April 24, 2020

SLU MAT Class of 2020 Hosts Virtual Capstone Day on Friday May 1st


Students in the Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2020 will be presenting their Capstone Projects virtually on-line on May 1, 2020 starting at 8:30 am via Zoom.  The event is open to the public, and presentation of these projects mark the completion of their experience as students in the SLU Athletic Training Program.



2020 SLU MAT CAPSTONE DAY SCHEDULE:


TIME
NAME
TITLE OF CAPSTONE PRESENTATION
8:30 AM
Caitlyn
Thomas
Running on Greens: Vegan/Vegetarian vs Omnivorous Diet on Endurance Performance
8:40 AM
Hannah
Daily
Plant-Based Dieting: The Effect on Athletic Performance
8:50 AM
Justin
Durham
Blood Flow Restriction: An Effective Alernative to Traditional Rehabilitation?
9:00 AM
Allison
Stefan
Cut It Off: The Use of Blood Flow Restriction Training as a Post-Operative ACL Rehabilitation Tool
9:10 AM
Becca
McGrail
Internal Bracing: What Role Does It Play on ACL Reconstruction
9:20 AM
Mitchell
Buerck
“Russian” to the finish line - Blood Doping Enhancement and Harmful Effects for Endurance Athletes
9:30 AM
Emma
Yonkers
Vaping and the Adolescent Athlete: How is Perception Different From Reality?
9:40 AM
Alejandra
Chavez
Nourish your brain, nourish your body: The role of nutrition in traumatic brain injury treatment
9:50 AM
Conner
Mongoven
What do you mean there’s a cream? Topical versus Oral NSAIDs for treatment of rheumatic diseases.
10:00 AM
BREAK
10:10 AM
Claire
Ditman
Midfoot Stiffness: What Role Does it Play in Injuries Up the Kinetic Chain
10:20 AM
Cheyenne
Meinershagen
Impact of athletic trainers on tactical athletes
10:30 AM
Carmen
Roberson
The Neglected Disease: Sickle Cell Anemia and it's Battle through the Political, Social, and Medical World
10:40 AM
Maria
Lingardo
Powerhouse of the Cell? Background, Diagnoses, & Treatment of Mitochondrial Disease in the Physically Active
10:50 AM
Gwyn
Brown
Mitochondrial Disease in Collegiate Athlete: A Case Study
11:00 AM
Abby
Hoffman
Psyched Out: The use of psychotherapy in treating PTSD and anxiety symptoms
11:10 AM
Courtney
Nall
Burnout: What We Know and How We Can Help
11:20 AM
Marissa
Burch
Tic Disorders and Their Effect on Mind and Body
11:30 AM
Rachel
Wilhelm
The Effects of Reduced or Disordered Sleep on Athletes’ Performance and Recovery
11:45 AM
RECOGNITION CEREMONY

Watch the presentations on-line: https://youtu.be/fdghHY3_bwo 

For more information email Dr. Anthony Breitbach, SLU AT Program Director at anthony.breitbach@health.slu.edu.

April 21, 2020

SLU AT Student Appreciates Involvement with Interprofessional Community Service Grant Project


New AT Student Blog Post - Maddie Cavanaugh (SLU MAT Class of 2022)

One of my favorite events that I have participated in over the past couple of years is part of the SLU 1818 Community Engagement Grant Program.  Members of the Athletic Training, Physical Therapy, and Nutrition and Dietetics programs put on program to teach kids from Unleashing Potential about basic concepts on what the professions do and try to spark interest for their futures.


Some of the activities that we participate in were applying bandages, hand sanitization, relay races, agility testing and learning about healthy foods.  While many of the younger kids were harder to keep interest for the full period of time, it was very rewarding to create a connection with some of the kids and figure out different ways to engage them in the material to keep them active and attentive.  One of the kids that I was working with couldn’t find the attention span to do our activity so we went and played around the basketball court and he wanted to “swim” on the blue parts out of the court.  It was fun getting to interact with community members and get a good laugh with all the kids’ imaginations.


