SLU AT Student Empowered During Basketball Season

By: Yu-Heng (Stanley) Hu (MAT Class of 2024)

    My time at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville has been exceptional. This semester, I started my clinical experience at SIUE. Even though it is a 30-minute commute from SLU, it is totally worth it. As SIUE is an NCAA Division 1 college, many athletes come to the training room every day, providing me with a great opportunity to practice and gain hands-on experience. This is also my first time being with a D1 basketball team, which is an exciting experience watching and assisting in high-intensity games. Additionally, I have gained confidence in my clinical skills, such as assessing injuries, making treatment decisions, and conducting rehabilitation with athletes, because my preceptor Lupe and other athletic trainers at SIUE trust me to perform. Overall, I am grateful for such a valuable clinical experience in my final semester.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Embraces Clinical Opportunities

By: Lauren Smith (MAT Class of 2024)

    My clinical rotation at Alton High School has been going great so far this semester. My preceptor Andy Renner ATC, LAT, gives me a lot of freedom to evaluate athletes, provide treatment, and take athletes through therapeutic exercises. I am also very fortunate to have access to various therapeutic modalities like Marc Pro, cupping, and Graston tools. All the opportunities that have been provided to me have allowed me to adapt and get creative with my skillset. There is always the chance to grow in my knowledge and skills when I am at Alton, which has been beneficial as I prepare for my future as a clinician. I am very grateful for Andy and the dynamic we share. I am looking forward to the rest of the semester as spring sports start up and the many more learning experiences to come.  

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Expands Clinical Abilities With Mentorship From Alumni

By: Marissa Uecker (MAT Class of 2024)

    My clinical assignment with Pattonville High School has been a great learning experience. My

preceptor, Alex Hubbs, has given me the opportunity to expand and develop my skills through

hands-on practice with injury evaluations, therapeutic intervention, and patient education. Alex

treats me almost as if I am a third certified athletic trainer at Pattonville. He gives me the

autonomy to make clinical decisions regarding rehab and injury evaluations and provides

feedback to help me learn and grow. This experience has significantly impacted my professional

development. While challenging, this incredible opportunity has helped me build confidence in

myself and prepared me to start my career as an athletic trainer. Alex Hubbs, Emily Haley, and

the Pattonville staff have all been wonderful to interact with, creating an overall positive learning

environment. I am grateful to Pattonville and the SLU AT Program for providing this

professional development opportunity.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Embraces Diversity at Clinical Site

By: I-Chen (Hugo) Lee (MAT Class of 2024)

    This is my final clinical rotation before graduation, and I am delighted to be assigned to SIUE. SIUE boasts a wealth of athletic trainers who offer diverse perspectives. What I appreciate most is that all the preceptors treat us as colleagues. They encourage us to tackle tasks we feel confident in, and when there's a shortage, they offer advice in a remarkably polite manner. Fortunately, there are two AT graduates from SLU here, so they truly understand our needs. I want to extend special thanks to our main preceptor, Lupe. She consistently provides us with opportunities to conduct evaluations and treatments under her kind supervision, while also allowing flexibility in our schedules.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Practices Collaboratively Among Peers and Members of the SLU Medical Staff

By: Justin Epperly (MAT Class of 2024)

During the spring semester of 2024, I have been assisting Elena Melillo ATC, MAT, LAT. My prime responsibility has been coverage of the SLU women’s soccer team. This previous season, the fall of 2023, the women’s team won their 6th consecutive A-10 championship and achieved a historic playoff run, reaching the sweet 16 of the NCAA College Cup. The furthest the team has reached in SLU history. It was an amazing honor to serve not only the players, but coaches, team physicians, physical therapists, and all other members of our interprofessional team along the way. This experience has been extremely rewarding and exciting.  My preceptor has helped build my confidence by putting me in direct charge of patient care and pushing me to build personalized rehabilitation plans for injured athletes. A skill that I hope to utilize as I aspire to work in the MLS post-graduation.

I am very grateful for this experience as it has built up so much confidence in my abilities. I would not be where I am today without the help and guidance from my preceptor Elena Melillo, Erik Schwartz, Hannah Daily, and Scott Kugler.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Develops Clinical Autonomy Through Practice

By: Jennifer Hassler (MAT Class of 2024)

This semester I am fortunate to be completing my clinical rotation at Lutheran High School South with my preceptor, Laura Shellaberger MHS, ATC, LAT, CES. This is my second semester here and being able to experience the transitions between seasons at the same site has allowed me to gain experience with several administrative tasks that I am not usually a part of as a student. As a PY2 that will graduate in a few short months, Laura provides me with autonomy to grow my confidence and practice making decisions by giving me space to complete the first evaluation. I’m frequently given the opportunity to create rehabilitation programs while also learning new techniques from Laura. The student-athletes, coaches, and staff have accepted me as part of the day-to-day and respect me throughout evaluations and various communications. I am appreciative for their welcoming attitudes and patience as I learn and develop skills for my future practice. I have enjoyed my time at Lutheran South and I am excited to finish the remainder of my clinical experience here. I look forward to incorporating what I have learned from this experience into my practice and having the confidence that was fostered through Laura’s guidance to become an entry-level clinician.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Enjoying the High School Clinical Setting at WGHS

