December 22, 2018

Athlone Student Gains Clinical Skills and New Friends in the USA at Saint Louis University and Webster Groves High School

International Clinical Exchange - Saint Louis University and Athlone Institute of Technology
By: Daire O'Regan (Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Student, Athlone Institute of Technology)

I am a student in the Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy program at Athlone Institute of Technology in Athlone, Ireland and I spent Fall Term 2018 in the USA at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
For my clinical placement I was at Webster Groves High School, with SLU 2nd Year student Erin Fabbri and 1st year student Carmen Roberson, along with Lindenwood University Student Kaylen Howard. Under my preceptor Sean Wright ATC we got plenty of field experience, covering a range of sports American Football, Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball. In these sports we got to see a wide range of injuries and got the opportunity to work with a lot of different athletes.

Coming into the clinical placement I was really looking to improve my Rehabilitation skills, and I think we were afforded enough time with athletes and a variety of injuries that I was able to improve these skills. I also learned new rehab skills in class at SLU with Mike Markee PT, ATC, which I think really benefited me. Also over the course of the 16 weeks I was in Webster I was shown different ways of doing certain things, for example in ankle taping I was shown a variation of the way were taught in class.


At Webster, I covered sports like American Football, and despite not winning a game, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a sport that I hadn’t previously covered and the intensity at which it was played, meaning something was always going on to keep us busy. In the last few weeks I got to work with the basketball team, and got to see them play in the Webster Classic.

While we were here we got to tour around Busch Stadium and got to hear from the AT there and his experiences with professional sports. I also got to experience what college athletics when we got clinical Experience with SLU Women’s Basketball team, however, it would have been nice to have got more time to experience college sports and maybe even a few games.


I really enjoyed my time in St. Louis at Webster and would like to keep in touch with my preceptor and fellow students who were on placement there with me.

December 16, 2018

Happy Holidays from the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program


May you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of love at Christmas and always.

Happy Holidays from the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program

December 09, 2018

SLU AT Student Finds a "Right-Sized" Clinical Experience Site at Chaminade College Prep

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Chaminade College Preparatory School
By: Scott Litwitz (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

Chaminade College Prep is a very unique clinical experience. It is a smaller, private, all-boys school that offers close working relationships with athletes and coaches. You have the ability to treat athletes from all in-season sports in the athletic training room and practices each day, as well as being present at home games for Football and Soccer in the fall. At Chaminade, we see a variety of athletes and injury levels each day before practices, and gives a great opportunity to see injuries in many types and all stages of rehabilitation.
This is my first experience at a clinical site and there are so many things that I’ve realized that make this a valuable place to start off at. There are many athletes but few events each day, so I have a lot of opportunities to see all types of athletes in the AT room, and then also to be at the big event of the day rather than just seeing practices and games for only one sport. Many of the athletes are also very dedicated to their rehabilitation and returning to play, making my role in their system easier. There are plenty of opportunities to learn from my preceptor at Chaminade, Scott Kugler ATC, treating patients and also opportunity to take the lead once he has confidence in you. There are also a handful of the same modalities at Chaminade that we are learning about in our SLU classes during the day, offering chances to practice what we are learning and being tested on being able to apply.

I believe that the environment at Chaminade is a great place for Athletic Training students to start learning and gaining confidence in their skills, while also being a fun atmosphere. I’m excited to see where Chaminade takes me for the rest of the semester, especially once the winter sports get into swing.

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.

December 08, 2018

SLU AT Students Make the Most of Their Clinical Opportunities at Affton HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Affton High School
By: Brian Leach (SLU MAT Class of 2019) and Emma Yonkers (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

Affton High has certainly kept us on our toes. From shoulder dislocations to ruptured eardrums, it is never boring at Affton. Couple this with a very knowledgeable and helpful preceptor (Becky Stigen, MS, ATC), and you have one great clinical site. Becky’s style of leadership is to put you in the driver seat of your own education, but is never far away to answer any questions you might have. This is a perfect fit for Brian because, well, he likes being in the driver seat. Baptism by fire is kind of his thing. Being in the driver seat can be uncomfortable at times, but is a necessary piece of the academic pie. He enjoys being uncomfortable because he loves growing. And we can tell we are growing a great deal this year.
Our typical day at Affton begins in the athletic training room at 2:20 pm. At 2:30, the kids get out of class and the athletes storm the room for taping, treatments, rehabs, and general advice. Then we head up the hill to either practices or games depending on the day.