I loved being able to work with the kiddos of Unleashing Potential as they enhanced their skills with would care, injury prevention and balancing skills.  Combining communities and seeing the spark in the kiddos as they learn things about their health was really cool.  Even though some of the younger kids had a harder time being engaged the whole time, they stayed active and seemed like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Over the past two years, I’ve loved getting to participate in the SLU 1818 grant and I hope to be able to participate in this amazing cause in the 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 17, 2020

International Athletic Training Student Values Immersive Clinical and Academic Experience at Saint Louis University


International Clinical Experience at Saint Louis University 
By Alfredo Del Giudice (AT Student, Universidad Camilo Jose Cela)

If you are looking for a full-immersion authentic American experience and are willing to learn new skills in healthcare, rehabilitation and training this is the place for you! Saint Louis University was my place for a couple of months, a place where I really felt part of a community and had the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. The structure of the campus, the library, the gym and classes are full equipped with last generation material and allow the student to have a great didactic experience. Also the services that the university offers are top level, and in this regard I would like to give special thanks to the alumni service who helped us with the big amount of papers we had to fill in order to be part of the Athletic Training program. 
During this experience I had the opportunity to met great professional like Dr. Anthony Breitbach and Dr. Timothy Howell, who were totally involved in doing that the stay in the USA was the best and that were as much complete as possible. 

I really enjoyed receiving theoretical classes in Medical Conditions, Rehab Protocols, First Aid, Suture and also a simulation of how to deal with a job interview. This was thanks to the high quality of the lessons and its teachers but also because of the great group of students that surely will be talented professionals in future. When you can perceive an ambient where everyone is starving for learning and being better everyday you know that who has organized this program is doing a great job with his students.


The Athletic Training Room is a wide space very well organized and full equipped with plenty of rehabilitation material (they also have a rehab pool with an aquatic treadmill!) and by its side there’s a big gym, only for college athletes, also very well equipped. The ambient in the room is dynamic and active, full of students willing to learn and different healthcare professionals like AT, PT, Physician and Strength Coach willing to teach all of their knowledge. At the start of the clinical rotation the practices where mainly observational but day after day I had the opportunity to be involved more and more until finally having total freedom to treat and diagnose athlete. This helped me a lot with developing athletic training and therapy skills and gave a big boost to my English level. Also, I would like to mention the great experience we had at Webster Groves High School with another great professional like Sean Wright ATC, a skilled and proactive AT who was really involved in showing us his way of working and learning from us how we approach the patient; this was absolutely a place where we learn a lot and moreover where we were showed a different ambient from the college sports. 


How not to mention the Arch Madness at the Missouri Valley Conference! Unbelievable experience with many basketball teams from different universities. A show of talents in a real professional stadium such as the Enterpirse Center side by side with a lot of ATT and healthcare professional from all over the United States. A great moment where we had the opportunity to share ideas and our personal history and making friends!

In general, this is a totally recommendable experience for whoever is willing to learn from great professionals and bigger persons! I feel I have acquired new skills, learned a different approach and enriched my professional baggage. Thanks to you all friends, hope to see you soon again!

Experiencia clínica internacional en la Universidad de Saint Louis
By Alfredo Del Giudice (AT Student, Universidad Camilo Jose Cela)

Si está buscando una auténtica experiencia estadounidense de inmersión completa y está dispuesto a aprender nuevas habilidades en atención médica, rehabilitación y entrenamineto, ¡este es el lugar para usted! La Universidad de Saint Louis fue mi hogar durante un par de meses, un lugar donde realmente me sentí parte de una comunidad y tuve la oportunidad de crecer personal y profesionalmente. La estructura del campus, la biblioteca, el gimnasio y las clases están totalmente equipadas con material de última generación y permiten al estudiante tener una gran experiencia didáctica. Además, los servicios que ofrece la universidad son de primer nivel y, en este sentido, me gustaría agradecer especialmente al servicio de alumnos que nos ayudó con la gran cantidad de documentos que teníamos que llenar para formar parte del programa de ATT.

