SLU AT Student Connects with the Welcoming Learning Environment at UW-Milwaukee Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Athletics
By: Katie Wissing (MAT Class of 2022)

Returning home for the summer to work alongside Grant Rohrig, M.S. Ed, ATC, and the men’s basketball team at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) was an exciting prospect for a Milwaukee native, and I feel honored to have been so quickly welcomed into the panther family. The UWM athletic training staff immediately acknowledged my role on the healthcare team. With their open expression of trust in me, I was able to swiftly form relationships with each athlete, for I have been viewed as a part of their “family.” With their confidence in my care, I am able to treat and assist any player who may come in with an ailment. 

With any summer training and conditioning programs comes sore, tight muscles. So far this summer, I have been able to refine my skills in reducing this pain and tightness. I have always been interested in expanding my repertoire of manual therapies, and a new technique I now utilize every day is cupping therapy. An ancient technique, I have found cupping to be a great way to increase blood flow, reduce muscle tension, and aid in pain management for the student athletes.

 

Alongside minor, short term complaints, I have been able to observe the progress of individuals with more lasting conditions.  For example, I have been able to apply and observe a shoulder protocol with an individual who recently had a surgery to fix his torn labrum. Being able to view and apply a concept learned in class has been such a validating and worthwhile experience. 

Overall, I no longer have qualms when in the athletic training room and can approach each day head on, with confidence. Quite frankly, I dread the day I will have to leave my Panther family. I am grateful for Grant, the UWM staff, and all of the student athletes who are making my summer clinical experience great!

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 Appreciate the Community's Contribution to their Clinical Growth at Washington University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Washington University in St. Louis Athletics
By: Allison Stefan and Mitchell Buerck (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

This spring semester at Washington University, with basketball season and winter sports coming to an end and spring sports starting up, the athletic training room has kept us very busy. Our preceptors, Grant Rohrig MAT, ATC, Jim Anderson BS, ATC, and Mary Collins MAT, ATC, have given us way more responsibility in the athletic training room, as well as, some autonomy to make decisions regarding the care of the athletes.

Something we both have enjoyed this semester is helping the same athletes through-out their rehabilitation programs. Both of us have our own athletes that we see daily and have progressed toward the goal of returning the athlete to play. We have definitely seen major improvements in our rehabilitation skills and coming up with programs that coincide with which stage of the healing process the athlete is in. In addition, we have managed some pretty interesting injuries this semester, including an athlete fracturing three metacarpal bones from a direct blow of a thigh, a broken nose, and another torn ACL.

This semester has been very rewarding for the both of us because the athletes have seen us every day and now feel very comfortable coming to us for things. We have made a deeper connection with athletes from multiple teams and the trust they have in us is developing more and more each week.

We also have established a wholesome relationship with many of the coaches at WashU. With the tragedy of the passing of longtime WashU Head Athletic Trainer Rick Larsen ATC, the athletic department has really come together as a community. They have include us in the support and we both feel very appreciated at WashU. We are looking forward to getting back outside this spring and continuing helping the athletes through their injuries.

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 Enjoy Learning in Dynamic Clinical Environment with Washington University Athletics

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Washington University Athletics
By: Mitchell Buerck, Maria Lingardo, Allison Stefan (MAT Class of 2020) and  
Maddie Bozych, Kaylla Juarez, Allison Stefan, Joey Wenzl (MAT Class of 2021)

At Washington University, we are fortunate to learn from four highly experienced athletic trainers while having access to amazing facilities and equipment. The semester there are three PY1’s, Maddie Bozych, Kaylla Juarez, and Joey Wenzl , and three PY2’s, Allison Stefan, Mitchell Buerck, and Maria Lingardo. The six of us have the opportunity to cover a well-respected Division 3 football program that is composed of great athletes who are appreciative of our help. Each day brings new learning opportunities in the fast paced world of football. Each week brings new injuries which we get to evaluate and treat with a multitude of modalities, and create rehab programs to get them back to play.

To prepare for practices and games, we use modalities such as electrical stim, laser, game ready, alter-G, and an underwater treadmill to treat and rehab our athletes to ensure they can play at their fullest potential. During games we are able to efficiently and effectively use the skills we have learned from Grant Rohrig, MAT, ATC, (our preceptor) and through our SLU AT program to help evaluate and treat our athletes to assist them to quickly get back to the game. During our clinical rotation we all get the opportunity to travel with the football team. During travel trips we get more exposure of what it may be like to have a career in a college or professional sports team setting. These trips present us a chance to use our skills in an environment that is different than our usual AT room that doesn’t have all the great modalities. It forces us to adapt to use what we have at our disposal.

As stated earlier, at WashU we get to learn and observe from four different certified athletic trainers who all come from unique backgrounds and levels of experience. Rick Larsen, MS, ATC, Jim Anderson, BS, ATC, Mary Collins, MAT, ATC and Grant Rohrig, MAT, ATC  give four perspectives on taping techniques, injury evaluations, and rehabilitation programs. There is a great balance between teaching by example, and letting us learn on our own. By letting us learn on our own, while they are overseeing, they challenge us to use the knowledge we’ve learned to make rehab and treatment decisions for our athletes. We all are looking forward to the rest of the semester and seeing how our skills improve.

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 Experience Team Approach to Athletic Health Care at Washington University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Washington University Athletics
By: Paul Lamb and Jesse Schmitt (SLU MAT Class of 2019); Maria Lingardo, Courtney Nall and Allison Stefan (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

The 2018 Fall semester has been quite busy for the two 2nd year (PY2) students (Jesse Schmitt and Paul Lamb), and three 1st year (PY1) students (Allison Stefan, Maria Lingardo, and Courtney Nall) at Washington University. While primarily caring for the football team, we have all contributed to treating all athletes at WashU. Our everyday schedule is a mixture of treating athletes using therapeutic modalities, such as laser, game-ready, and underwater treadmill program; as well as an ample amount of taping and preparation before going out to practice. In addition, we help athletes go through their rehab programs.

From day one to now, we have learned how to work together as a team with our preceptors Rick Larsen MS, ATC and Grant Rohrig MAT, ATC. The PY1 students feel comfortable asking questions to the PY2s and the PY2s are always willing to help out the PY1s. We have established mutual trust within our team, and our preceptors have given us more responsibility as weeks go by. One of our favorite parts of the week is when we sit down as a group and discuss injury reports as well as things to improve on from the week before. Team meetings help to ensure everyone is on the same page and that there is not any miscommunication.

At WashU we all get the opportunity to take turns traveling with the football team. Travel trips have provided all of us a great insight to what traveling with a team entails. We have all enjoyed our clinical experience this far at Washington University because we have the opportunities to do things like travel. We all are looking forward to the rest of the semester here and seeing how we keep developing our own skill sets, as well as, how we keep growing as a team.

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.