SLU AT Students Enjoy Immersive and Engaging Clinical Environment at Lindenwood University - Belleville

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University - Belleville
By: Hannah Daily and Becca McGrail (MAT Class of 2020); and Adam Long and Justin Ullom (MAT Class of 2019) 

This semester we have gotten the opportunity to experience NAIA collegiate level athletics at Lindenwood University - Belleville. We are helping provide care for all sports including but not limited to: Men’s and Women’s Hockey, Baseball, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Track and Field and Wrestling.

We have gotten the chance to learn together in an engaging environment with each other as well as with the LUB athletic training students and amazing AT staff. Our preceptors, Stephen Slone MS, ATC, LAT, Curtis Wilkerson MS, ATC, LAT, Timothy Woodstock MS, ATC, LAT have been incredibly helpful by showing us new treatment techniques as well as other ways to help the athletes.

The entire Lynx AT staff is extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions we may have. It is obvious that they want us to reach our full potential, so they are constantly there to encourage us and make sure that we are confident in our abilities. Some of our responsibilities include developing and implementing rehabilitation programs for individualized athletes, writing SOAP notes, preventative care such as taping and stretching, use of modalities, and performing evaluations. Lindenwood University - Belleville offers an immersive environment that has been very rewarding since we are able to really get to know some many different athletes along with being able to witness multiple athletes progress in their rehabilitation post-injury.

Adam and Justin, the PY2's, have gotten to primarily assist with pre-, in-game, and post-game responsibilities for both men’s and women’s hockey; along with practice coverage. Their main role as of now is to help prepare the team and gear up for their national tournaments in Nashville and Texas for men/women respectively. PY1's Hannah and Becca have been helping out with mainly baseball as well as other duties in the athletic training room. We are really getting to see how different the collegiate level is from the high school setting considering we were both placed at different high schools last semester. Every day we continue to improve our skills as well as learn how to connect with our athletes and peers to provide the best patient centered care.

Overall, we are all looking forward to what the rest of the semester has in store for us!

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.

Athlone Student Connects Classroom and Clinical Learning with Preceptor at Bishop DuBourg HS

International Clinical Exchange - Saint Louis University and Athlone Institute of Technology

By: Patrick Coffey (Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Student, Athlone Institute of Technology)

During my experience in St. Louis I was on placement at Bishop DuBourg high school. My preceptor there was Nathan Jarman MAT, ATC, from SSM SLU Hospital, and a PY1 student Becca McGrail. At the high school we covered a range of sports like American football, Soccer, Volleyball, Cross country, Cheerleaders, Basketball, Softball and wrestling. A lot of these sports would not be too common in Ireland so it was interesting to see the different sports and to deal with the different injuries that can occur from each sport. 

I am extremely happy to be put on placement with Nate as he creates an enjoyable environment for both ATs and athletes, making it very easy to learn while enjoying my time here. Nate showed me a lot of new techniques for both patient assessment and injury diagnosis of individual athletes which I would be confident practicing with future athletes. Getting the opportunity to work with Becca who is a PY1 student gave me an insight into the way athletic training is thought here in America compared to in Ireland, It gave me the opportunity to ask and answer questions about our different experiences as AT students. 

I found that Dr. Mike Markee’s rehabilitation class along with implementing these newly learned skills with Nate at Bishop DuBourg high school increased my rehabilitation skills immensely which is an area I wanted to improve on coming over here. I also enjoyed the opportunity to visit Busch Stadium, it was very interesting as we got the chance to see a professional team’s athletic training room along with talking to one of their athletic trainers.

In my final week on placement Nate organised for me to spend a morning observing surgery’s this was a fascinating experience and an area I would like to learn more about so to get the opportunity to observe different operations was an incredible opportunity for me.

In the final weeks of our time here in St. Louis we started placement with SLU women’s basketball I feel like it would have been a lot more beneficial if I got some hands on experience here however it was interesting to see the AT facilities which SLU athletics have and to see how different training room are run in comparison to at the high school level.

SLU AT Student Gets International and Collaborative Clinical Experience at Bishop DuBourg HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Bishop DuBourg High School
By: Rebecca McGrail (MAT Class of 2020) with Patrick Coffey (ARTi Student, AIT)

This semester I began my first clinical rotation experience at Bishop DuBourg High School. I am starting my first year of the professional program for Saint Louis University’s Master of Athletic Training Program. While being at Bishop DuBourg High School, I have had the opportunity to learn new techniques and improve my clinical skills under my preceptor Nathan Jarman ATC, from SSM Health-SLU Hospital Sports Medicine. I am also at this site with Patrick Coffey, who is an Athlone Institute of Technology student from Ireland. Nathan, Patrick, and I are involved with the care of all fall sports which keeps us on our toes. I have felt very welcomed at Bishop DuBourg High School by all of the coaches, staff, athletic director, and especially the student athletes.

During my time at Bishop DuBourg High School I have seem various types of injuries such as: ankle sprains, mid-foot sprains, fractured metatarsals, concussions, and different extremity dislocations. Thankfully, there have not been many serious injuries that prevent the athlete from returning to play, nor have we had to make any EMS calls for life-threatening injuries. It has been very interesting to be with an athletic training student from Ireland because I am able to see different approaches I would not normally be able to observe. I am very grateful for the hands-on experience I have at my clinical site, especially after evaluations when we collaborate to develop the best treatment option and rehabilitation programs for each athlete’s specific needs based on our findings.

Overall, I am having a great first clinical experience and have learned so much in the few months I have been here. I am excited to see what the rest of the semester will hold!

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 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 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.