) presented a poster of her Master of Athletic Training Capstone Project: "The Development of Cultural Competence in Athletic Training Students Through Educational Outreach at a Diverse Public High School" at the SLU Graduate Student Association Research Symposium in the Busch Student Center.


The research examines the Roosevelt High School Athletic Training Club, funded by a National Athletic Trainers' Association Ethnic Diversity Enhancement Grant, and its impact on cultural competence for the SLU AT Students who serve as mentors in the program.  

Amelia has coordinated the program this year with Faculty Mentor Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC; Doctoral Assistant Kemba Noel-London MAT, ATC; and fellow student Jenna Ginsberg (MAT Class of 2018).

Congratulations to Amelia and all involved in this project!