SLU AT Student Enjoys Transformative Clinical Experience in Ireland at Athlone Institute of Technology

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Athlone Institute of Technology - Ireland

By: Chris Mecherle (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Spending the summer as a student at AIT has been one of the best decisions of my college career. With the guidance and assistance of Michael Donohoe M. Sc, ARTC, I have had a very fulfilling educational experience in Ireland. Out in the field, I also have the pleasure of working with Alan Camon ATC, who has been an extremely vital mentor for providing care to the local hurling and Gaelic football teams. With those two as my mentors, adjusting to life in Ireland has been a smooth transition, and I have certainly learned a great deal from their mentoring.

The weeks I have spent in Ireland have consisted of helping care for the Westmeath hurling and Caulry Gaelic football games and practices. There are also days that are with Michael Donohoe, partaking in workshops covering skills used in Ireland that are not used as much in the states. We also spend time with rugby players with post-surgical conditions, evaluating and determining their rehabilitation programs based on their progress. The hurling and football teams have been a very unique experience. I’ve personally never done so much soft tissue work before in such a short amount of time. It’s the main method for players to get ready before matches and practices, giving me the opportunity to obtain plenty of practice with myofascial release. During practices, we assist the players returning from hamstring injuries with their rehabilitation, and then during the games we do our best to keep the players in top form.

It has certainly been a wonderful time here in Ireland for professional growth. I thoroughly enjoy the fact that my perspectives on athletic healthcare are broadening, as well as the fact I am gaining a brand new cultural experience. The opportunity to learn in Ireland will, without a doubt, be one of the most cherished parts of my growth as an athletic training student.

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.

Irish Exchange Students from Athlone Institute of Technology Build AT Clinical Skills and More at Saint Louis University

International Clinical Exchange - SLU and Athlone Institute of Technology

By: Jason Kenny and Jordan Finnegan (Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy students - Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland)

Having being allowed the opportunity to further our athletic training skills abroad from our college in Ireland, we found ourselves in Saint Louis University thanks to the hard work of SLU faculty Dr. Tim Howell and Dr. Tony Breitbach. Having come here expecting to gain clinical experience we have managed to walk away with much more.

Coming from Ireland we got the opportunity to work with many sports we wouldn’t be familiar with such as volleyball, basketball and American football. This exposed us to many injuries we wouldn’t normally see back home.  Our day usually started early in the morning in the Chaifetz arena. We worked closely with many teams, in particular the volleyball team thanks to Tammy Pastor ATC. We participated in many different master program classes. We further improved our understanding of rehabilitation and treatment techniques, while also becoming great friends with our fellow peers.

We were at Bishop DuBourg High School under the guidance of our preceptor Nate Jarman MAT, ATC who was excellent at furthering our knowledge in clinical reasoning, rehabilitation and strength and conditioning. We can’t thank Nate enough for the exposure he let us have while working under him. Having never thought about working at a high school it turned out to be our most enjoyable experience as an Athletic Training student and is a place we could see ourselves working in the future. We worked alongside fellow students Cat Chua and C.J. Butler where we shared our knowledge and experiences over the 4 months. (They were also the cheapest taxis in St. Louis!).

The list of things we accomplished and stories we have to tell could go on and on. From playing Gaelic football and Rugby each week, to taping Ironman’s ankles at the Marvel Universe Live Show! The friendships we have made will last a lifetime and this is an open invite for any of you to come visit us. Hopefully we will be remembered for more than just our social festivities around St. Louis. 

The only disappointing aspect of our time here is that it unfortunately has to come to an end.

Thanks for everything St. Louis!

SLU AT Student Gets International Rugby Experience through Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Athlone, Ireland

By: Pat O'Neill (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

This summer, I sought out a field experience over the pond in Ireland to work with rugby. Playing a couple years of rugby in college myself has me interested in pursuing a career covering rugby. Currently, I am affiliated with Connacht Rugby, a member of the Guinness Pro 12 League, covering their U17, U18, and U19 squads as well as, Buccaneers Rugby Football Club, a member of the Ulster Bank League. 

I have had the pleasure to collaborate and learn from Michael Donohoe M.Sc ARTC.  This is Michael’s second year working with Connacht Rugby’s sub-academy teams and his fifth year working with the Buccaneers. On top of his job as an Athletic & Rehab Therapist, he is also an assistant lecturer at Athlone Institute of Technology. He is always willing to answer the many questions I have and goes above any beyond his role as a preceptor to make sure I am getting the most out of this experience. 

Being with the Connacht Rugby sub-academy teams has been an incredible experience to say the least. There are just under 100 athletes ranging between 15 and 18. I am working with and treating the some of the best rugby players under the age of nineteen in the country. 

Connacht’s multifaceted approach to developing their athletes has given me the opportunity to collaborate with physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, sports psychologists, and sports nutritionists. With the help of Michael, I have really refined my manual therapy techniques and gained a greater appreciation for them. I have also been exposed to many new rugby specific rehab and return to play protocols. 