Before beginning at Affton, as with most places, our main goal is to be helpful. Over the summer, Brian earned his CSCS so that he could better facilitate that goal. This has come in particularly handy in the prevention and rehab side of things as he has been granted some reasonable level of autonomy when taking the athletes through exercises. One of his goals in the short term is to help eager athletes at Affton reach their performance goals in the off season

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.

December 07, 2018

SLU AT Student Grows and Learns in Supportive Environment at Parkway West HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Parkway West High School
By: Claire Ditman (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

This August I began my first professional year in the Master of Athletic Training program at Saint Louis University. With this, I began my clinical placement at Parkway West High School under the supervision of my preceptor, Matt Berning, MAT, ATC. Although Matt is the athletic trainer at Parkway West, he works for Mercy Sports Medicine. This allows for a cool opportunity to work directly with sports medicine doctors from Mercy, as well. Because of this, we follow Mercy's protocols and standards for treatment of out athletes in order to provide the best care possible.


With an enrollment of around 1500 students, Parkway West is a large public high school with many different sports teams.  This fall we have covered thirteen different teams ranging in size from a few athletes to close to 100. With a wide variety of athletes under our care, I have gotten the opportunity to see many different injuries and go about assisting Matt in the process of helping the athlete return to play. Luckily, we have not had any life-threatening injuries yet, however, we have had quite a few concussion that have been very educational to see.


Overall, Parkway West has been a great first clinical experience and introduction to clinical work. I have already gotten lots of hands on experience and have gotten the opportunity to further my skills a great deal in a short time. Matt, as well as the coaches and athletic department at West, are great at giving students the chance to grow and learn within the profession, as well as, being welcoming and making them feel comfortable.

I could not have asked for a better first experience with clinical work!

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.

November 29, 2018

SLU AT Students Appreciate Trust and Support Provided by Preceptors with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics
By: Juan Calero, Cat Chua, Rory Cusack, Dimitri Kilian, and Matt Murphy (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

There are five SLU AT students in their 2nd Professional Year with SLU Athletics: Juan Calero, Cat Chua, Rory Cusack, Dimitri Kilian, and Matt Murphy. Our preceptors, SLU Billikens Athletic Trainers, Jonathan Burch ATC, Ben Heimos ATC, Petra Knight ATC, Elena Melillo ATC and Angie Wills ATC have been so trusting these last two months by giving us a lot of hands on experience and giving us freedom to make our own choices in regards to treatment. This has been a great experience for all of us since we have been able to take more initiative and the athletes are treating us as an extension of our preceptors.


With all the hands-on opportunities we are given, we are enhancing our skills in manual therapy, rehabilitation, and evaluation skills. The five of us work together on some athletes and bounce ideas off of each other to try to determine the best possible treatment for that athlete. Each of us has all been exposed to a variety of different sports as well which has been helpful in enhancing our skill sets.

Overall, we are all so happy to be here with the Billikens for our clinical site and are looking forward to a great year!

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.

November 28, 2018

SLU AT Student Gets International and Collaborative Clinical Experience at Bishop DuBourg HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Bishop DuBourg High School
By: Rebecca McGrail (MAT Class of 2020) with Patrick Coffey (ARTi Student, AIT)

This semester I began my first clinical rotation experience at Bishop DuBourg High School. I am starting my first year of the professional program for Saint Louis University’s Master of Athletic Training Program. While being at Bishop DuBourg High School, I have had the opportunity to learn new techniques and improve my clinical skills under my preceptor Nathan Jarman ATC, from SSM Health-SLU Hospital Sports Medicine. I am also at this site with Patrick Coffey, who is an Athlone Institute of Technology student from Ireland. Nathan, Patrick, and I are involved with the care of all fall sports which keeps us on our toes. I have felt very welcomed at Bishop DuBourg High School by all of the coaches, staff, athletic director, and especially the student athletes.


During my time at Bishop DuBourg High School I have seem various types of injuries such as: ankle sprains, mid-foot sprains, fractured metatarsals, concussions, and different extremity dislocations. Thankfully, there have not been many serious injuries that prevent the athlete from returning to play, nor have we had to make any EMS calls for life-threatening injuries. It has been very interesting to be with an athletic training student from Ireland because I am able to see different approaches I would not normally be able to observe. I am very grateful for the hands-on experience I have at my clinical site, especially after evaluations when we collaborate to develop the best treatment option and rehabilitation programs for each athlete’s specific needs based on our findings.