Durante esta experiencia tuve la oportunidad de conocer a grandes profesionales como Anthony Breitbach y Timothy Howell, quienes estuvieron totalmente involucrados en hacer que la estadía en los Estados Unidos fuera la mejor y que fuera lo más completa posible.


Realmente disfruté recibiendo clases teóricas en condiciones médicas, protocolos de rehabilitación, primeros auxilios, suturas y también una simulación de cómo lidiar con una entrevista de trabajo. Esto fue gracias a la alta calidad de las lecciones y sus profesores, pero también debido al gran grupo de estudiantes que seguramente serán profesionales talentosos en el futuro. Cuando puede percibir un ambiente donde todos se esfuerzan por aprender y mejorar cada día, sabe que quién ha organizado este programa está haciendo un gran trabajo con sus estudiantes.


La sala de entrenamiento atlético es un amplio espacio muy bien organizado y equipado con mucho material de rehabilitación (¡también tienen una piscina de rehabilitación con una cinta de correr acuática!) y a su lado hay un gran gimnasio, solo para atletas universitarios, también muy bien equipado. El ambiente en la sala es dinámico y activo, lleno de estudiantes dispuestos a aprender y diferentes profesionales de la salud como AT, PT, Physician y Strength Coach dispuestos a enseñar todo su conocimiento. Al comienzo de la rotación clínica, las prácticas eran principalmente de observación, pero día tras día tuve la oportunidad de involucrarme más y más hasta finalmente tener total libertad para tratar y diagnosticar al atleta. Esto me ayudó mucho con el desarrollo de las habilidades terapéuticas y dio un gran impulso a mi nivel de inglés. Además, me gustaría mencionar la gran experiencia que tuvimos en Webster High School con otro gran profesional como Sean Wright, un ATT experto y proactivo que realmente estuvo involucrado en mostrarnos su forma de trabajar y aprender de nosotros cómo nos acercamos al paciente; este fue absolutamente un lugar donde aprendemos mucho y, además, nos mostraron un ambiente diferente al de los deportes universitarios.


¡Cómo no mencionar el Arch Madness en la Missouri Valley Conference! Experiencia increíble con muchos equipos de baloncesto de diferentes universidades. Una muestra de talentos en un estadio profesional real, como el Enterpirse Center, junto con muchos ATT y profesionales de la salud de todo Estados Unidos. ¡Un gran momento donde tuvimos la oportunidad de compartir ideas y nuestra historia personal y hacer amigos!


En general, esta es una experiencia totalmente recomendable para quien esté dispuesto a aprender de grandes profesionales y personas más grandes. Siento que adquirí nuevas habilidades, aprendí un enfoque diferente y enriquecí mi equipaje profesional. ¡Gracias a todos ustedes amigos, espero verlos pronto de nuevo!

April 06, 2020

SLU Athletic Training Program's International Clinical Exchanges Profiled in the NATA News

Saint Louis University was one of two Academic Institution members of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT) profiled in the April 2020 Issue of the NATA News.  The story, "Going International On Your Campus", presented how the CAATE Accredited Athletic Training Education Programs at SLU and Weber State University engage internationally.  SLU AT Program Director Dr. Anthony Breitbach was also quoted in the article.

In 2015, SLU began clinical exchanges with Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) in Ireland and Universidad Camilo Jose Cela (UCJC) in Spain where UCJC and AIT students attend SLU for as long as a semester.  In turn, SLU students get the opportunity to gain clinical experience in Spain and Ireland.




Published monthly by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the NATA News is the only magazine solely dedicated to the athletic training profession.  


April 03, 2020

SLU AT Student Kate Perko Awarded MAATA Scholarship


Saint Louis University Athletic Training Student Katherine (Kate) Perko was selected for a 2020 Graduate Scholarship from the Mid-America Athletic Trainers' Association (MAATA).  

