Students in SLU MAT Class of 2019 to Present Capstone Projects on Friday May 3rd.

Students in the Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2019 will be presenting their Capstone Projects on May 3, 2019 starting at 8:00 am in the Multipurpose Room on the 3rd Floor of the Allied Health Building on SLU's Medical Center (South) Campus.  The event is open to the public, and presentation of these projects mark the completion of their experience as students in the SLU Athletic Training Program. 

SCHEDULE

7:30 am   BREAKFAST

8:00 am   Erin Fabbri - Playing surface and ACL Injuries

8:15 am   Cody Hutson - Footwear/equipment and Lower Extremity Injuries

8:30 am   Maggie Rowell - Short Foot Exercise Program and Balance

8:45 am   Jazmon Carroll - Early Weight-Bearing After Achilles Tendon Rupture

9:00 am   Matt Eifert - Acute Pain Management and Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

9:15 am   Rory Cusack - ACL Injury Prevention Programs for Female Collegiate Athletes

9:30 am   Adam Long - Blood Flow Restriction for Strength in ACLR patients

9:45 am   Juan Calero Alonso - Functional Knee Braces for ACL Protection post-injury

10:00 am Sarah Menzuber - Platelet Rich Plasma vs Stem Cell Therapy for Connective Tissue

10:15 am Matt Murphy - Therapeutic Ultra-Sound with Soft Tissue Manipulation for Tendonopathy

10:30 am Jesse Schmitt - Light Resistance Training and Hamstring Injuries

10:45 am Chris Mecherle - Cupping vs Massage for Neck and/or Shoulder Pain

11:00 am Danielle Jabczynski - Vestibular Rehabilitation for Benign Paraxysmal Postural Vertigo

11:15 am Paul Lamb - Resistance Training to Reduce Injury Rates in Young Athletes

11:30 am Justin Ullom - Oxford vs DeLorme Method of Strength Training

11:45 am Cat Chua - Relationship between Fatigue and Injury

12:00 am Dimitri Killian - Relationship between Depression and Immune Responses

12:15 am Brian Leach - Entrepreneurship in Athletic Training

12:30 am PROGRAM AWARDS AND PRECEPTOR RECOGNITION LUNCHEON

For more information call 314-877-8561 or email sluptat@health.slu.edu.

SLU AT Program Faculty and Students Have a Great Time in Tulsa at the MAATA Annual Meeting

Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program faculty and eleven students traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma from March 28-30, 2019 for the Mid-America Athletic Trainers' Association's Annual Meeting.

Allison Stefan with Dr. Breitbach and Dr. Newsham

For SLU, the meeting had many highlights including:

• Dr. Kitty Newsham, faculty member and MAATA Secretary presented "Single-Subject Research Design Informing Clinical Decision Making".
• Allison Stefan, MAT Class of 2020, was awarded a MAATA Graduate Professional Scholarship
• SLU AT Students Cody Hutson, Matt Murphy and Jesse Schmitt participated in the MAATA Quiz Bowl.

Quiz Bowl Competition

SLU AT Students attending the MAATA Business Meeting.

SLU AT Students Enjoy a Dynamic Clinical Learning Environment with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics

By: Rory Cusack, Juan Calero Alonso and Matt Murphy (MAT Class of 2019); and Mitchell Buerck, Claire Ditman, Scott Litwitz and Rachel Wilhelm (MAT Class of 2020)

Thus far, our clinical experience with Sports Medicine at Saint Louis University has been an exciting and immersive experience for those of us placed there. Being at an NCAA Division I institution with the Billiken Athletics comes with the special experience of being exposed to a population of athletes completing at a high intensity and demanding level every day. 

Having both first and second year students at the site allows for education through our preceptors and each other, thus furthering our clinical skills while applying new knowledge from the classroom. We each work with a specific few teams under our preceptor, but also get the opportunity to experience other sports and athletes while in the AT room. Our experiences can range from simple wound care to advance rehabilitation program to help an athlete return to sport. SLU Athletic Trainers Jonathan Burch ATC, Ben Heimos ATC, Petra Knight ATC, Elena Melillo ATC and Angie Wills ATC are more than supportive and knowledge preceptors that provide us with valuable resources and knowledge as we continue our education to be Certified Athletic Trainers. 