Overall, I am having a great first clinical experience and have learned so much in the few months I have been here. I am excited to see what the rest of the semester will hold!

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.

November 27, 2018

SLU AT Student Enjoys Learning and Growth through Clinical Experience at Lindbergh HS


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindbergh High School
By: Rachel Wilhelm (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

Beginning my first professional year in the Athletic Training program at Saint Louis University has led me to the opportunity for my first clinical experience. I am currently set at Lindbergh High School where I am learning under Brenna Pfahler, ATC, LAT. She is a recent graduate of University of Nebraska’s Athletic Training program (Class of 2018) and is currently assigned at Lindbergh HS through her fellowship with AthletiCare.

Brenna and I take care of all sports at Lindbergh. We go in early everyday in order to prep for the rush that comes in as soon as school ends. From there, we see everyone in the AT room from cross country to football and every sport in between. During this time, we do injury evaluations, wound care, taping, and rehab to get them ready, before we head out to the practices and games ourselves. It always keeps us busy, but it is the best time to get to know our athletes and communicate with the coaches.
I have really been enjoying my time at Lindbergh so far. It is amazing to be getting these first hand experiences with the student athletes. I can think back to just two months ago when I first started and see how much I have improved in this short time. The experiences around me have been giving me so many learning opportunities. I have seen and rehabilitated multiple ankle sprains, helped take care of many wounds such as a 6 in. laceration in one of our athlete’s legs, and am currently helping my preceptor oversee two of our football players with AC joint sprains. With so much going on around me, I am trying my best to take everything in.

I can’t wait until the end of the semester when I can look back and see how much I’ve grown through my time at Lindbergh.

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.

November 21, 2018

SLU AT Students Learn the Importance of Organization, Communication and Teamwork at Missouri Baptist University


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Missouri Baptist University
By: Marissa Burch and Justin Durham (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

As college students, we spend countless hours sitting in a classroom, whether it be for lecture or to study, staring at a computer screen. For most students, there is little to no hands-on experience or training outside the classroom until gaining an internship or a job. As Athletic Training students, on the other hand, we are lucky to be able to have clinical experience during the school year. Getting to break out of the classroom environment to work with athletes and really apply what we have learned has been a great opportunity to further our understanding. It has been beneficial to have face to face interactions with real patients in order to practice new modalities and techniques taught by the Athletic Training staff at Missouri Baptist University. (Preceptor Drew Potter MBA, ATC is pictured above)
We have had several opportunities to observe and participate in different treatment strategies for injured athletes and assist in constructing a rehab program for athletes who have chronic muscle imbalance or tightness. Being able to interact with the athletes, we have the ability to see how well the treatment works, both objectively and subjectively. This is a very interesting aspect of our future profession that we don’t get to address as often in the classroom setting. In class we can measure range of motion (ROM) or girth for our objective results of treatment, however, at our clinical site, we are able to use the athlete’s subjective view to see if he/she feel better after treatments and to see if they feel the treatment is truly effective or not. Having the athletes welcome us so willingly and being so open to letting us practice has really helped us to learn and enhance our skills.

One of the biggest lessons we have learned would be how important organization, communication, and teamwork is within the Athletic Training staff as well as with the athletes, coaches, Athletic Director, and anyone else we encounter. Without those three important ideas, it can become difficult for everyone to be on the same page and understand urgent situations. Planning ahead helps to avoid any gray areas that may arise with miscommunication, whether it be with administration issues or patient injuries and safety. We have to endure some tough decisions, but as an Athletic Trainer, it is important to be firm in our decisions and not let others affect our standard of care.

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.

November 20, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving from the SLU Athletic Training Program!

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program wishes you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

May you use this time to reflect on your blessings...


November 06, 2018

SLU AT Students Benefit from Diverse Experiences with Veteran Preceptor at Webster Groves HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Webster Groves High School
By: Erin Fabbri (SLU MAT Class of 2019), Daire O’Regan (ARTi Student, AIT) and Carmen Roberson (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

This fall semester our clinical site is at Webster Groves High school. We have a good variety of athletic training students with Erin Fabbri as the PY2, Carmen Roberson as the PY1, and Dàire O’Regan from Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland. We have had a busy fall semester thus far with a variety of 9 sports teams.
Our Preceptor, Sean Wright, ATC has been great, allowing each of us hands on experience and trusting our athletic training skills. He is a great teacher and we have learned a lot from him. We have had the ability to enhance our taping, evaluation, rehabilitation, treatment skills and assessments. We also have had lots of exposure to all different types of athletes this season, which allows us to manage many injuries.

