SLU Pre-professional AT Student Appreciates Trust Between Preceptor and Students at Chaminade College Prep

New AT Student Blog Post - Marissa Burch (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

When I think back to my days as a high school student, I think of all those who made an impact on my experience. Teachers, friends, coaches, anyone who helped to shape the person I became at graduation. Some of my favorite moments came from the sidelines during football games with the Athletic Trainer. Although my high school does not have a full-time Athletic Trainer, we were able to bring an AT in to do game coverage. Even in the short amount of time I was able to spend with him, I learned a lot about the profession and what it entails. I felt this same excitement as I observed in high schools this semester, particularly with Scott Kugler ATC at Chaminade College Preparatory. 

Having the opportunity to observe Scott was an absolute honor. He has been an Athletic Trainer at Chaminade for over 10 years, which has allowed him to gain the trust of the athletes he treats and the coaches with which he interacts. One of my favorite things about Scott’s relationship with the athletes is when one also happens to be a student in his Anatomy course. He is constantly trying to teach and encourage these athletes. If one of his students comes in with an injury, he quizzes the student on what could possibly be affected, depending on the area that is injured. Pushing these athletes and others to be the best version of themselves, building a relationship with the athletes seems to come naturally. 

Learning the importance of a developed relationship with those you treat and interact with was definitely one of the most important things I observed. However, it was not the only thing I was able to learn while at Chaminade. Scott made sure to always explain what he was doing and why. He ensured that I knew what was going on, even if I may not understand everything about it. Observing in Athletic Training rooms these past several months brought me great humility, as it reminded me that we, both as individuals and the profession as a whole, are always growing and learning. Our work as Athletic Trainers is exciting and can make a huge difference in the lives of the athletes we treat.  

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 Pre-professional AT Student Excited to be Back Home at Webster Groves High School

New AT Student Blog Post - Abby Hoffman (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

I am a junior in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program and I am thankful to say I have had the opportunity to observe at a few different places this semester, as well as watch different sports. Coming from St. Louis, I was very excited to go back to my high school, Webster Groves, to observe in the AT room just as I did as a senior. It was different being back as just an observer when I was once an athlete and a student. As I watched athletes get helped, I realized that I had much more knowledge than I did. I felt like I learned a lot by listening to how my preceptors asked questions. I have always found it difficult to ask the right background questions and take history. Observing this was a great way for me to practice taking history in my head. 

In February, I had the opportunity to observe a hockey tournament game between Iowa State and McKendree University. The tournament was held at the Webster Groves rink, which is place I grew up skating at and watching my friends play at in high school. Hockey is a sport that I enjoy watching and would like to work with in the future, so I was very excited for this opportunity. Nothing too crazy happened while I was there, but I did get to see how AT's prepare for the game. I was happy to experience how an athletic trainer's typical day would go at a hockey tournament. Whether that meant standing for hours or being really cold, I was happy nonetheless. 

As I look ahead at the next two years in the AT program, I am excited and ready to start my journey working at a clinical site instead of observing. I feel as though the places I observed have helped me prepare for what it'll be like when I am at my own site. I am excited to use the knowledge I have gained over the past few years and put my skills to practice. Although I am nervous to start the professional phase of the program, I am excited to be that much closer to my goal of becoming an Athletic Trainer. 

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 Pre-professional AT Student Gains Confidence Through Directed Observation Experiences

New AT Student Blog Post - Conner Mongoven (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

As a Junior in the SLU AT program, I am getting ready to transition into the professional phase of the program. It is hard to look ahead and know exactly what to expect and what it will be like starting with Gross Anatomy this summer, but throughout MAT 3000 and direct observation hours, I have gotten a much better grasp as to what I will experience these next two years.

I got to experience a lot of different settings in my Directed Observation (DO) hours, including the Missouri Valley Conference basketball tournament at the Scottrade Center, SLU Club Hockey at Webster Groves, SLU Track and Field at the Medical Campus track, and both the Southeastern Conference gymnastics championships and NCAA gymnastics championships at Chaifetz Arena. My favorite experiences were at hockey and gymnastics. I enjoyed the fast pace of hockey and witnessing PY2 student Pat O’Neill and Dr. Timothy Howell discuss their opinions of a shoulder injury of one of the opposing players, and hearing their thoughts of how that team’s athletic trainer was handling the situation and the injury. At gymnastics, which I had never before seen in person, it was cool to see the amount of team morale and crowd support, and the constant cheering as each event took place simultaneously. I got a lot of insight from PY1 students Adam Long and Jazmon Carroll at the SEC Championships about their clinical experiences and what to expect as I move on to the professional phase of the program.