By: Claire Love (MAT Class of 2024)

For my final clinical rotation I am at Webster Groves High School with long time SLU AT preceptor, Sean Wright, ATC. Spending my last semester here at Webster has been exactly what I need as I prepare to transition from student to certified. From the very moment I walked in Sean has challenged me in every possible way. He gives me freedom to evaluate, create rehabs, and have conversations with coaches. But he is always there to encourage me, and help me if I have any questions or come across something I am not sure how to handle. He has been an incredible preceptor for me and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn from him everyday. 

One of my favorite memories this semester was recently the ATR was pretty busy and  I remember doing manual therapy on one person, correcting a rehab exercise on another, and then somehow also finishing an injury eval on someone else. I was in the zone and having so much fun and I looked up and Sean was like “ Do you even need me?” and I said “of course I do!” in which he responded with “well then tell me what to do then.” And I just stared at him with an absolute blank face. For one of the first times it hit me that I am only a few months away from being a certified athletic trainer (hopefully). In just a few months I am going to be doing this on my own. And to have a preceptor who has recognized that and has challenged me to lean into that has helped my confidence grow tremendously. He has absolute confidence in me, and it helps me to find that confidence within myself. 

As winter sports have finished and we head toward the spring I am excited to continue to build relationships with the athletes, coaches, and the entire Webster community. This place has been instrumental in my growth as a clinician and I am so grateful for the way that they have welcomed me into the community.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Refines Clinical Skills with STL City Academy

By: Caroline Miller (MAT Class of 2024)

For my final clinical experience, I was given the opportunity to further my athletic training skills with

STL City Academy teams. Going into this experience, I told preceptors Cam Cripe and Nate

Maynard my goals for my final rotation, and they have done nothing but help me achieve them. I am

given autonomy in everything I can do from creating rehab plans to evaluating field injuries. Rehab

especially was an aspect of athletic training that I went into this experience feeling unconfident in

and it has become an area that I feel extremely comfortable in. I have grown my skills in this area by

understanding why I select each exercise and knowing my goals for each stage of the process. 

Now that the academy spring season has started, I am now transitioning into experiencing game days

with the team. In a few weeks I am even traveling to an away game with the teams! I would like to

thank not only Cam and Nate, but the STL City Academy staff and athletes for warmly welcoming

me into the team and allowing me the space to continue to learn and refine my clinical skills.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Gaining Confidence Through Clinical Opportunity

By: Brandon Pavon (MAT Class of 2024)

So far this semester I have had the privilege of gaining experience with the Women’s basketball team at Saint Louis University under the preceptorship of Alaine Rhodes. This experience has been fantastic so far as I have had plenty of learning opportunities thus far as well as having the opportunity to sharpen my skills in clinical evaluation, use of modalities, and rehabilitation treatment. These experiences help me gain confidence in my ability as well as grow off of past experiences to help me become a more well rounded professional in order to benefit my future patients. I would like to thank my clinical coordinator Tim Howell as well as my preceptor Alaine Rhodes for their support and encouragement throughout this semester.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Students Share Clinical Experience with Saint Louis University Men's Basketball

By: Mark Romero (left) and Carlton McDonald-Jordan (right) (MAT Class of 2024)

Our PY2 year has allowed us the opportunity to grow and learn in a competitive Division 1 environment alongside our preceptor Jonathan Burch. We are grateful for the relationships we’ve made with SLU Men’s Basketball players and staff, and those formed with the entire Athletic Training staff at SLU. This season has given us ample opportunity to tackle physical and mental challenges that prepare us as future healthcare professionals. Now, nearing the end of the road, we can attest that our confidence in our clinical skills and practice has grown tremendously. The SLU Men’s Basketball experience will be remembered as one filled with lots of excitement and teachable moments that we will carry over with us after our time at SLU is finished. 

Learning in such a challenging environment, we have seen vast amounts of growth in our clinical skills throughout the season. Our preceptor JB has done a terrific job of providing the best clinical experience possible while tailoring to our goals as individual clinicians in practice. Through his teachings, JB has encouraged us to tackle difficult tasks using sound critical-thinking and decision-making skills. The great number of hands-on opportunities have furthered our knowledge in each of the domains of athletic training, pushing us one step closer to becoming competent ATs in practice. We have appreciated the added benefit of collaborating within and across various healthcare professions because of its impact on health outcomes. We would like to thank JB, SLU Sports Medicine, and SLU Men’s Basketball for the opportunity to gain such a quality experience this season. Roll Bills!

