July 28, 2018

SLU AT Student Returns to Spain for Clinical Experience at Consejo Superior de Deportes in Madrid

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight -  Universidad Camilo Jose Cela and Consejo Superior de Deportes - Madrid, Spain
By: Juan Calero Alonso (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

For my summer field experience, I´ve had the opportunity to learn from Jose Bugeda, a physiotherapist that works at the CSD in Madrid through the Universidad Camilo Jose Cela. 

The CSD (Consejo Superior de Deportes) is an institution where the best athletes at the national level come from everywhere in Spain to train hard and continue with their studies. Some of the athletes are under a scholarship and live at a residency right next to the facilities where they usually practice. The CSD is close to the Sports science faculty and other faculties which makes it easy for the athletes to combine their sports with their higher education. There are athletes from many different sports training at the CSD such as Carolina Marin (Badminton World champion), and even though I have seen athletes from other sports such as track and field or gymnastics during their practices, I primarily have worked with wrestling athletes. 
It has been a great experience so far. It is very different to see how physiotherapists work in Europe and compare and contrast it to how AT´s treat athletes back in the USA and what I have seen at my past clinical experiences in the US. It has been a pleasure to have the opportunity of being able to come to my home nation and still have the chance to get a fantastic clinical experience with very high level athletes during the summer. So far, the work I have seen at the clinic focuses mainly on manual therapy and myofascial release techniques. 

My preceptor is very approachable and takes a lot of time to teach all the concepts that I don´t understand and I am very grateful for that. It is great to see the relationship that he has developed over the years with his athletes. I had limited experience with wrestling and it has been great to get a chance to work with some of the best wrestlers in the country and see different injuries that I may not see in other sports. I love the atmosphere there and I am getting a chance to see many different injuries. Also, I was new to wrestling when I first came and now I am getting to learn about the sport. It has truly been a great experience so far and I look forward to learn new skills and improve what I have learned during this summer field experience. 

I really appreciate the opportunity that I have had during the summer and I look forward to continue growing as an Athletic training student.


En Español

Para mi experiencia de prácticas durante el verano, he tenido la oportunidad de aprender de Jose Bugeda, un fisioterapeuta que trabaja en el CSD (Consejo Superior de Deportes) en Madrid con algunos de los mejores atletas españoles. El CSD es una institución donde algunos de los mejores atletas a nivel nacional de cualquier parte de España vienen a entrenar y a continuar con sus estudios. Algunos de estos atletas están becados y viven en una residencia justo al lado de donde tienen sus entrenamientos diariamente. El CSD se encuentra al lado de la facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte y de otras facultades, lo que hace más sencillo para lo que lo hace más sencillo para algunos atletas que continúan con sus estudios universitarios.  Hay atletas de diferentes deportes que entrenan en el CSD, como por ejemplo Carolina Marín (Campeona del mundo de Badminton) , y aunque he tenido la oportunidad de ver otros deportistas de atletismo y gimnasia rítmica durante sus entrenamientos, solo he tenido la oportunidad de trabajar con atletas de lucha. Ha sido una gran experiencia hasta ahora. Es muy diferente ver cómo los fisioterapeutas trabajan en Europa y compararlo y contrastarlo con la forma en que los athletic trainers atienden a los deportistas en los Estados Unidos. Ha sido un auténtico placer tener la oportunidad de volver a mi país de origen para realizar mis prácticas de verano y a la vez pasar una gran experiencia con atletas de gran nivel.  Hasta ahora, el trabajo que he visto en la clínica se centra principalmente en la terapia manual y las técnicas de liberación myofascial. Jose es muy accesible para hacerle preguntas y se toma mucho tiempo para enseñarme y explicarme todos los conceptos que no entiendo y estoy muy agradecido por eso. Es genial ver la relación que ha desarrollado a lo largo de los años con sus atletas. Nunca antes había tenido la oportunidad de trabajar con atletas de lucha y ha sido genial tener la oportunidad de trabajar con algunos de los mejores luchadores del país y ver diferentes lesiones que no veo en otros deportes. Me encanta el ambiente allí y tengo la oportunidad de ver muchas lesiones diferentes. Además, nunca había visto lucha hasta que llegué y ahora hasta estoy aprendiendo sobre el deporte. Realmente ha sido una gran experiencia hasta ahora y espero aprender nuevas habilidades y mejorar sobre lo que ya he aprendido. Aprecio mucho la oportunidad que se me ha otorgado durante este verano y miro hacia delante para continuar creciendo como estudiante de Athletic training de la universidad de Saint Louis.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 18, 2018

SLU AT Student Provides Care for the Billikens in Immersive Clinical Experience with SLU Athletics

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight -  Saint Louis University Athletics
By: Dimitri Kilian (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

During my summer field experience, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine and lead Athletic Trainer for SLU’s men’s basketball and cross country, Jonathan Burch ATC.  Most of our time was spent with men’s basketball during their summer practices in preparation for the upcoming season.  We deal with pre-practice preparation and oversee the team during and after practice.  This would include setting up the hydration station, taping the athletes, and catering to any complaints of injury post practice sessions. 


