SLU AT Student Enjoys Learning and Growth through Clinical Experience at Lindbergh HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindbergh High School
By: Rachel Wilhelm (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

Beginning my first professional year in the Athletic Training program at Saint Louis University has led me to the opportunity for my first clinical experience. I am currently set at Lindbergh High School where I am learning under Brenna Pfahler, ATC, LAT. She is a recent graduate of University of Nebraska’s Athletic Training program (Class of 2018) and is currently assigned at Lindbergh HS through her fellowship with AthletiCare.

Brenna and I take care of all sports at Lindbergh. We go in early everyday in order to prep for the rush that comes in as soon as school ends. From there, we see everyone in the AT room from cross country to football and every sport in between. During this time, we do injury evaluations, wound care, taping, and rehab to get them ready, before we head out to the practices and games ourselves. It always keeps us busy, but it is the best time to get to know our athletes and communicate with the coaches.

I have really been enjoying my time at Lindbergh so far. It is amazing to be getting these first hand experiences with the student athletes. I can think back to just two months ago when I first started and see how much I have improved in this short time. The experiences around me have been giving me so many learning opportunities. I have seen and rehabilitated multiple ankle sprains, helped take care of many wounds such as a 6 in. laceration in one of our athlete’s legs, and am currently helping my preceptor oversee two of our football players with AC joint sprains. With so much going on around me, I am trying my best to take everything in.

I can’t wait until the end of the semester when I can look back and see how much I’ve grown through my time at Lindbergh.

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 Benefits from Hands-on Approach Facilitated by Preceptor at Lindbergh HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindbergh High School
By: Ryan Frantz (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Last semester, I was in a collegiate setting with a plethora of modalities available. Now, I am in a high school setting with minimal modalities so adjustments were necessary for me to transition in to the new setting. The lack of modalities requires a more hands-on approach which, in my opinion, requires more one-on-one interactions with the athletes, and because of that, getting to know the athletes has been much easier. It has also allowed me an opportunity to work on my skills with evaluation, taping, and rehabilitation. Sometimes, however, these can get quite overwhelming being that there is one athletic trainer and hundreds of athletes who may need our care.

My preceptor, Danielle Zee-Cheng, ATC, has challenged me to understand the dynamics of athletic training. She allows me to evaluate every athlete that comes in, and afterwards, asks a multitude of questions pertaining to what I did/didn’t do and why I did/didn’t do it. She told me she wants me to understand my thoughts and solutions, which I believe is going to benefit me greatly long-term because she requires me to verbally interpret my thoughts and articulate them in a way that makes sense to us and the athlete. All of this is going to be great practice for my evaluation and my communication skills with, not just the athletes, but with health care providers, as well. She has also allowed me to practice my documentation skills of each evaluation I do, which is another skill I lack that she is helping me improve on.

Having hundreds of athletes, one athletic trainer, and a small space/limited tools to work with, things can get overwhelming, but the interactions I have had thus far with Danielle, the athletes, and members of the Lindbergh school district have made it an enjoyable experience. Lindbergh has a rich, winning tradition that I’m glad to be a part of, and I’m hoping the spring sports season is something to look forward to.

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 Finds Ample Clinical Learning Opportunities at Lindbergh HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight- Lindbergh High School
By: Erin Fabbri (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

My first clinical site for this fall semester is at Lindbergh High School. I am the first SLU AT student to be at this clinical site. I am really enjoying my experience at Lindbergh High School thus far. This fall season has been very busy with 10 sports and 25 teams in total.

My preceptor, Danielle Zee-Cheng, ATC and I get along extremely well. I have learned so much from her and she allows me to practice my AT skills on a daily basis. Each day I am there I learn something new whether it is a new injury, new evaluation, new way to tape or different stretching techniques. The athletic training room is always crowded which has allowed me to get lots of practice taping on a daily basis. Lindbergh does not have a lot of modalities so that enables me to practice my hands on skills and learn different ways to perform treatment.

I am looking forward to the rest of my semester at Lindbergh. The majority of the fall sports are ending their seasons and then winter sports will begin. I have gained great relationships with coaches and administration at Lindbergh. Lindbergh High School has been a great clinical site. 

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.