SLU AT Student Grows Clinical Skills Through Hands-on Experiences at Harris-Stowe State University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Harris-Stowe State University
By: Carmen Roberson (MAT Class of 2020)

So far my clinical experience at Harris-Stowe State University has been great and has given me a new lens on the college setting of athletic training. I think one of the main differences between this semester and last is that I know so much more than I did starting out on clinical rotations in the fall. It’s been great to be able to apply my skillsets every day and learn from my preceptor. Since my preceptor, Tim Herlihy ATC, is the only athletic trainer at HSSU, I get a lot of hands-on action with the athletes. This has been extremely beneficial to my growth as a student and future athletic trainer.

I’ve been able to work new rehab protocols, learn new taping techniques, and see first-hand what chiropractors do. Harris-Stowe has three chiropractors that do rotations on different days each week so that has been fun getting to see their skillsets play out. I learn from them just as much as I learn from Tim.

My overall learning experience has been challenging, yet rewarding, especially because I am able to apply and see the difference it makes in the athletes I help.

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 Pre-professional AT Student is Excited for the Next Step in Her Unique Path to Athletic Training

New AT Student Blog Post - Alejandra Chavez-Hernandez (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

I entered the Athletic Training program in Fall 2016 as a transfer student, and it’s crazy to think I will be a PY1 this upcoming Fall!

I did not take the traditional path to college, but that has not stopped me from having amazing opportunities as an AT student at SLU. Some of the highlights of my time in the AT program have been through the directed observation opportunities. I had really great experiences being a DO student, but two of my favorites were observing at Harris Stowe State University and attending the SEC Gymnastics event.

Attending the SEC Gymnastics was a fun experience because it was the first time I had ever seen gymnastics in person and I was amazed at the skill and dedication the gymnasts had for the sport. Two PY1 students and I were there, Adam Long and Matt Eifert. They were both really great to work with that day! Despite the busy environment at this event, I paid close attention to how the athletic trainers from the different colleges there that day treated their athletes. Being at the SEC Gymnastics event gave me the opportunity to see how athletic trainers work in a much larger setting, which was a really unique experience that I am really grateful to have had as a pre-professional AT student. It was awesome seeing how close of a relationship the athletic trainers had with their athletes, and it was clear to me that the athletes were very thankful for all that their athletic trainers were doing for them. I am really looking forward to one day having that type of relationship with the athletes I work with as I enter the professional phase of the program.

Another great observation opportunity was when I went to Harris Stowe State University. Killian Hollo, who is a PY2 student, and the head Athletic Trainer Tim Herlihy ATC were very welcoming and really made me feel involved in the few hours that I was there observing. I learned a lot that day and I even got to see a chiropractor work with the student athletes! That was a really cool experience and it was great talking to the chiropractors and learn more about their profession.

I am so happy and grateful for all the amazing opportunities I have had at SLU. I can’t wait to see the amazing opportunities to come.

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 Student Feels Fortunate to Refine Clinical Skills with Preceptor at Harris-Stowe State University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Harris-Stowe State University
By: Killian Hollo (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

I am finally in the PY2 year of the SLU Athletic Training program. As the graduation with the Master of Athletic Training degree approaches in May, I find myself eager to refine and hone in on the skills I will need to be independently competent in following my entry to professional practice. Harris-Stowe State University is the clinical stage which I have and will continue to practice these skills until my graduation. Mentored by preceptor Timothy Herlihy ATC, I practice in an intriguing setting.

This is the first time I have worked with a single Athletic Trainer providing care to all the sports teams of a university. Having juggled that responsibility for the last seven years, Tim has experience and wisdom which not all Athletic Trainers have. I feel lucky to learn from him.

