SLU AT Students Experience a Dynamic and Collaborative Learning Environment with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Billiken Athletics

By: Caitlyn Thomas, Maria Lingardo, Gwyn Brown, Courtney Nall, Becca McGrail, Justin Durham (SLU MAT Class of 2020) and Josh Hicks, Jose Blanco, Kate Perko, Iris Herrera (Class of 2021)

Being at SLU is a unique experience because of the collaboration between multiple preceptors and students. Even though each preceptor is paired with a student, the students get the opportunity to work together while evaluating patients in the clinic. All of the preceptors have assigned sports, so we get the chance to interact mostly with the sports our preceptors manage. However, when in the clinic, we get the opportunity to help out with treatments of all the athletes, as needed. Every preceptor has a different style of treating; this has given the students multiple exposures to various modes of treatment depending on the injuries. Having this variation is a great way for the students to be exposed to the versatility of athletic training. Another great aspect of SLU is the amount of different health care professionals we have the opportunity to engage with. We can work with strength and conditioning specialists, physicians, physical therapists, and registered dietitians to aide in providing quality care to the athletes.

Courtney Nall and Iris Herrera with preceptor Angie Bradley, ATC: 
We have really enjoyed our clinical experience this semester with the SLU women’s soccer and track and field teams. Our preceptor Angie Bradley, ATC has an immense amount of knowledge and experience and we are grateful to have the opportunity to learn from her. We also appreciate how we can consult other students and preceptors but we still feel like we have plenty to do because there are only 2-3 students per sport.

Justin Durham with preceptor Ben Heimos ATC: 
SLU has been a great clinical experience that has allowed me to get a lot of hands on experience and get to know many great people. Ben has been a great preceptor; he gives me the opportunity to practice my skills everyday and if I ever have a question he is always there to help.

Caitlyn Thomas and Jose Blanco with preceptor Petra Knight, MS, ATC, CES: 
Getting clinical experience with Petra Knight and Women’s Basketball, Field Hockey, and Cross Country at SLU has been enlightening. Petra allows us to be very hands-on with the athletes, and our confidence has sky-rocketed because of that.

Maria Lingardo, Gwyn Brown and Josh Hicks with preceptor Jonathan Burch ATC: 
Our preceptor, Jonathan Burch, makes the clinical site a fun place to learn. Working with other PY1 students is a great way to transfer class material into real world experience. All of the PY2 students and Certified Athletic Trainers are very helpful and enjoy sharing their knowledge with the PY1 students. It is a great atmosphere to get the most out of the clinical experience.

Becca McGrail and Kate Perko with preceptor Elena Melillo. MA, ATC: 
We have really enjoyed having Elena as our preceptor this semester at SLU. Elena covers the softball, volleyball, and women’s swim team. Being a young professional, she is able to give me and the other graduate students doing clinicals at SLU great incite into the transition from being students to certified athletic trainers.

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.