SLU AT Students Get a Diverse and Dynamic Learning Environment with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University
By: Erin Fabbri, Rory Cusack, Grant Hollander, Matt Murphy, Adam Long, and Dimitri Kilian (SLU MAT Class of 2019), Donielle Francis, Ryan Dale and Pat O’Neill (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

The Saint Louis University Department of Athletics provides a wonderful clinical experience for all of us!

Currently three 2nd year (PY2) students and six 1st year (PY1) students with the Billikens and we have been given the opportunity to get experience with multiple Division 1 sports teams during their winter and spring seasons. Our preceptors are: Jonathan Burch, ATC, Ben Heimos, ATC, Lizzy Kienstra, ATC, Petra Knight ATC and Tammy Pastor ATC.  They have allowed each of us to have very unique clinical experiences and has exposed us to a diverse group of athletes and other health professionals.

As PY2s, we have enjoyed two wonderful semesters a SLU, which has been great for our development as future athletic trainers. We have learned so much from our respective preceptors and they have done a great job of preparing us for the real world. Our preceptors have helped us and allowed us to develop our skill set and gain more confidence by increasing our responsibilities and allowing us to learn through hands-on experience. We have also enjoyed getting a chance to interact and help mentor the PY1s. We know and understand exactly what they are going through, so we welcome the opportunity to help them grow.

As PY1s, we cover basketball, baseball, swimming and diving, and track and field. We have learned more about rehab, modalities and how to work with other athletic trainers. At this clinical site we have been exposed to more resources such as laser therapy, SwimEx, AlterG and Normatec, which can improve and expand our skill set. We have the opportunity to develop better relationships with the athletes by being able to see them daily. We have had a great experience thus far by both the preceptors and PY2s helping us build a better understanding of athletic training.

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.

SLU AT Students Appreciate the Opportunity to Gain Clinical Experience with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics

By: Ryan Dale and Donielle Francis (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

We have the privilege of being placed at Saint Louis University for our PY2 Clinical site. We are currently in the midst of the fall season here at SLU and Donielle is assisting mainly with women’s soccer with Lizzy Kienstra, MAT, ATC, and Ryan is assisting primarily with men’s soccer with preceptor Ben Heimos, ATC. This placement has afforded us the opportunity to work in a collegiate Division 1 setting and be exposed to a diverse group of athletes. 

Donielle: This year I get to learn from preceptor Lizzy Kienstra, a SLU MAT grad. I am assisting her with the Women’s Soccer team, which is currently in season, as well as assisting the Women’s Basketball and Swimming and Diving Teams as they prepare for their upcoming seasons. I have been able to assist Lizzy in all aspects of injury evaluation, treatments and rehab plans. This has given me great hands on experience and instant feedback which is helping me feel more and more confident in my abilities. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year to continue to hone my skills at SLU!

Ryan: I have the incredible opportunity with Ben Heimos, ATC and the Saint Louis University Men’s Soccer team. Being able to assist the Athletics Department that I once represented as an athlete is an honor. My experience has been truly great so far; I like the increased responsibility, and ability to be hands-on to practice my skills. Ben allows me to work within all the domains of athletic training, and the athletes trust me to provide them with the best possible care. I have also enjoyed working with and learning from all the other ATs at Chaifetz. I am excited to continue to grow as an Athletic Trainer alongside so many knowledgeable mentors.

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.

SLU AT Student Enjoys Preceptor's Approach to Clinical Teaching at Christian Brothers College High School

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Christian Brothers College High School

By: Ryan Dale (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

Summer Camps at Christian Brother College (CBC) High School have been a great hands-on experience. My preceptor, Kristen Jeans ATC, LMT, at CBC through Mercy Sports Medicine has years of experience and enjoys sharing it with her Athletic Training Students. She allows me to work with the athletes on my own, but is also happy to teach me when I am faced with a situation I am unable to solve. Due to the wide variety of sports being played and the numerous athletes that attend the camps, there are many opportunities to further advance my proficiencies as an Athletic Trainer. 

I have especially enjoyed Kristen’s approach to evaluations. She is able to quickly evaluate her athletes and determine what they need to return to play. I think her Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) certification is very helpful, because she is advanced in manual therapy techniques. I believe strongly in the use of massage and other manual techniques for both pre and post treatments of athletes to ensure optimal function. 

Lastly I was excited to learn more about rehab, because this is an area I am highly interested in. In the high school setting there is not much time to spend on rehab, so an athletic trainer working in this setting needs to be proficient in developing home rehab programs and properly communicating them to his or her athletes. Kristen is great at prescribing the appropriate exercises, and making sure her athletes are strengthening weak muscles that would otherwise lead to injury. 

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.

SLU Pre-professional AT Student Finds Excellent Role Models at Missouri Baptist University

New AT Student Blog Post - Ryan Frantz (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This spring, I had the opportunity to go and observe many different clinical sites in the Saint Louis area to increase my understanding of what it means to be an athletic trainer. Of the clinical sites visited, I found myself returning to Missouri Baptist most often. Ashley Broughton, MS, ATC and the PY1 students allowed me to practice my taping on them and provided advice as to how I could improve my work. Over the course of this semester, I have to say the success I have had at strengthening my taping abilities was greatly contributed to by those at Missouri Baptist. Observing at Missouri Baptist also provided a great opportunity to learn about the different types of technology used in the field, such as Normatek, ultrasound, and many others. Having little to no knowledge of such equipment, I was provided a quality introduction to how a lot of the technologies work which should prepare me for my future education.