Additionally, SLU as a clinical site allows for the opportunity with work a large array of resources. As students, we get the opportunity to utilize many modalities and exercise equipment including LASER, ultrasound, electrotherapy, game ready, Normatek, cold tubs and SwimEx, as well as, a fully equipped weight room across the hallway. This equipment allows us to learn, gain confident and diversify our treatment program for athletes. We also have access to strength and conditioning coaches, sports nutritionist, and physical therapy to collaborate with in order to provide the best quality care possible.

Overall, SLU is a clinical site that offers students many different hands on experience in order to advance their skills and  knowledge for the day they become certified athletic trainers. 

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 Students Appreciate Trust and Support Provided by Preceptors with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics
By: Juan Calero, Cat Chua, Rory Cusack, Dimitri Kilian, and Matt Murphy (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

There are five SLU AT students in their 2nd Professional Year with SLU Athletics: Juan Calero, Cat Chua, Rory Cusack, Dimitri Kilian, and Matt Murphy. Our preceptors, SLU Billikens Athletic Trainers, Jonathan Burch ATC, Ben Heimos ATC, Petra Knight ATC, Elena Melillo ATC and Angie Wills ATC have been so trusting these last two months by giving us a lot of hands on experience and giving us freedom to make our own choices in regards to treatment. This has been a great experience for all of us since we have been able to take more initiative and the athletes are treating us as an extension of our preceptors.

With all the hands-on opportunities we are given, we are enhancing our skills in manual therapy, rehabilitation, and evaluation skills. The five of us work together on some athletes and bounce ideas off of each other to try to determine the best possible treatment for that athlete. Each of us has all been exposed to a variety of different sports as well which has been helpful in enhancing our skill sets.

Overall, we are all so happy to be here with the Billikens for our clinical site and are looking forward to a great year!

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 Appreciates Experience in Workplace Clinic at Cerner Corporation

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Cerner Corporation - Kansas City, MO
By: Matt Murphy (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Going into my summer field experience at Cerner, I knew that I would encounter a population that I had yet to see: the recreational athlete, primarily ages 25+. In a clinic based setting, we will collaborate with fitness specialists, chiropractors, and physicians. Additionally, with Cerner being a Health IT company, we also communicate with software engineers, hardware engineers, businessmen and women, and many other professions in order to help the company.

While here, I have learned an incredible amount about joint based solutions for acute and chronic injuries. My preceptors, Rebekah Grube ATC, David Albers III ATC, Drew Parker ATC, and Shelby Barrett ATC, do not use any modalities, so I have been fortunate enough to learn new exercises for patients’ home exercise programs. I have also been able to sit in and partake in the use of Cerner’s motion health analysis. In short, they use motion capture technology to assess functional movements of their patients in order to help educate the patient on where they can improve their body’s movements.

Being at Cerner has shed light and given me an appreciation of an Athletic Trainer’s role in a workplace clinic setting. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I have been given and l look forward to being able to take the knowledge I have learned and apply it in my future practice.

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.

SLU AT Students Get a Diverse and Dynamic Learning Environment with Billiken Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University
By: Erin Fabbri, Rory Cusack, Grant Hollander, Matt Murphy, Adam Long, and Dimitri Kilian (SLU MAT Class of 2019), Donielle Francis, Ryan Dale and Pat O’Neill (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

The Saint Louis University Department of Athletics provides a wonderful clinical experience for all of us!

Currently three 2nd year (PY2) students and six 1st year (PY1) students with the Billikens and we have been given the opportunity to get experience with multiple Division 1 sports teams during their winter and spring seasons. Our preceptors are: Jonathan Burch, ATC, Ben Heimos, ATC, Lizzy Kienstra, ATC, Petra Knight ATC and Tammy Pastor ATC.  They have allowed each of us to have very unique clinical experiences and has exposed us to a diverse group of athletes and other health professionals.