After learning some basic skills in MAT 3000 and doing direct observation hours, I am really excited to begin the next phase of the program and work towards the Master of Athletic Training Degree and AT certification. Hearing from current students above me has given me the confidence to know that no matter how hard anything seems now, that I will be able to excel in the program. I can’t wait to move forward and continue this journey in the SLU AT program.

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 Pre-professional AT Student Finds Clarity Observing Current Students Learning at Clinical Site

New AT Student Blog Post - Carmen Roberson (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

This semester I spent most of my directed observation hours at John Burroughs High School. On my very first day I was a little skeptical because I simply didn’t know what to expect. All of my skepticism melted away by the time I entered the athletic training room. I was welcomed by Danielle Jabczynski and Caitlin Gibson and introduced to preceptor, Dean Tiffany ATC. I automatically felt a positive presence and that it would be a great learning atmosphere. John Burroughs has an awesome Athletic Training room too, so I was able to see new tools and equipment used that I had never seen before.

As the weeks went on at John Burroughs, I became more acclimated to the flow of what it means to be an athletic trainer and the many services and skillsets that one acquires. I saw all of the taping demonstrations, learned how an electrical stimulation machine works, and learned certain modalities used to help decrease pain. One of my favorite things to witness was how Dean, Caitlin, and Danielle analyzed injuries, tested range of motion, and created fitness tests. This was a really cool part of athletic training that I am excited to learn more about in the future. 

Overall, I am looking forward to becoming more acclimated within my profession, and I am very thankful for the time I was able to spend at John Burroughs. 

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 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 Pre-professional AT Student Appreciates Learning from Current Students During Transition to Next Phase of Program

New AT Student Blog Post - Becca McGrail (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

As my third year in the pre-professional phase of SLU’s Athletic Training program comes to an end, I am left with a sense of pride for everything accomplished up until this point, along with feelings of anxiousness for what is to come during the ever-encroaching professional phase starting this summer with Gross Anatomy.

During my junior year, I was given the opportunity to attend the MOATA Conference as well as engage in directed observation hours at multiple locations. Both of these opportunities gave me better incite at what I will one day be doing in my future career as an Athletic Training and the various types of settings there are to work in. One of the most unique experiences I participated in this semester was being able to attend the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships. I had the opportunity to observe our program’s PY students and certified Athletic Trainers from across the country.

Another location I fortunate to be able to have directed observation hours at was John Burroughs School. While there, I got to experience the high influx of athletes coming and going for rehab, injury evaluations, taping, and precautionary care. The head Athletic Trainer, Dean, was very welcoming and insightful with any questions I had about the profession. The PY students at JBS, Danielle (PY1) and Caitlin (PY2), were also very helpful with any inquiries I had about the program. They both told me about their prior experiences up until this point and what their plans are for the future. 

With all of the opportunities and experiences I have been granted by being a student in SLU’s Athletic Training program, I feel that I am going into the professional phase well prepared and excited for whatever my future holds. 

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 Pre-professional AT Student Finds Inspiration from AT's at her Alma Mater - Stagg HS in Chicago

New AT Student Blog Post - Allison Stefan (SLU MAT Class of 2020) 

I am a junior student in the SLU AT Program from Chicago. As time is winding down in my pre-professional portion of the program and the professional phase fast approaches, I am looking forward to my future endeavors. In the past three years I have gained valuable knowledge from the great opportunities I have experienced in our program. From direct observation hours at Track Meets here at SLU to touring the Cardinals Athletic Training room, I feel I am prepared to take on the professional phase starting this summer. 

One memory that has motivated me to keep pushing through, is over spring break I returned to my high school to observe Certified Athletic Trainers, Kat Hermanas ATC, Reggie Castillo ATC, and Sharon West ATC at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School. It was such an amazing feeling coming back to the Athletic Training room I once was treated at as a student-athlete and where I realized what I wanted to do with my life. The rush of student-athletes crowding the Athletic Training room when the sound of the last bell rang brought back a flood of meaningful memories.

Over the course of the week, Reggie, Kat and Sharon enlightened me of new techniques that they implement in practice. From observing multiple ankle and knee tapings for the girls’ soccer team, to icing sore shoulders of the baseball players, and rehab/ strengthening program for an ACL tear recovery, I got to witness multiple tasks I will be doing in the future at my clinical sites.  Kat, Reggie, and Sharon demonstrated great practice by having the student-athlete repeat back the instructions they provided them, taking good SOAP notes for documentation, and having the injured student-athletes complete rehab notes pages logging the exercises they were doing. 

I had a wonderful time spending a full week in an Athletic Training setting which was a promising feeling that I chose the right path for a career. I got to play around with different types of tape/ equipment, observe strengthening and stretching techniques, and ask questions about how the AT got to where they were today, all things we have been practicing these past three years. My favorite was when the student-athletes would come up to me and ask me about their injury. Even though I couldn’t help the student-athletes at that point, knowing that I will be able to assist in the near future was encouraging. 