A native of Chatham, Illinois, Kate is in the Master of Athletic Training Class of 2021. She is in the SLU Honors Program with a 3.89 GPA and will graduate in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, a Dance minor, and concentrations in Athletic Training and Interprofessional Practice.  She will also be presenting her Honors Capstone project at the SLU Senior Legacy Symposium (which with occur virtually this year).

She is a member of the SLU Alpha Iota Chapter of Iota Tau Alpha, the National Athletic Training Honor Society; and Alpha Eta, the National Allied Health Honor Society.  She is also on the Executive Committee for the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Society (SLATS), SLU's AT student organization.

Congratulations Kate!

April 01, 2020

Athletic Training Student from Spain Appreciates International Clinical Experience at Saint Louis University


International Clinical Experience at Saint Louis University 
By Andres Calleja Blanco (AT Student, Universidad Camilo Jose Cela)

We are two Spanish physical therapists specialized in the sports field. This love for sport and the well-being of our athletes led us to become interested in the profession of Athletic Training. Thanks to the Master in Athletic Training and Therapy of the Camilo José Cela University we had the privilege of making a 2-month clinical stay at Saint Louis University (SLU).

On January 10, 2020, our experience in the Athletic Trainer program began, crossing the ocean from Spain to join as students of the Athletic Trainer Program at Saint Louis University. The objective of the trip was clear: to absorb all possible knowledge about Athletic Trainer and to improve our level of English.

The day after our arrival, we met with Dr. Anthony Breitbach (Director of the Athletic Trainer SLU program) in his office at the Doisy College, where he explained the operation of this internship program. In this small meeting he gave us the schedule of classes and practices that we had to fulfill during these 2 months of stay at the University. At the end, Anthony proposed to take a walk around the campus and gave us a guided tour of all its facilities. Anthony was very kind from the beginning and his reception was very warm.


We started practices at Saint Louis University with the university's own baseball and soccer team. Ben Heimos (ATC) was our tutor during this stay. During these practices, the players came before their training and the Athletic trainer carried out an activation work (by means of sports massage, hot packs, Grastone ...) to prepare the players for physical work or we bandaged those who needed it. While the team was training, we were out on the field watching the training in case someone needed assistance or an emergency occurred at any time. When the training ended, the players with some physical complaint came to receive treatment or evaluation.

During these first weeks we dedicated ourselves to being Ben's shadow, that is, we followed him everywhere with the aim of listening, seeing and soaking up all possible knowledge. Little by little we began to realize the way of working they used, we understood things more clearly and we felt more comfortable and with more confidence.


Starting the second month of practice, we began a second clinical rotation, this time at Webster Groves High School under the supervision of Sean Wright. Sean was an ATC who was very interested and familiar with teaching, so we learned a lot from him. Together with Sean we attended to the athletes of the institute in the athletic training room, once they left class. We performed stretches, specific warm-ups and functional or preventive bandages. We also send guidelines and exercises for injured people to do at home or in the AT room. Then we prepared the coolers and bottles with water and ice and went to the training ground to observe and take care of the players.

I consider that this internship period has helped me to understand the Athletic Trainer profession a little better, I have learned a lot of knowledge that will help me to be a better professional and, also, I have learned to work within a multidisciplinary team in which we all must rowing in the same direction to guarantee the performance and health of our athletes. I consider that it has been, up to now, the most enriching academic experience I have had, since I have enjoyed a total immersion in the United States, I have felt very comfortable and I have enjoyed a lot, in addition, I have learned a lot of theoretical-practical knowledge .


Thank all the people with whom we have shared this experience, but especially. Dr. Anthony Breitbach and Dr. Tim Howell for their eternal availability, patience and good work.
Also thank our own, Álvaro García-Romero, Fernando Reyes and Roberto Murias, for all the work in the shadows to make this madness possible.

I HOPE TO COME BACK SOON!


Experiencia clínica internacional en la Universidad de Saint Louis
By Andres Calleja Blanco (AT Student, Universidad Camilo Jose Cela)

Somos dos fisioterapeutas españoles especializados en el ámbito deportivo. Este amor por el deporte y el bienestar de nuestros atletas nos llevó a interesarnos en la profesión de Athletic Trainer. Gracias al Máster en Athletic Trainng and Therapy de la Universidad Camilo José Cela tuvimos el privilegio de realizar una estancia clínica de 2 meses en la Saint Louis University (SLU).