As PY2s, we have enjoyed two wonderful semesters a SLU, which has been great for our development as future athletic trainers. We have learned so much from our respective preceptors and they have done a great job of preparing us for the real world. Our preceptors have helped us and allowed us to develop our skill set and gain more confidence by increasing our responsibilities and allowing us to learn through hands-on experience. We have also enjoyed getting a chance to interact and help mentor the PY1s. We know and understand exactly what they are going through, so we welcome the opportunity to help them grow.

As PY1s, we cover basketball, baseball, swimming and diving, and track and field. We have learned more about rehab, modalities and how to work with other athletic trainers. At this clinical site we have been exposed to more resources such as laser therapy, SwimEx, AlterG and Normatec, which can improve and expand our skill set. We have the opportunity to develop better relationships with the athletes by being able to see them daily. We have had a great experience thus far by both the preceptors and PY2s helping us build a better understanding of athletic training.

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.

7th Annual SLU AT Speaker Series Provides an Inspiring Message About "Living a Major League Life"

The 7th Annual Saint Louis University Athletic Training Speaker Series and Recognition Ceremony took place on Monday, February 19, 2018 in the Huh Auditorium of the SLU Center for Global Citizenship.

This year's keynote speaker was Sue Falsone PT, MS, SCS, ATC, CSCS, COMT with a presentation titled "Live a Major League Life, On and Off the Field" where she talked about her unique career path which included a six year stint as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Los Angeles Dodgers where she was the first woman in that position for any of the 4 major professional sports.

Following the keynote, Ms. Falsone joined a panel of SLU faculty members Dr. Lisa Dorsey and Dr. Tassos Kaburakis along with Kristin Folkl-Kaburakis.

Prior to the presentation, the SLU Alpha Iota Chapter of Iota Tau Alpha, the National Athletic Training Honor Society inducted new members Alexander Hubbs, Nicholas Fanselow and Katherine Perko.

The SLU AT Program Director Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC and Fr. Robert Murphy SJ also took a few moments to remember Brandi Burgett, a 2017 SLU Master of Athletic Training graduate, who passed away in December 2017.

Earlier in the day, Sue Falsone presented to SLU AT Students on "“Bridging the Gap from Rehab to Performance”.

Overall, the entire day was an inspiring and informative experience for all involved!

To see more photos go to the Doisy College of Health Site on Flickr: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/slu_healthsciences/sets/72157663914288637/with/26512284008/

The event was also on Facebook Live, links to the videos from the event:

Part 1 - https://www.facebook.com/SLUAthleticTraining/videos/1974854632544257/

Part 2 - https://www.facebook.com/SLUAthleticTraining/videos/1974882772541443/

Part 3 - https://www.facebook.com/SLUAthleticTraining/videos/1974915209204866/

SLU AT Students Find Excellent Professional Role Model in Preceptor at Kirkwood HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Kirkwood High School

By:  Christopher Mecherle and Matt Murphy (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Being the only certified athletic trainer at a large school can be chaotic and trying at times but Denise Grider MAT, ATC, CSCS, our preceptor at Kirkwood High School, has proved that she is more than capable of dealing with the sometimes-overwhelming workload. We are fortunate to have her as a guide along the first steps of our career paths.

Through her we have learned how to keep order in the chaos, care for patients in an efficient and thorough manner, and interact with fellow faculty. In addition to teaching us new ways to tape, therapeutic modalities, and other hands on skills required for athletic training, Denise has showed us the way to earn the trust of our patients and truly get to know them in order to provide full care.

While Denise has been incredible, the students and faculty at Kirkwood have also been outstanding. The atmosphere the students, coaches, and administration create definitely makes going into the school everyday interesting and enjoyable. It's safe to say that Denise’s professionalism has rubbed off on us, and it certainly aided our growth towards becoming athletic trainers. The rest of the school has also made a positive impact in our first few months of our First Professional Year.

It has been an absolute pleasure to spend our first clinical experience at Kirkwood High School, and we hope to carry the experience we have gathered there to wherever we work in the future.

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 Athletic Training Program - Professional preparation in a Jesuit context

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program, in conjunction with Fr. Robert Murphy SJ from SLU Campus Ministry, developed a video highlighting the influence of SLU's Jesuit context on the program.