Because most of the time has been spent with men’s basketball, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the players well.  That’s something that I haven’t been able to experience and I think it will enhance my care and relationship with the players as my summer field experience progresses.  I’ve learned new techniques in taping, evaluation, practice set up, and rehab.  These are valuable skills that can help my development as a future practitioner.  I’ve also learned more about the less exciting aspects of athletic training like paperwork, but this is still valuable information to know because it is still a very real part of the profession.


As my time here has progressed, I’ve also been able to work with student athletes from other sports that have begun to return to campus.  Most of these students have been soccer players, basketball players, and track and field athletes, and this has increased my exposure to other sports which I haven’t had much of in a university setting.  Most of the work that has been done with these athletes has been preventative to prepare them for their upcoming sports seasons when official practices begin. 

I look forward to what this summer field experience will bring as I continue to learn and grow as a student of the Athletic Training Program.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 14, 2018

SLU AT Student Recognizes the Importance of Communication in Clinical Practice at Athletico and Fenwick HS

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight -  Athletico/Fenwick High School, Oak Park, IL
By: Matthew Eifert (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

My field experience with preceptor Tony McCormick ATC at Athletico and Fenwick High School has provided the unique opportunity to practice with diverse patient populations in the clinical and high school setting.  
The goals and abilities between the two groups may be drastically different but many aspects of their care remain the same. Some patients find isolating smaller muscles difficult (such as the rhomboids). Verbal communication and cues can only get a practitioner so far. This is especially true when a language barrier is present between the client and clinician. Showing the patient, the exercise yourself while explaining the details can help bridge the gap. Further visual cues such as a mirror will allow the patient to correct themselves independently. Depending on the experience and extent of their pathology, patients may require more instruction.
Tactile cues can be an effective manual strategy to help a patient contract the muscle group short of neuromuscular stimulation. Using touch on the desired structures; clinicians can persuade correct motion. Using a half foam roll between the patients back and a wall can help recruit scapular adduction using the Rhomboid muscles. The focused pressure from the roll along the spine of the patient will highlight the movement of their shoulder blades towards midline. Tactile cues can simply be the practitioner palpating the targeted muscles during the exercise.  Its very important to maintain professionalism and patient consent during the entire interaction; but especially when physical contact is necessary. 

Communication remains paramount with any population in health care. A lack of information being exchanged between the patient and practitioner is a major hurdle to the delivery of care. Transparency, on the other hand, leads to better outcomes. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 12, 2018

SLU AT Student Finds Great Fit for Clinical Experience at Nutriformance

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Nutriformance, Frontenac, MO 
By: Brian Leach (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

When considering options, I started thinking about what I wanted to do for my summer field experience.  I thought about going out of state and even out of country at first.  However, after talking with my wife, we decided leaving the area would not be the best of ideas considering we have a newborn son now.  So, I started looking around the Saint Louis area for opportunities.  There were quite a few great opportunities to choose from. 


Nutriformance in Frontenac, MO was the best choice for me.  Nutriformance offers a wide range of services including, but not limited to, personal training, physical therapy, and nutrition coaching from registered dietitians.  Nutriformance has been dedicated to their client’s health and wellness since 1997 with no signs of slowing down.

Although I am not technically part of the formal staff at Nutriformance, they have made me feel as though I am a part of their team with a near seamless integration.  Since beginning the summer field experience, I have been helping the strength and conditioning coaches provide excellent guidance to young athletes from around the greater St. Louis area.  I have also been shadowing the athletic trainers on staff while they help athletes of all ages stay healthy for their sports.  

I am very appreciative of the guidance I have received from the staff at Nutriformance.  This really is turning out to be a fantastic experience.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 11, 2018

SLU AT Student Appreciates Preceptor's Guidance in Busy Setting with St. Louis Scott Gallagher

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Saint Louis Scott Gallagher/Mercy Sports Medicine 
By: Chase Long (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This summer, I have had the pleasure of working with Saint Louis Scott Gallagher (SLSG) Soccer. 