We are looking forward to the rest of our semester at Webster Groves and continuing to improve our skills. We have made great relationships with the faculty, coaches, and athletes here and have truly enjoyed our clinical experience thus far at Webster Groves. We know that our experience here will push us forward and give us what we need to continue to learn more within our profession.

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.

October 29, 2018

SLU AT Student Learns in Busy and Supportive Environment at Kirkwood HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Kirkwood High School
By: Hannah Daily (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

This semester I have had the opportunity to gain clinical experience at Kirkwood High School with preceptor Briana Lakebrink, ATC. It is safe to say that Briana has done a phenomenal job of showing me the ropes of an athletic trainer in a high school setting and teaching me how to use my skills outside of the classroom. From the after-school rush to late night football games, I have learned so much from her including: how to handle heat illness during the hot days in early August to new taping techniques to managing concussions and so much more.
While being employed through Athletico, Briana is easily able to connect with other athletic trainers in the area as well as work interprofessionaly with the physical therapists who treat our student athletes. This is a great experience for me as I get to network with Briana’s Athletico team as well as help implement the standards set by Athletico in the high school.
Kirkwood High School has welcomed me with open arms this semester and I have nothing but great things to report thus far in my clinical experience. The athletic department and coaching staff are great at managing the plethora of sports they have going on throughout the week and making sure that game days run as smoothly as possible.

I look forward to these next few months at Kirkwood as I continue to grow and be challenged in new ways every day.

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.

October 23, 2018

SLU AT Student Appreciates Busy Learning Environment at DeSmet Jesuit High School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - DeSmet Jesuit High School
By: Mitchell Buerck (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

In my first year in the professional phase of the SLU Athletic Training Program, I have been assigned to DeSmet Jesuit High School. At DeSmet, Daniel Herrin, MAT, ATC is my preceptor and works for Mercy Sports Medicine. He is also a SLU alumni and has been at DeSmet for three years with previously working at Mizzou. I am also there with Adam Whelehan, a student from Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland for the semester. During this semester so far, we have looked after athletes from the football, soccer, cross country, and swimming and diving. As fall sports end, we will have basketball and wrestling as winter sports.

Being my first year of the professional phase, I am experiencing a lot of new things. My favorite part of this experience is being in the athletic training room after their school lets out, even with it being very hectic. This is where I can put my skills to use and learn new skills as well, such as taping, getting an athletes history, figuring out a plan of action, and much more.


With learning and having more experiences, my confidence in helping the athletes has gone up tremendously and will continue to grow. Overall, DeSmet Jesuit High School has given me a great experience and I’m excited to keep working hard and learning more while I am there.

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.

October 22, 2018

SLU AT Students Find a Welcoming Learning Environment at SIU-Edwardsville

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
By: Jazmon Carroll and Chase Long (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Thus far, being at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) has been a wonderful opportunity. Last spring, we both were placed at a small college which allowed us to not only grow as athletic training students, but also allowed us to gain more experience which has helped with the transition into a NCAA Division I Athletic Program like SIUE.

The staff has been amazing. Right off the bat, we knew that they were enthusiastic about having us there and wanted us to get the most out of our time here at this institution. With that said, throughout our time at SIUE, we will be rotating among sports in order to gain experience with different athletic teams and learn from different athletic trainers.
To start off these rotations, one of us has been with the women’s volleyball team under the mentorship of Emily Kurtz, ATC, while the other has been with both men’s and women’s soccer with the support of James Mays, ATC, and Ryan Salerno, ATC. By being with different sports, this is giving us the opportunity to have different experiences despite being at the same clinical site which allows us to share our experiences with each other and learn from them. 

We have also had the pleasure of collaborating with the strength and conditioning staff to ensure that the athletes at SIUE receive high quality treatment throughout every stage of his or her recovery.  Although we have only been with this group for a couple months, we are excited to see what the rest of the year brings as we continue to grow as future healthcare providers. 

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.

