SLU AT Students Build Their Skills in a Dynamic and Collaborative Environment with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics

By: Maddie Cavanaugh, Amra Kardasevic, and Michael Ryan (MAT Class of 2022)

For the start of our PY2 semesters, we have had the opportunity to gain clinical experience at Saint Louis University.  SLU provides a multitude of sports the opportunity to work with a variety of athletes and Certified Athletic Trainers.  Amra Kardasevic and Maddie Cavanaugh are primarily assisting Jonathan Burch, ATC, with Men’s Basketball.  Michael Ryan is primarily assisting Ben Heimos, ATC, with Men’s Soccer and will assist with Baseball in the Spring.  We are able to spend numerous hours in the athletic training room, gaining experience from all of the staff ATs and learn from the individual, unique skillsets.

It is a unique opportunity to provide medical care for high level athletes.  While basketball is still early on in pre-season, we are getting to see and assist with practices, rehabilitations and injury prevention. Men’s Soccer is partially through their season, so I have been seeing how rehabilitations differ when a player gets a minor injury in a game when the goal is to get them ready for the next game as opposed to how injuries are treated in pre-season.

Maddie and Amra look forward to getting the game day experience and the possibility of traveling with the team eventually to see what both home and away games look like for a Division I Certified Athletic Trainer for basketball.  Maddie is looking forward to experiencing the interprofessional atmosphere between the ATCs, strength and conditioning staff and nutritionists within Chaifetz.  Amra is eager to experience a fast pace environment that is associated with game day and learning more clinical skills from both ATCs and other medical staff if injuries arise.  Michael is looking forward to continuing to learn and get more experience to hone his skills as an athletic training student. Having experienced a few game days already this year, Michael is excited to continue being utilized on those days to help prepare the team for their game. 

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 Value in Clinical Experience Caring for SLU Billikens Men's Soccer

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Billiken Athletics

By: Jose Blanco (SLU MAT Class of 2021)

This semester I have had the opportunity to work closely with SLU Men's Soccer Team. Athletic trainer Benjamin Heimos, ATC, MS has been my preceptor and both my and him have been providing our best care to all their athletes. So far, I have enjoyed taking care of a hardworking team with great encouraging coaches at a high competitive level. Growing up in a big soccer culture has made me appreciate the intensity and effort that the whole team puts on each practice regardless of not having a set schedule yet. 

Times recently have been full of uncertainties regarding having a season or not due to the pandemic we are living in right now. However, the staff of his team has done a great job at maintaining their motivation. The players have shown a high physical preparation, and thus injuries have been minimal. For those players affected by injuries, we have treated these players with the highest efficiency that we can provide. 

This opportunity has been awesome so far and I am eager to see what the soccer world can bring us on the next weeks. 

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.