Getting to work under the guidance my preceptor, SLU alum Emily Costabile MAT ATC, through Mercy Sports Medicine has been essential to my growth as a future clinician. I am thankful that she was open to sharing her wealth of sports medicine knowledge with me.  
SLSG has allowed me to broaden my evaluation skills on a wide variety of soccer athletes, as well as how to treat and prevent these injuries.  Because of the high number of athletes we get to interact with everyday, Emily has also helped me improve on my manual therapy techniques that I can utilize in moving forward as an athletic trainer.  

Emily's guidance this summer has been exceptionally beneficial, and I am grateful for the opportunity to get to work with such a unique population of athletes.  

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 10, 2018

SLU AT Student's Confidence Grows Through Immersive Clinical Experience at John Hersey HS

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - John Hersey High School, Arlington Heights, Illinois 
By: Erin Fabbri (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

My summer field experience is at John Hersey High School. I am getting a lot of experience with all different sports teams, which has been a great learning experience thus far. From injury prevention, to stretching and rehabilitation I have gotten a lot of hands on experience with the athletes. 

My preceptor, Ric Bacon, ATC quickly facilitated my adjustment to Hersey’s athletic training room. He is a great preceptor with allowing me to practice my skills and always teaching me new techniques. I am grateful I chose Hersey for the summer because I truly enjoy the high school setting and this summer is allowing me to be more comfortable with my skills. Ric has a strong passion for the high school athletes and goes above and beyond for them. Hersey is a great environment because all of the athletes are very motivated. 

I am looking forward to the rest of the summer at Hersey because I know I will learn more. At the end of this summer I will be more confident in my rehabilitation and evaluation skills. Everything I learn this summer will benefit me in the fall at another high school in St. Louis. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 09, 2018

SLU AT Student Gets Experience on a Large Scale with Select Medical at ESPN Wide World of Sports



SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Select Medical at ESPN Wide World of Sports
By: Justin Ullom (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

My clinical experience with Select Medical at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida has been a crazy ride. I have been pleasantly surprised by the experiences I have had here. The ability to network with numerous Athletic Trainers in the Florida area is amazing, especially given that I eventually want to work my way to a coast after college. 


It has been wonderful to experience such a wide variety of sports. In the first few weeks alone, I have been assigned to wrestling, softball, volleyball, and baseball. Since we are the only medical providers of the complex, we also take care of the general population. This means that at any given time, there is anywhere from ten thousand to forty thousand people participating at the site.  

I was not initially ecstatic about most events are with a younger community, as my aspirations involve working with more elite-level athletes. However, most of these younger athletes are extremely talented with colleges looking at them and their level of play is at a high level.   

My confidence in my emergency response skills has improved dramatically throughout this experience as well. In a short time, I have already utilized a spine-board as well as splinting with vacuum splints before sending someone to the hospital. There have also been times where we are the first responders to a spectator having a heart attack working together with EMS personnel. 

Fifty or more hours per week, on top of getting this experience with emergencies, it gives me a very accurate idea of what it will be like to be an Athletic Trainer and I cannot be more excited for it. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 08, 2018

SLU AT Student Sees the Athletic Trainer's Wide Spectrum of Responsibilities on the Team at Lurie Children's Hospital


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
By: Paul Lamb (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This summer at Ann and Robert H. Lurie’s Children Hospital has given me an immense amount of learning opportunities in a new setting for Athletic Trainers that I hadn’t experienced before this summer. Working within a hospital setting means being a part of interprofessional health care teams that incorporate numerous domains, including Athletic Trainers, Orthopedic Specialists, Nurses, Translators, and much more.
I’ve been lucky to have the guidance of four AT's (Kristi McCracken, ATC, Emily Worobec, ATC, Madeline McHugh, ATC, and Adam Potteiger, ATC) to demonstrate the role of an athletic trainer. Each one has taught me endless amounts about new conditions and treatment strategies, and have allowed me to get hands-on experience in clinic.

A typical day for me this summer starts with going to one of the Lurie outpatient clinics that are scattered throughout Chicagoland. From there, the day varies depending on what patients are scheduled. So while on day I may be shadowing a pediatric orthopedic surgeon as they diagnose an ACL injury, the next day I may be assisting in the casting of a baby with clubfoot. This variance of opportunities has shown me the wide spectrum of responsibilities that Athletic Trainers take on within the health care system.