October 19, 2018

SLU AT Students Develop Clinical Skills with Preceptor/Role Model at Christian Brothers College HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Christian Brothers College High School
By: Alejandra Chavez and Abby Hoffman (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

CBC has been a great clinical site to start practicing skills we’ve learned in class. Every day, we apply athletic tape to prevent and treat injury. We’ve also picked up some new tips to refine our taping techniques, which has been really useful before football games when there are a lot of athletes that need to be taped. In addition, we’ve also learned how to tape outside of the basic taping techniques. 
We have learned a lot about concussions since we have had several diagnosed concussions so far in the year. We have a lot more knowledge about how to manage situations on the field if a concussion is suspected. We have also had the opportunity to perform a SCAT 5 and have athletes check back in every day and fill out a concussion evaluation sheet to track symptoms. Our preceptor, CBC and Mercy Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Kristen Jeans ATC, LMT is also a licensed massage therapist, so we have also learned massage techniques to treat athletic injuries.
In addition to learning more about concussions, taping and massage, we have learned from our preceptor Kristen about the importance of maintaining a professional relationship with the athletes, coaches, and parents. Seeing how much the athletes, parents and coaches trust and value Kristen’s work is really inspiring to us to hopefully develop those types of relationships in our careers one day. 

Being at CBC High School for our first clinical experience has been great and we are both excited to immerse ourselves more into this experience and gain a lot more skills and knowledge.

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.

October 18, 2018

SLU AT Students Experience Team Approach to Athletic Health Care at Washington University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Washington University Athletics
By: Paul Lamb and Jesse Schmitt (SLU MAT Class of 2019); Maria Lingardo, Courtney Nall and Allison Stefan (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

The 2018 Fall semester has been quite busy for the two 2nd year (PY2) students (Jesse Schmitt and Paul Lamb), and three 1st year (PY1) students (Allison Stefan, Maria Lingardo, and Courtney Nall) at Washington University. While primarily caring for the football team, we have all contributed to treating all athletes at WashU. Our everyday schedule is a mixture of treating athletes using therapeutic modalities, such as laser, game-ready, and underwater treadmill program; as well as an ample amount of taping and preparation before going out to practice. In addition, we help athletes go through their rehab programs.
From day one to now, we have learned how to work together as a team with our preceptors Rick Larsen MS, ATC and Grant Rohrig MAT, ATC. The PY1 students feel comfortable asking questions to the PY2s and the PY2s are always willing to help out the PY1s. We have established mutual trust within our team, and our preceptors have given us more responsibility as weeks go by. One of our favorite parts of the week is when we sit down as a group and discuss injury reports as well as things to improve on from the week before. Team meetings help to ensure everyone is on the same page and that there is not any miscommunication.

At WashU we all get the opportunity to take turns traveling with the football team. Travel trips have provided all of us a great insight to what traveling with a team entails. We have all enjoyed our clinical experience this far at Washington University because we have the opportunities to do things like travel. We all are looking forward to the rest of the semester here and seeing how we keep developing our own skill sets, as well as, how we keep growing as a team.

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.

October 14, 2018

SLU AT Student Enjoys Increased Autonomy with Preceptor's Support at Parkway South HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Parkway South High School
By: Danielle Jabczynski (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

My first month and a half has been a busy but wonderful learning experience so far. I get to work closely with another student from Lindenwood University, which is a unique experience that I have really enjoyed thus far. Being able to learn from another student gives an entirely different perspective. Parkway South's Athletic Trainer Mike Tzianos, ATC, from Mercy Sports Medicine, is an awesome preceptor and I have learned so many new skills in such a short amount of time already.
As a student in the last year of the program, I have been given more responsibilities and more independence in the athletic training room, and on game days as well. It has really given me a chance to use all of my athletic training skillset and challenge myself on a day to day basis. Being at a large public high school with a large athletic program gives me the chance to be hands on, work on a lot of rehabilitation for many different conditions, and learn new taping techniques for certain positions depending on the sport.
I am looking forward to spending the entire year at Parkway South enhancing my relationships with Mike, the athletes and the coaches that I have already gotten to know pretty well. As I finish up my last year in the program, I am excited to have such a great clinical site to help me succeed.

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.