The video features interviews with alum Dustin Jamboretz MAT, ATC (MAT Class of 2016), and current students Madeleine Hauck (MAT Class of 2017) and Mike Milek (MAT Class of 2018).  All three of these students also attended Jesuit High Schools.

SLU AT Speaker Series Event Provides a Moving Message About Health Professionals Dealing with Adversity

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program hosted its 5th Annual Speaker Series and Recognition Ceremony on Monday, February 15 at 7:00pm in the Huh Auditorium at the Center for Global Citizenship. 

The event was presented by the Saint Louis University chapter of Iota Tau Alpha - the Athletic Training Honor Society - and supported by the SLU Student Government Association. The evening began with the 2016 initiation ceremony for the SLU Alpha Iota Chapter of Iota Tau Alpha, the National Athletic Training Honor Society.

Alpha Iota Chapter - Iota Tau Alpha

2016 Honorees

Undergraduate

Ryan J. Dale

Erin E. Fabbri

Ali N. Graham

Christopher P. Mecherle

Margaret M. Rowell

Stephanie A. Uhrich

Graduate

Cara E. Bowton

Bradley J. Bunten

Ryan P. Lilly

David J. O'Loughlin

Christopher A. Spink

Angelina M. Vitale

2015 Iota Tau Alpha honoree Madeleine Bresnahan was also recognized at the event because she was studying abroad in last Spring.

Scholarship award winners Dustin Jamboretz, Rachel Spika and Demeisha Crawford were also recognized.

Then, Dr. Fred Pestello, SLU President, made introductory remarks and welcomed attendees.

The keynote speaker for the event was R. Mark Laursen, MS, ATC, a Clinical Associate Professor of Athletic Training and the Director of Athletic Training Services at Boston University. 

The title of his presentation was 

#BostonStrong: Our Journey 2012-14, Boston University's Experience with the Boston Marathon.

Mr. Laursen discussed his experience as a health care provider in the 2012 Boston Marathon and during the 2013 event, where a terrorist attack resulted in two pressure-cooker bombs being detonated near the finish line of the race. Three people perished and over 250 others were injured in the attack. 

Both immediately following the tragedy and in the years that followed, Boston University played a substantial role with the marathon and in the Boston community. Factors were discussed that affected the support that was provided for those affected.

Following the keynote presentation, there was a panel discussion addressing how Saint Louis University would respond to a comparable tragedy. The panel included: Mark Laursen, SLU Dean of Students Mona Hicks, Ed.D.; SLU Campus Minister Fr. Robert Murphy, SJ, DPT, ATC; and SLU Psychology Professor Michael Ross, Ph.D.

This event was a truly moving and memorable experience!

SLU AT Student Spends a Summer with the Sixers

Summer Internship Blog Post - Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Camps

By: Emily Costabile (MAT Class of 2015)

This summer, I had the opportunity to work for the Philadelphia 76ers as their summer basketball camp athletic training intern.  The 76ers camp brings in kids from all over the world.  Representing 20 different countries, kids ages 8-18 can come for weeks at a time to gain experience playing basketball.  From 8am-9pm the kids participate in a variety of basketball activities, from playing full court games to knock-out competitions.  I have been working under the direction of Caitlin Murphy, ATC, alongside five other athletic training interns.  Caitlin is a graduate of Ithica College in Ithica, NY and is currently in grad school working towards her DPT. 

Emily Costabile and Caitlin Murphy ATC

The camp is held on Valley Forge Military Academy and College’s campus.  There are twelve different courts the campers play on, and our job is to sit at each of the set of courts and respond to whatever injury may occur during competitions.  We have seen a large variety of injuries in the past 4 weeks of camp, all ranging in severity.  I have even had the opportunity to accompany some of the campers to the hospital as well as visits to an orthopedics office.  

This experience with the 76ers has given me great insight into the different settings I could potentially practice in down the road.  It has allowed me to practice skills I previously had as well as develop a whole set of new ones.  Working with athletic training students from five different schools has also given me a chance to see how others practice and what techniques they find useful.  The experience I have had here has been invaluable and I am grateful to the kids and staff for helping make this summer one I will never forget.  

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