I have also enjoyed my experience with Buccaneers Rugby Football Club. There are about 40 athletes on the team ranging between early twenties to mid-thirties in age. Currently the squad just started their pre-season training so our focus is on injury prevention and managing the volume of training. The athletes are great to work with and they are sure that there is never a dull moment in the clubhouse. I look forward to covering their matches, which begin mid-August.

I am very appreciative of this experience to work with these athletes and staff. My time working with both Connacht and the Buccs has already had an immense impact on developing my skills as an athletic training student and on my education. 

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.

Student from Ireland Enjoys a Semester-Long Experience in Athletic Training at Saint Louis University

International Clinical Exchange - SLU and Athlone Institute of Technology

By: Robbie Cassidy (Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy student - Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland)

I have been working and studying at St. Louis University for 14 weeks now and moving into my last week here I feel that I have got the experience I was looking for. Working with Westminster Christian Academy and the SLU women’s basketball team I have learned and practiced many new techniques. I found working with the high school introduced me to a variety of new sports and the reality of injuries associated with them. Hillary Orf MAT, ATC, my preceptor at the high school, has helped me in every aspect of my work experience and has been a pleasure to work with. With the constant flow of athletes in and out of the athletic training room I have been able to evaluate multiple injuries in a comfortable environment before discussing the possible diagnoses with my colleagues and determining the right course of action allowing me to develop my clinical examination skills. Every day I have learned from my co-workers and have enjoyed every minute of it.

Women's Basketball practice starts at 6:00 A.M. in the incredible Chaifetz Arena, so we would usually be in the athletic training room by 5:30 A.M. to begin setting up for practice and taping the players. After practice I work with some of the players on their rehab programs or continue treatment with them. On game-day we will set-up the therapy table just off-court and will sit courtside with the team. The atmosphere and build-up for games is exciting and with the team being ranked #1 in the A-10 conference has really added to the overall experience. In short, working with the women’s basketball team has been a new experience as I have never worked with an elite team of the same calibre before. Lizzy Kienstra MAT, ATC and Kara Cummins-Ludwig MS, ATC, my preceptors at SLU, provided much in the way of mentoring and advice and for this I am grateful. 

When I arrived at SLU I was welcomed by Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC, the Athletic Training program director, who took the time to show me around the city of St. Louis and helped me to get settled in. Coming to St. Louis alone was a bit overwhelming at first but Dr Breitbach went out of his way to make my initial couple of weeks here as easy and as comfortable as possible. We have kept in good contact the entire time I have been here and he has helped me out on numerous occasions. I was placed in two PY2 classes at SLU where I have learned a significant amount about the treatment and maintenance of athletes under excellent professors (Dr. Kitty Newsham, Dr. Mike Markee and Dr. Tim Howell) who have been a great help in and out of the classroom. 

It has not only been the professors here at SLU who have helped me in my studies, as I have also received assistance from my fellow students who have acted as mentors. One such student Collin Peterson, introduced to me through Dr. Breitbach, has been my guide in handling the program and swiftly became a friend that I could rely on here. He has helped me to adapt to the new culture and has introduced me to the social life of St. Louis.

I have really enjoyed my time at Saint Louis University and hope to keep up the relationships with all the new friends I have made.

SLU AT Student Builds Clinical Skills and Cultural Competence Internationally at Athlone Institute of Technology

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Athlone Institute of Technology - Ireland
By: Maxwell Alander (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

The draw to spend our summer in Ireland at Athlone Institute of Technology may seem obvious. Being able to work with novel sports such as Gaelic football and hurling while learning new methods adopted by other parts of the world was hardly what any of us imagined before this opportunity presented itself. Our preceptor, Dr. Siobhan O’Connor did a wonderful job facilitating our experience by including not only clinical placements but also providing guest lectures on topics that are relevant to the profession. 

Time at our clinical site was spent between AIT athletics, county level Gaelic football and hurling, and researching fundamental movement skills in adolescents. Throughout these clinical experiences we were given all the freedom we wanted in the evaluation and treatment of athletes, often practicing new techniques on uninvolved limbs while athletic trainers within the program at AIT performed treatments on the injured extremity. Needless to say we were busy. 

Despite all of the time spent working on practical skills, we all agree that our biggest take away was from the cultural experiences in athletic training and healthcare as a whole. Operating in a rural country with a much different healthcare infrastructure has created a need for accessible healthcare professionals. Working in this environment truly helped develop the bond between patient and professional, something we all hope to bring to our athletes back home. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required 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 AT Student Gets Clinical Experience Internationally in Ireland at Athlone Institute of Technology

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Athlone Institute of Technology - Ireland

By: Brandi Burgett (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

This summer I have had the opportunity, with 2 other SLU students, to go to Athlone Institute of Technology in Athlone, Ireland as my summer field experience. SLU has a Clinical Exchange Agreement with the ARTi Program at AIT.