October 07, 2018

SLU AT Students Thrive in Dynamic Interprofessional Setting at Fontbonne University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Fontbonne University
By: Maggie Rowell and Cody Hutson (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

There are two of us Saint Louis University students that are assigned to Fontbonne University, Maggie Rowell and Cody Hutson. Our preceptors are SLU alumni Ann Schmerbauch MAT, ATC, LAT (MAT Class of 2011) and Andrew Gomez, MAT, ATC, LAT(MAT Class of 2016.) We also have the opportunity to work with two Graduate Assistants, Hunter Pescetto ATC, LAT and Sadie Krehbiel ATC, LAT, who recently got their AT Licenses. This allows us to get a perspective on not only how our professional lives will be once we graduate from SLU specifically, but also what it is like to be a newly licensed AT.
Fontbonne University is a NCAA Division III school with approximately 2,000 enrolled students. The university fields 10 Men’s Sports and 11 Women’s Sports. For the Fall season, there are 3 sports we work with majority of the time. The sports include Men and Women’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball. While there aren’t a wide variety of athletes, it allows us to form great relationships with the athletes and spend quality time with each individual. The athletic community is so welcoming and satisfying to work with that we show up to practice before our classes and then return to Fontbonne’s ATR to continue working with the athletes. Throughout the semester, we are able to follow-up with each injury and guide their recovery with rehabilitation exercises, soft tissue massage, and sport-specific functional exercises. We are able to connect with the athletes by checking in each day to make sure they are heading in the right direction in order for them to return to sport as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The Fontbonne Athletic Training Room is constantly filled with athletes of all sports, whether they are in-season or off-season. This allows us to multi-task in crazy environments and prioritizes athlete’s care in an efficient manner. Every Monday, Chiropractors and a Sports Medicine Physician come to Fontbonne’s AT room to help evaluate athletes. This allows us to collaborate interprofessionally with other healthcare professionals by discussing the proper plan of care for the athletes. As a whole, the Fontbonne’s athletic community is a great learning environment to advance our clinical reasoning skills, manual techniques, evaluation skills, and triage expertise as we advance into our second and final professional year.

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.

October 06, 2018

SLU AT Student Grows Professionally Alongside Preceptor at Parkway Central HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Parkway Central High School
By: Christopher Mecherle (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

During my second year in the professional phase of the SLU Athletic Training Program, I am honored to have a clinical experience with Parkway Central High School’s certified athletic trainer, Michael Aaron, MAT, ATC. While most of Michael and I’s time are spent at Parkway Central, Michael works for Mercy Sports Medicine. We utilize Mercy policies and protocols, and in turn, it has allowed us to provide the best possible healthcare to the student athletes. Organization has been key, and Michael is always accomplishing what needs to be done in the most efficient manner. I’m happy to be along for the ride.
This will be my second clinical experience in the high school setting, and I can safely say it has been good to be back. The plethora of student athletes that we see everyday has been great hands on experience. The time spent with them has sharpened my skills considerably since my first day this summer. In addition to the athletes, the faculty has also been a pleasure to work with. Each interaction is genuine, and coaches respect our healthcare team.
Overall, Parkway Central High School has been a fantastic place to grow as an AT student, and as a person. We are constantly busy, and being vigilant and calm can be a challenge occasionally. It has pushed my limits to a certain extent, and quite frankly I hope that is always the case.

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.

October 04, 2018

SLU AT Student Appreciates the Busy and Collaborative Environment at Westminster Christian Academy


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Westminster Christian Academy
By: Sarah Menzuber (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This August I began a new clinical experience at Westminster Christian Academy.  I am an athletic training student in my second professional year in the Master of Athletic Training program at Saint Louis University.  At Westminster Christian Academy, I am gaining clinical experience with the supervision of Katherine Love.  A recent SLU grad, Katherine Love MAT, ATC, is the Athletic Trainer at Westminster through Mercy Sports Medicine and is my preceptor for the 2018-2019 school year.  Katherine and I oversee all high school sports and keep busy with our always crowded athletic training room after school.  At Westminster Christian Academy, there is outstanding communication between Katherine, the coaching staff of all teams, the athletic director, the nurse, and other school administrators to ensure the best care for all students’ health and well-being.


So far, we have been fortunate enough to not have had any life-threatening injuries or have had the need to call EMS.  However, a Varsity Football player suffered an ACL tear and just had surgery, so Katherine and I will be working with him on his rehab.  I have seen a variety of injuries this year, including many ankle sprains, muscle strains, shoulder impingement syndrome, and patellofemoral pain.  We work with each athlete individually and design a rehab protocol for them to do after school and at home.  I love the hands-on experience I am getting and working with Katherine and the Westminster athletes.  I am beyond grateful and excited to be here for the entire school year!