Missouri Baptist and its athletic training staff are great role models for how I would like to be when I begin practicing. Ashley was able to teach me so much while I was there, and she allowed me to ask as many questions as I could while answering them to the best of her knowledge to help me. Every time I entered the athletic training room, I always felt very welcomed by everybody there, and each day, I always expected to learn something new that I had never expected to learn about. From my observations here and at all other sites, I haven’t decided whether I would rather work with high schools or colleges, but I do have higher hopes leading in to the first professional phase and clinical site.

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.

SLU AT Students Get Multiple Experiences in a Busy Clinical Site at Missouri Baptist University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Missouri Baptist University

by Bridget Bushong, CJ Butler, Ryan Dale, and Ben Wildman (MAT Class of 2018)

Bridget Bushong - I am with the baseball team. Because there are so many athletes I get to see a wide variety of injuries and consequently, treatments. MoBap has many different modalities so I'm able to practice using them for different purposes. Being at a university has shown me a different side of athletic training because they have so many different team physicians they use. This semester I have been able to expand my skills in rehab and stretching techniques also. MoBap is a nice clinical site to be at this semester because I am learning so much and getting more hands on experience.

CJ Butler -  I am with the Missouri Baptist University wrestling team. Wrestling has been an interesting sport to cover from an athletic training standpoint because the athletes put tremendous strain on their body day after day with live wrestling, little rest and pushing through pain. They also are constantly trying to cut weight so helping them manage that in the best way possible has been challenging. This semester we have been learning the physiology and different methods for stretching and rehabilitation and I have been able to apply these functionally at MoBap nearly every day with battling frequent soreness and injuries to the athletes. My taping ability has also improved and I have started becoming more creative in the ways I tape. Wrestling causes almost any tape or wound care we apply to get damaged or come off, so learning how to quickly tape and get them back in while also using techniques that are durable has been essential. MoBap has been a change from my last site when our hands were the only modalities we had whereas I have been able to use Game Ready, cupping, estim, ultrasound, combo, scrapping, Normatec and ice baths daily. 

Ryan Dale - I have been working with the Men's Basketball, Men's Track, and Softball teams at MBU this semester. Most of my time outside of the Athletic Training Room has been spent covering Basketball games and practices, which has been exciting. I have really gotten to know the team well, and have formed trusting relationships with them. While working in the Athletic Training Room my focus with the Basketball players has primarily been assisting my preceptor (Ashley Broughton, MS, ATC) in keeping everyone healthy; We achieved this through preventative measures such as taping the athletes before games and practices and by providing plenty of postgame treatments on sore/injured areas. With Men's Track I have worked extensively with them on injury prevention through stretching and heating before practice as well as addressing any injuries before they become serious problems. Also there are a couple of injured athletes that I have been working with everyday to help them return to action. I have not worked with Softball too much yet, because I have been so busy with Basketball, but I look forward to helping them stay healthy and getting to know them. Overall I have gained a great amount of valuable experience and I have had a good time while doing it.

Ben Wildman - I am with Men's Lacrosse, Women's Track and Field, and Women's Cross-Country this semester under the guidance of my preceptor, Jamie Herron, MS, ATC, at Missouri Baptist University. Most of my time at MoBap has been split between covering Men's Lacrosse practice and spending time in the Athletic Training Room. At practices we mostly address acute injuries and stretch our athletes. After practices we return to the ATR where I complete evaluations, apply manual therapies to aid the athletes in recovering, and do rehabilitative exercises and treatments. Our athletes are required to complete weekly bands which are preventative exercises that have been selected and catered towards their respective sport. Some of these bands emphasize prevention for ACL injuries, shin splints, and shoulder instability. These are injuries that can be considered rather common to the nature of the game of lacrosse. Therefore, preventing them through strengthening and ear1y intervention is essential. I have learned different manual therapy techniques such as myofascial release through scraping, cupping, and massage. I apply these techniques on a daily basis with our athletes to aid in recovery, pain management, and rehabilitation. My time thus far at MoBap has proven to be very educational, challenging, and fun.

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.

SLU AT Students and International Exchange Student Learn Together at Westminster Christian Academy

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Westminster Christian Academy
By: Robbie Cassidy (Exchange Student-AIT), Ryan Dale (SLU MAT Class of 2018), Colin Peterson (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

Westminster Christian Academy (WCA) has given us a comprehensive athletic training experience applying the different domains of athletic training with a variety of high school sports teams.  Additionally the mix of an international student from Athlone Insitute of Technology (AIT) in Ireland and SLU students from two different cohorts provides an especially rich learning environment.

Hilary Orf MAT, ATC (SLU MAT Class of 2013), the athletic trainer at WCA, works for Athletico and cares for all fall sports teams including football, softball, soccer, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, and swimming.  She has been an valuable resource teaching us not only a variety of clinical skills, but also how to provide the best treatment possible while maintaining the balance of covering multiple teams.

We have improved and learned new preventive taping techniques, as well as focus on the use of manual therapy in rehabilitating athletes with a variety of injuries.  This semester has been a great experience for gaining further insight into assessing on-field injuries, deciding when an athlete can return to play, and providing acute wound care. There have also been opportunities to learn how to apply various braces and splints.

Westminster Christian Academy is the perfect clinical site to learn what it means to work in the high school setting after graduating from our program at SLU.

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.

SLU AT Students Among Billiken Student Athletes Honored for Academic Excellence

Six Athletic Training majors were among more than 250 Billiken student-athletes that were recognized at Wednesday’s men’s basketball game against Richmond as part of Academic Excellence Night. Academic Excellence Night recognizes Billikens student-athletes who achieved a 3.0 grade point average or greater in the Fall 2015 semester. Congratulations!

Juan Calero

Ryan Dale

Caitlin Gibson

Jenna Ginsberg

Stephanie Uhrich

Justin Ullom