WE have gotten to do so much.  We were able to do a couple lectures on joint mobilizations, injury tracking, dry needling, message, orthotics and epidemiology. Along with classes we have gotten to learn about the Gaelic games. We have attended a few games and helped the Athletic Therapists. Being able to learn from the Athletic Therapist how they work games and events has been very beneficial. Because of the different resources we have seen that certain techniques such as, message are used more often.  I have really enjoyed working with hurling and Gaelic football. I wish we had them in the states.

I have also had the privilege of assisting in a master’s student in her research. We have been collecting data on FMS for primary school students. We have done testing and recording at 3 schools and over 300 students. It has been a great learning process. It makes me more excited about research then I was before and very respectful of those who do it. It is a lot of hard work and hours. We have been able to assist Siobhan with recording her data on epidemiology of injuries in primary school children in Ireland. We have gotten to use a new program on the computer adding more knowledge to our list.

I have fallen in love with Ireland and all the people who I have met and became friends with. We have not done all work here. We have gotten to travel to other major cities like Galway and Dublin. We have hiked and seen amazing sites like the cliffs of Moer and experienced the Irish culture. It will be a summer I will always remember and friends I have made for life. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

Visiting Students from Ireland Get a Wide Variety of Experiences in Athletic Training at Saint Louis University

International Field Experience  - SLU and Athlone Institute of Technology

By: Ronan Coyle and Gerald Percival

We are athletic training students from Ireland where we study at Athlone Institute of Technology. We will be spending 7 weeks total, of which we have 5 weeks completed, developing our skills at SLU’s clinical sites. 

We both work predominantly at two clinical sites, one together and one apart, whilst also participating in two PY2 classes. We work together in the early mornings with Slu woman's basketball, start classes late in morning and then head to separate high schools during the late afternoons to evenings. 

At SLU basketball it's an early start most mornings, with us having to be in the magnificent Chaifetz arena and ready for the athletes to arrive in at 6am.

Kara Cummings-Ludwig ATC is the AT responsible for the woman's basketball where she also covers the cheer and field hockey teams too. We work with her to create comprehensive rehabilitation programs for them. Kara gives us free reign in the AT room in the Chaifetz Arena when it comes to treating the women's basketball and field hockey players. There is a wide variety of modalities for us to use, some of which we have never used before like the game ready, or we would use soft tissue mobilizations if we feel they would be more beneficial.  

Gerald Percival

I'm currently at Webster Groves High school for my high school clinical experience under the supervision of veteran preceptor Sean Wright, ATC. The training room at WGHS has a constant flow of students coming through its doors right from the end of school to the end of practices. They come in looking to be taped, treated, evaluated or continue their rehab. The sheer magnitude of athlete numbers struck me as a culture shock as there was so many sports and some excellent facilities. Sean runs a very well organised ship where he has created a very enjoyable working environment to learn in. We take turns taking athletes between Alissa PY2, Phillip and Nick both PY1 students, dealing with each new case. Sean allows us to be very much hands on with each athlete to the point where we are comfortable encourages us to be confident. He is allows available to run tests and treatments over with. The use of modalities over manual treatment techniques I have found to more commonplace that back home. This I can see is due to the limited time you have per athlete, making it not as feasible. 

At Webster Groves there is an Athletic training class within the school that's Sean teaches, this is unique as we are encouraged to pass on our knowledge to the students. Sean himself is very open to learning to new things, and it feels good to pass on my skills to him along with the Slu and high school students in return for learning off them. We have both only watched American football at the highest level, such as Super Bowl. It struck us, just the length of time the whole game took place. It was a unique experience before games as 20+ athletes ascend to the training room all at once to be taped and treated in preparation for the game. I had the pleasure of helping out at the big turkey day game against Kirkwood High School, although we lost it was a great and unique experience. 

Ronan Coyle

For my clinical placement I was with Westminster Christian Academy. As this is my first time in America it was quite the cultural shock with the different sports and the top class sporting facilities available to the students compared to back home in Ireland. My first experience of an American sport was working with the football team at Westminster. It was an exciting experience as the only other time i've seen football was watching the Superbowl on the TV. On game day i was constantly on my feet from 9 in the morning looking after the players with various tapings to assessing any injuries picked up during the game. My preceptor at Westminster is Hilary Orf ATC. Right from the start we hit it off as we both compete on Track & Field. I was able to learn different ways of taping and performing special tests on the variety of injuries that came into the training room. Hilary let Bailey who is a PY1 at Westminster and myself take the lead on any injury evaluations and then once we have concluded we would discuss the evaluation on why and what we think the injury is. I am always getting a chance to practice some sort of skill whether it be special tests, taping, using modalities or giving athletes rehabilitation exercises. I hope that I will develop and grow professionally as an Athletic Therapist back in Ireland when I continue placement next semester.

We have really enjoyed our experiences here in Saint Louis University so far and hope it continues that way.