Go Wildcats!

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.

October 03, 2018

SLU Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Hosting Continuing Education Program on December 1, 2018


Perspectives in the Management of Foot and Ankle Pathology
Featuring Jay Hertel, PhD, ATC, FACSM, FNATA

Saturday 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
December 1, 2018
(rescheduled from April 2018)

Interventions for foot and ankle pathology evolve over time. Keeping current with the latest techniques is sometimes difficult. What works? Does it work for everyone? How can I select the best intervention for my patient? Join colleagues at this 4 hour continuing education program addressing chronic and acute foot and ankle pathology.

Impairment-Based Rehabilitation for Lateral Ankle Instability
Jay Hertel, PhD, ATC FACSM, FNATA

The Foot Core: Clinical Importance of the Intrinsic Foot Muscles
Jay Hertel,  PhD, ATC FACSM, FNATA

Selecting the Right PRO for Your Practice
Randy Richter, PT, PhD

Management of Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
Ann Hayes, PT, DPT, MHS, OCS

The Role of Muscle Imbalance in MTSS – Soft Tissue
Kitty Newsham, PhD, ATC


Dr. Jay Hertel is the Joe H. Gieck Professor of Sports Medicine at the University of Virginia. He directs UVA's graduate programs in Athletic Training & Sports Medicine and is co-director of the Exercise & Sport Injury Lab. His primary area of research deals with lateral ankle instability which he studies from a multifactorial perspective using diverse methods ranging from laboratory-based assessments of biomechanics and motor control to evidence-based practice principles inherent to clinical epidemiology. Dr. Hertel has authored or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and presented at numerous national and international sports medicine conferences.

His research has been funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Athletic Trainers' Association, Research & Education Foundation, American Physical Therapy Association, and the National Football League Charities. Dr. Hertel is a fellow of both the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In 2011, he received the Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research, the highest career research award in athletic training. Dr. Hertel is a senior associate editor for the Journal of Athletic Training and a member of the international advisory board for Physical Therapy in Sport.

Educational Objectives:
Upon completion of this program, a participant will be able to:
  • Explain the impairment-based rehabilitation framework  relative to lateral ankle instability
  • Develop rehabilitation progressions for intrinsic foot muscles.
  • Describe effective intervention for Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
  • Explain the role of muscle balance in management of MTSS-soft tissue
  • Identify appropriate patient reported outcome measures for your practice.
Target Audience:
  • This program is intended for athletic trainers, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
Saint Louis University, Dept. of PT and Athletic Training (BOC AP# P3877) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers. This program is eligible for a maximum of 4 EBP Category hours/CEUs. 

Physical Therapy:   Saint Louis University School of Medicine Continuing Education Program is a continuing education sponsor for the State of Illinois to provide Physical Therapy and Occupation Therapy CE courses. State of Illinois Physical Therapy Continuing Education Sponsor   License # 216-000085 Expiration Date: 09/30/2020 CE Contact hours: 4.0

Location: 
Saint Louis University - Medical Center Campus
Allied Health Building - Auditorium (Room 1043) 
Garage and street parking options available

Fees:
Early Bird (payment by 11/16/2018): $60.00
Regular Registration (after 11/16/2018): $75.00

Registration and payment information:
Registration form and payment information are available through Saint Louis University available here through this REGISTRATION LINK
If paying by check, please contact Kitty Newsham (knewsham@slu.edu)

Cancellation/Refund Policy:
A full refund of the conference registration fees will be made for requests received by April 19, 2018. No refunds will be processed after November 19, 2018. In the event a program is cancelled, participants are entitled to a full refund. 

All refund requests must be sent in writing (postal or email) to, and received by Kitty Newsham at Saint Louis University’ 3437 Caroline Mall, St Louis, MO 63104 or knewsham@slu.edu). 

Refunds approved by November 19, 2018, will be issued to the original payer in the same amount as the payment received. 

Directions: 
South on Grand from I-64/40 or North on Grand from I-44. Turn East on Chouteau to South on Theresa.

Parking:
Garage parking is accessible from Theresa or Rutgers Ave.
Hickory East Garage: 3424 Hickory St.
Garage Rate: $2 per hour, $6 per day
Use THIS address for GPS