El día 10 de Enero de 2020 empezó nuestra experiencia en el programa de Athletic Trainer, cruzando el océano desde España para incorporarnos como estudiantes del programa en Athletic Trainer de la Saint Louis University. El objetivo del viaje era claro: absorber todos los conocimientos posibles sobre Athletic Trainer y mejorar nuestro nivel de inglés.

Al día siguiente de nuestra llegada, nos reunimos con el Dr. Anthony Breitbach (Director del programa de Athletic Trainer SLU) en su despacho en el Doisy Collegue, allí nos estuvo explicando el funcionamiento de este programa de prácticas. En esta pequeña reunión nos dio el horario de clases y prácticas que teníamos que cumplir durante estos 2 meses de estancia en la Universidad y nos hizo una visita guiada por el campus. Anthony fue muy amable desde el principio y su recibimiento fue muy cálido.


Empezamos las prácticas en la Saint Louis University con el equipo de baseball y soccer masculino de la propia universidad.  Ben Heimos (ATC) fue nuestro tutor durante esta estancia. Durante esas prácticas los jugadores venían antes de su entrenamiento y los Athletic trainer realizábamos un trabajo de activación (mediante masaje deportivo, hotpacks, Grastone…) para preparar a los jugadores para la realización del trabajo físico o bien realizábamos vendajes a quienes lo necesitasen. Mientras el equipo estaba entrenando, estábamos en el campo mirando el entrenamiento por si en cualquier momento alguien necesitaba algún tipo de asistencia u ocurría algún tipo de emergencia. Cuando el entrenamiento terminaba, los jugadores con alguna queja física venían para recibir tratamiento o valoración.

Durante estas primeras semanas nos dedicamos a ser la sombra de Ben, es decir, le seguíamos a todas partes con el objetivo de escuchar, ver y empaparnos de todos los conocimientos posibles. Poco a poco empezamos a darnos cuenta de la forma de trabajo que utilizaban, entendíamos las cosas con más claridad y nos sentíamos más cómodos y con más confianza.

El comenzar el segundo mes de prácticas, comenzamos una segunda rotación clínica, esta vez en el Webster Groves High School bajo la supervisión de Sean Wright. Sean era un ATC muy interesado y familiarizado con la docencia, por lo que aprendimos mucho de él. Junto a Sean atendíamos a los deportistas del instituto en la sala de athletic training, una vez estos salían de clase. Realizábamos estiramientos, calentamientos específicos y vendajes funcionales o preventivos. También enviamos pautas y ejercicios para que las personas lesionadas pudieran hacer en casa o en la sala AT. Después preparábamos los coolers y botellines con agua y hielo e íbamos al campo de entrenamiento para observar y cuidar de los jugadores.

Considero que este período de prácticas me ha ayudado a comprender un poco mejor la profesión del Athletic Trainer, he aprendido muchos conocimientos que me ayudarán a ser un mejor profesional y, también, he aprendido a trabajar dentro de un equipo multidisciplinar en el que todos debemos de remar en la misma dirección para garantizar el rendimiento y la salud de nuestros deportistas. Considero que ha sido, hasta ahora, la experiencia académica más enriquecedora que he realizado, ya que he disfruta de una inmersión total en Estados Unidos, me he sentido muy cómodo y he disfrutado mucho, además, he aprendido un montón de conocimientos teórico-prácticos.


Agradecer a todas las personas con las que hemos compartido esta experiencia, pero en especial. a Dr. Anthony Breitbach y a Dr. Tim Howell por su eterna disponibilidad, paciencia y buen hacer.
También agradecer a los nuestros, Álvaro García-Romero, Fernando Reyes y Roberto Murias, por todo el trabajo en la sombra para hacer posible esta locura.

¡ESPERO VOLVER PRONTO!