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU Athletic Training Student Explores a High School Clinical Experience with Program Graduate

By: Nia Callion (MAT Class of 2024)

This semester I have had the opportunity to complete my clinical rotation at Clayton High School. I was ecstatic to hear that I would be able to have a rotation at Clayton, especially since my preceptor Amara is a recent graduate of the athletic training program at SLU. The day-to-day tasks at Clayton include a mad rush of students after class lets out; it’s always a fun rush getting them in and out of the athletic training room as efficiently as possible. After the rush, I am usually able to spend longer one-on-one time with the athletes doing their return-to-play rehab. 

One of my favorite parts about this experience is the rehab and how the athletes, especially those who are more advanced, give me the challenge of being creative with the rehab exercises I choose. I have also gotten a chance to be even more hands-on with the documentation process; I’m grateful for that because documentation is one of my weaker skill sets, however, the more I practice it the better I have gotten whether that be hands-on navigation of documenting systems or hoe I may plan to document in my future endeavors. I am thrilled about the opportunity and knowledge I have gained from this experience and the fact that I still have the rest of the semester to continue my growth. 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU Athletic Training Student Thrives in Collegiate Clinical Setting

By: Jacob Kidwell (MAT Class of 2025)

My clinical site for the Spring semester is Fontbonne University. At Fontbonne, I have been working alongside Sammy Hochmuth and Cara Bowton in my second round of clinicals. One of my favorite things about being at Fontbonne is the learning environment. I am hands on with as many athletes and do not spend much time at actual practices. I am using what I have learned in the classroom more and more and also with more confidence each time. This experience is allowing me to work more with rehab which is aiding my professionalism by making sure I am respectful and helping athletes to the best of my ability. I am thankful that Sammy and Cara have allowed me to spend my semester at Fontbonne University with her.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Gains Valuable Soccer Experience with the STLCity 2 Team

By: Grace Golembiewski (MAT Class of 2024)

My time assisting and learning under my clinical preceptor, Head Athletic Trainer of St. Louis City 2, Zach Hopkins, MS, LAT, ATC, CES, PES and the rest of the sports medicine and sports performance staff at St. Louis CITY SC has helped me expand my professional and clinical skills exponentially. Every day, I am learning about and practicing the roles and responsibilities of an athletic trainer in a professional soccer setting. This includes engaging in daily administrative duties, collaborating with other sports medicine and sports performance staff to create individualized injury prevention strategies for athletes, assisting with daily treatments, recovery, and injury rehabilitation protocols, and participating in training and game coverage experiences at the highest level. 

In continuation, my preceptor does an excellent job at guiding my daily experiences by offering new opportunities to both observe and practice new clinical skills and emerging practices at the professional level. Overall, this opportunity has significantly improved my confidence in my professional skills and knowledge which excites me for what I have yet to learn at St. Louis CITY SC. 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Enjoys a High School Rotation with a SLU AT Program Alumn

By: Krystal Kohensky (MAT Class of 2025)

In attending my clinical site this spring at Rockwood Summit High School, associated with Mercy Sports Medicine(@FollowMercy), I serve as the only Saint Louis University Athletic Training student. My preceptor, Tony Mosello ATC(@MoselloATC), creates a lot of opportunities for me to work directly with the athletes. Beginning in January, mid-season, for the winter sports was a hard adjustment as high school and college environments are extremely different. However, this transition allowed me a ton of opportunities to indulge in new information and the Rockwood Summit faculty and staff were stoked to have me present, which made the transition much easier.

Now, two months in, I have been able to adjust, and enjoy working in the high school environment. Spring sports just started, so to say Tony and I have been busy with athletes would be an understatement. Summit has a wide variety of spring sports including but not limited to baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and water polo.  Oftentimes you can find Tony and I riding the golf cart jumping from practice to practice until games start. Working with Tony this spring will be a great experience for my professional development as I will get to experience a wide variety of sports that I currently have not yet experienced. Additionally, this experience will assist my growth as I will be able to interact with as many athletes as I feel comfortable with. Overall, I have really enjoyed working at Rockwood Summit High School so far and am grateful for the opportunities not only Tony, but the entire Summit community has given me. I can’t wait to see what else the semester has in store.

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.

SLU AT Student Exploring Baseball as a Spring Clinical Experience

By: Madison Wriborg (MAT Class of 2025)

For my clinical rotation this spring I am with Ben Heimos, ATC, LAT, CSCS at Saint Louis University assisting with the Baseball team. Coming into this spring the staff, coaches, and athletes have really welcomed me into their environment and have created a fun and comfortable space to grow and learn. Something I really like about assisting Ben is the freedom to treat athletes but also having the guidance when it is needed. So far during this rotation I have gotten to hone in on skills such as taping, soft tissue work, and evaluating/assessing the athletes. While assisting baseball I get to assess and treat a lot of shoulders and arms which has been great for fostering my professional development. Going to clinicals I get to learn something new every day and while I am still in this developmental stage of my career it is exciting I get to see and assess so much while assisting Ben and the baseball team. I am excited to see what is to come within these next few weeks and know I will feel confident within my skills after my time assisting the Billikens! 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.