Overall, I could not have asked to observe better AT’s during my direct observation week at Stagg High School. I am both eager and nervous starting the professional phase in a few short weeks, but look forward to continuing down the path to reach my career goal as an Athletic Trainer. 

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 Pre-professional AT Student Gets Eye-Opening Look into Her Future as an Athletic Trainer

New AT Student Blog Post - Caitlyn Thomas (SLU MAT Class of 2020)  

I am wrapping up my third year in the SLU Athletic Training program, and this year has been eye-opening in terms of my future as an Athletic Trainer.

I was able to participate in Direct Observation hours, which was super helpful in gaining a little bit of a better understanding of what I am about to get myself into next year with Clinical Practicum, and potentially what my future career could look like. I was fortunate enough to get hours at Fontbonne University, John Burroughs School, a SLU club hockey event, the NCAA and SEC Gymnastics Championships, and the NCAA Bowling Championships.

My favorite places that I went and got direct observation hours at were John Burroughs Scool, and the Gymnastics Championships. At JBS, Caitlin Gibson (PY2) and Danielle Jabczynski (PY1) offered me so much advice on how to approach my upcoming classes, they walked me through why they did what they did when treating an athlete, and they told me about their different experiences at other clinical sites. During the Gymnastics Championships, I was able to hangout in the Athletic Training tent and observe our SLU PY students, as well as different team’s Athletic Trainers, provide care to the gymnasts. I loved the atmosphere of the gymnastics events, and would potentially be interested in working with gymnasts in my future.

I am anxious/excited/nervous about the upcoming semesters in the SLU AT program. So far, I feel like my classes have prepared me to succeed, but it’s going to be a whole new experience to be starting clinical in the fall and finally getting some hands-on experience. First off, however, I have to take the so-called “hardest class” of our program: Gross Anatomy. I’m nervous and excited at the same time for that class. I know I won’t have much of a Summer, but at least I’ll be putting in work along with my fellow classmates.

Here’s to the future!

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 Pre-Professional AT Student Reunites with her High School AT's to Prepare for Professional Coursework

New AT Student Blog Post - Hannah Daily (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

I am a current junior in the SLU Athletic Training program. Throughout my past three years of the program I have engaged in numerous science courses including: organic chemistry, physics and exercise physiology. This program has allowed me to explore much of what SLU has to offer through sciences as well as elective courses in which I have been able to obtain a minor in Spanish and concentration in IPE. Before enduring the upcoming professional years of the program, I have also been able to enjoy the city of St. Louis in my spare time by going to countless festivals, tourist attractions and local eateries near campus. I have also been able to experience the MoATA conference and be a part of the SLATS executive board as class representative. Thus far this program has been challenging yet rewarding and this semester I have been able to get a taste of what the upcoming years have to offer.

During this spring semester I have been lucky enough to observe a few different clinical sites including: Webster Groves High School, NCAA Bowling and SLU Track and Field. These sites have helped to gear my idea as to what type of athlete I want to work with later on in life. In particular, over my spring break I was able to meet with Central Illinois athletic trainers Matt Munjoy ATC and Brie Cimino ATC who let me tag along during the week. Brie is the head athletic trainer at Central A&M high school where she has been able to form close relationships with her athletes as well as the great administrative staff and team coaches. She showed me the ropes of what it is like to be a certified athletic trainer and work with high school athletes during the after-school rush and long evenings at sporting events. Through this experience I formed great connections with Matt and Brie while learning about the small town high school experience. 

This was a great opportunity and I am looking forward to my last two years as a professional phase student in the SLU AT program.

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.

New SLU AT Students Observe Professionalism in a Busy Setting at Parkway South High School

New AT Student Blog Post - Caitlin Gibson and Bridget Bushong (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

As athletic training students at Saint Louis University we have had the opportunity to observe many different clinical sites. Every site has a unique approach to treatment and rehabilitation which leads to a new experience each time. We enjoy observing different preceptors because it shows how many possible ways there are to care for a patient. These different perspectives will be useful to us in our future careers because it is a reminder that there may be multiple ways to provide treatment. 

Parkway South High School is a great clinical site. The preceptor, Mike Tzianos ATC, is great at explaining procedures and treatments on patients. For example, a patient has pitting edema which we had never seen before. Mike explained to the patient the treatment that he was going to do and also explained why this was the best treatment based on the equipment available at the site. 

Mike also was a great example of how to use effective time management with all the patients that come in to see him after school. He is well organized and efficient with his time. Even when the athletic training room was busy, he still was able to give each patient the time they needed. Mike is an excellent example of how to treat patients and make it out to practices on time.

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.