I’m grateful to the staff at Lurie Children’s for welcoming me into their health care community, and allowing me to learn as much as I have so far this summer. The next few weeks will offer new chances to broaden my scope of knowledge, and I’m excited for what that will bring.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 07, 2018

SLU AT Student Gets Hands-on Experience in Professional Baseball with the Schaumburg Boomers


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Schaumburg Boomers Baseball Club
By: Rory Cusack (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This summer I have the amazing opportunity to be with the Schaumburg Boomers, a minor league baseball team in the Frontier League. My preceptor, Mylie Leatherman ATC, has been teaching me so much since the first day and she helps my clinical skills grow every day. This has been a great experience especially since I have not had an opportunity to be with baseball before. 

The team has games 6 days a week, so it’s game day every day. Before each game, the players come for treatment where we provide rehabilitation and pre-game treatment to get them ready for batting practice. So far, I have seen many different injuries from post-surgical to wound care. During rehab, the players perform functional exercises and we work to get them back to full strength as soon as possible due to the amount of games each week. I am getting a lot of experience with rehab and am learning more and more exercises with each new injury. The players are motivated to get better and come prepared each day for rehab and for the game. 

This summer has been so fun so far with the Schaumburg Boomers and Mylie, and I look forward to what the rest of the summer has for me. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 06, 2018

SLU AT Student Experiences Collaborative Athletic Health Care with the Minnesota Golden Gophers


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics
By: Adam Long PT, DPT (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

For my first summer field experience, I worked alongside Jeff Winslow MS, ATC, CSCS, associate athletic trainer for men’s ice hockey at the University of Minnesota. With summer being the off-season for ice hockey, most of our responsibilities took place off the ice, primarily in the athletic training room–located at ice level of 3M Arena at Mariucci.

With incoming freshman, pre-participation evaluations must be performed to rule out any medical conditions which may negatively affect the athlete and to promote overall health and safety during sport. Additionally, baseline ImPACT and SCAT testing were administered for concussion monitoring during the upcoming season. Meetings with the team orthopedic surgeon were scheduled to monitor athletes’ progress through rehab moving towards a return to skating and drills on ice.

I also gained experience from both administrative aspects and interprofessional collaboration at the University of Minnesota. Communication among coaching personnel, strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, counseling, physicians, graduate assistants and more, detail the amount of involvement required when responsible for the student athletes. Additionally, I gained insight about the role of athletics director, medical director, and its relation to the entire body of athletic medicine–with their goal to create a collaborative care model for athletics.

Finally, I was fortunate to get exposure to football summer activities. Michael Sypniak ATC, associate and head athletic trainer for football provided me opportunity to see the inner workings of his staff and team and how they function. With a large number of athletes to monitor–it takes a coordinated effort to provide coverage and treatment.

I definitely found benefit from my experience at the University of Minnesota as it further clarified what an athletic training position would look like at a Big Ten University.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 05, 2018

SLU AT Program Featured in the SLU Doisy College "On the Record" Magazine


The Summer 2018 issue of the the Saint Louis University's Doisy College of Health Sciences magazine “On the Record” featured several articles about the Athletic Training program.

The on-line magazine is accessible at this link:
https://issuu.com/sludchs/docs/on_the_record_summer_2018

Story about Brandi Burgett Memorial Award and Scholarship
AT Faculty Dr. Anthony Breitbach and Dr. Mike Markee were recognized for Excellence in Scholarship and Excellence in Teaching.

Story on interprofessional collaboration between Dr. Anthony Breitbach and Dr. Katie Eliot.
Clinical Education Coordinator Dr. Timothy Howell appears in the "Clinical Corner" section.

July 04, 2018

SLU AT Program Faculty and Alumni have a Big Week in the Big Easy


Each year, the NATA Clinical Symposia and AT Expo provides a great opportunity for professional development and fellowship.  This year's meeting was no exception and the city of New Orleans provided a great site for convention's festivities!

One of the highlights of the NATA Convention is our Alumni Reception!  Over 50 alumni and friends attended this year's reception at the Olde NOLA Cookery on June 27th.


There were several educational presentations with SLU connections:

Katie Sniffen MS, ATC presented research from our interprofessional DPT/MAT Therapeutic Modalities course.
Program Director Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC presented a poster on his interprofessional collaboration research.
SLU AT alum Tyler Wood MS, MAT, ATC presented his doctoral research from the University of Illinois.
Gatorade premiered a short film entitled "First on the Field" highlighting the experience of the NFL's first female athletic trainers.  SLU AT alum Hilary Stepansky MAT, ATC is featured in the video and served on a panel discussing her experiences with the Los Angeles Rams as one of six female AT's in the NFL.

The video of the presentation is available here:
https://www.pscp.tv/GPerformancePartner/1yNGaXDoyEqKj?t=1m56s