As we provide medical care to seven different sports teams, my clinical education sometimes focuses as much on logistical medical management and time efficiency as much as actual clinical skills. I have often found myself multitasking with multiple patient care responsibilities. In these situations it has been beneficial to display task priority, time efficiency, and effective communication with the patients. Furthermore, we often teach the student athletes “self- help” to promote quality care and injury progression even if they are not with us at that moment. What can the patient be doing to better themselves without one on one time with the Athletic Trainer?  For accessibility and prudent sake, we mostly stay around the Athletic Training room when there is not a game commencing. That way, any one of the sports teams knows where to find us at all times. There we keep busy with assessments, treatments, and rehabilitation. As of last week, all sports of this semester are in season so we have been experiencing some interesting days with all types of people coming to visit us.
Harris Stowe athletics has formed a good partnership with Logan University of Chiropractic Medicine. The doctoral students from Logan are eager to work with athletes so they come once a week. Every Wednesday I have the opportunity to learn from them and better understand a different culture of medicine. 

The Harris Stowe community seems much like a family and I am grateful to be learning there. I am excited to get to know the community better and better as I become more and more fluent in the practice of Athletic Training and strategies at Harris Stowe.  I know it will be a great year.
 

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.

New SLU AT Student Enjoys Variety of Experiences at the University Setting

New AT Student Blog Post - Michael Milek (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

I have been to multiple clinical sites this semester for observation hours. The clinical sites have been a combination of both colleges, including SLU and Harris-Stowe, and high schools including, Affton and Parkway South. Each site has been an amazing experience that has added to the flame of wanting to become a professional Athletic Trainer. However, the experiences that have stuck out to me were the ones when I was observing a college/university.

For my experiences at universities, I was able to observe Kara Cummins-Ludwig ATC and student Collin Peterson during one of women’s basketball game. I was able to watch as the players came into the training room to get their pre-game taping or any other type of pre-game work done. Once the athletes were prepared and the courtside was set up, we sat behind the bench while the game was going on. This was the highlight for me. I had never been courtside at a game and it made me feel like an official athletic trainer. It was a very good feeling. As for Harris-Stowe, I was able to observe their women’s softball team. I was able to talk to the preceptor, Tim Herlihy ATC, and just ask pretty much any question related to Athletic training. The other cool part was the fact that there was also a chiropractor on the scene with us. I had never really seen a chiropractor and an athletic trainer working together. I was able to chat with both the preceptor, Tim, and the chiropractor while the games were going on. It was interesting to see both of them working together and bouncing ideas off each other. The photo attached is of Tim, the preceptor at Harris-Stowe, and myself after the double header.

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 Student Gets Unique Clinical Opportunities at Harris-Stowe State University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Harris-Stowe State University

By: Amelia Meigs (MAT Class of 2017)

Harris-Stowe State University is a unique clinical site that offers students the opportunity to work with many different healthcare professionals in a collegiate setting. At Harris-Stowe, I have had the opportunity to work with athletes, write concussion and drug safety protocols, assist my preceptor in writing strength and conditioning programs, help revise Institutional Review Board grant requests, and observe games. The athletic trainer at HSSU, Tim Herlihy ATC, is passionate about athletic training. We spend a lot of time in discussion about emerging topics in athletic training, what I learned in the classroom, and new research.

Harris-Stowe provides an excellent opportunity to learn about administration in athletic training. Tim has guided my involvement in writing protocols, assisting research, and working with other healthcare professionals to care for athletes. Additionally, I have been able to tape, rehabilitate injuries, and apply modalities. I am able to work on my prevention skills through deep core and general strengthening protocols Tim institutes for several of the teams.

One special part of Harris-Stowe is its partnership with Logan Chiropractic College. With this partnership, Logan chiropractors and chiropractic students evaluate and treat athletes once a week. They also send chiropractors out to many games to observe and assist with treatment. Working with other healthcare professionals has expanded my knowledge and understanding of the role of the many different healthcare providers in an athletic setting. Harris-Stowe is a wonderful combination of many areas of athletic training that it is difficult to get experience in as a student—namely prevention and administration. Go Hornets!

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.