SLU AT Students Benefit from a Wide Range of Clinical Opportunities at Lindenwood-Belleville

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University -Belleville

By: Ben Wildman (SLU MAT Class of 2018), Jazmon Carroll, Cody Hutson, and Chris Mecherle (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

The college experience at Lindenwood University - Belleville has been an amazing experience thus far. Shifting from a high school to a college has been an adjustment, but the plethora of modalities, staff, and diligent, hard-working student athletes has been a pleasure to be around. Life in a larger athletic training room has its challenges such as: staying organized, staying clean, and addressing less than full functioning appliances. However, it also has its perks including: more space for rehab, extra plinths, increased storage space, a more inviting atmosphere for student-athletes, and much more. The benefits outweigh the inconveniences by far, and we have never had a problem performing treatments before and after practices due to lack of space. The staff, athletes, and AT students have definitely appreciated its utility.

One of the main differences between being a athletic training student at a high school compared to a college is the number of sports teams you are assigned to. In a college setting, you typically are given one, maybe two or three sports, while you are the athletic trainer for all teams at a high school setting. At Lindenwood, we were all assigned to one sport. One of us is with wrestling, one with rugby, another is with baseball, and one with Men and Women’s ice hockey. By being with different sports, this is giving us the opportunity to have different experiences despite being at the same clinical site. This also provides us with opportunities to learn from our peers as we share techniques and teachable moments when we are all together. We are grateful to be given the chance to share a learning environment with our peers in the Lindenwood-Belleville Athletic Training Education Program. We are very lucky to have opportunities to mentor and learn alongside them.

Ben Wildman (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

As a PY2, I continued my clinical experience at LU-B after football season by joining the men and women’s ice hockey teams under the mentorship of Tim Woodstock, MS, ATC/LAT. Tim and I spend our afternoons at the Meramec Shark Tank where the teams practice and provide Athletic Training services for games on Friday and Saturday nights. Both of our teams have successfully secured bids to their respective National Championship Tournaments, which are played over spring break. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of their trip and their quest for the title of National
Champions. I really enjoy being around the student-athletes as they all have very diverse backgrounds. We have student-athletes that hail from Europe, Canada, and Australia. Each student-athlete brings unique experiences and talents to their teams. Being at the ice rink has forced Tim and I to become creative with our intervention strategies as well as our equipment and space. There is never a bad day at the rink as we are always having fun and learning every single day.

Jazmon Carroll (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Going into my second clinical rotation at LU-B, I have been placed under the mentorship of Lauren Randazzo, MA, ATC, CSCS. Everyday during the week, Lauren and I, along with another AT student at Lindenwood, facilitate rehabilitations, prepare athletes for practice, and then head up to both men and women’s wrestling practices. Being a part of the wrestling team at LU-B has been an unexpectedly great experience. Coming in, I was not familiar with wrestling in the slightest bit, but now I have gotten really into the sport. On February 17th, LU-B hosted the Men’s Wrestling AMC Conference Championships. Despite it being a fifteen-hour day, it ended up being an amazing opportunity where I was able to learn a lot. At the end of the day, three of our wrestlers placed second, while one of them advanced to Nationals. Not only is there success on the men’s team, but one of the athletes on the female team recently became the National Champion. As previously stated, this experience has been a great one, and everyday I am learning and having fun. I am so grateful.

Cody Hutson (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Never would I think that I would be helping out a sport such as men’s rugby. It is such an aggressive sport that I was honestly intimidated by. But I have had the opportunity to get to know a couple of the athletes and they treat me with respect and like part of their close-knit family. While I have had the ability to work with good athletes, I have been even luckier to have Sarah Hayden MAT, ATC as my preceptor. She is always available to answer any questions I may have and has enough confidence in me to wait until I ask for guidance or consider my answer as a possible option even if it isn’t her first choice. I am not always confident in myself but having someone behind me as a guide towards on hand learning is definitely the most beneficial way for me to learn. I am having a great amount of fun with the people that surround me at this clinical site and I cannot wait to see what else this semester has in store for me there. 

Chris Mecherle (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Experience with the baseball team at LU-B began as a slow recovery for many injured players at the start of the season. Under the guidance of Stephen (Curtis) Wilkerson MS, ATC we have been able to successfully rehabilitate many of the previously injured players back to their full potential. We have spent more time this year at baseball practices than spent in previous years, and it has given us the chance to get to know the guys more and examine what makes some individuals more prone to injury. Being around Curtis, the other Lindenwood students, and the members of the baseball team has been a very rewarding experience, since we can all put forth our knowledge to keep the team healthy. Be it at double headers, practices, or in the AT room, injury prevention and rehabilitation are always being performed.

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 Conduct Workshop on Sports Medicine Skills for 2nd Year Medical Students

Athletic Training Sports Medicine Night with SLU 2nd Year Medical Students

By: Bridget Bushong (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Society hosted a sports medicine night with second year medical students who have an interest in sports medicine. This workshop had three stations, run by Professional Year 2 (PY2) and 1 (PY1) students in the AT program, for the students to rotate through during the event. The stations included concussion testing, ankle taping and emergency spine boarding. While the PY2s were the group leaders, there were also several PY1s assisting during the sessions as well as undergraduate students who were models for taping and spine boarding.

This event is a great way to collaborate with other medical professionals and increase patient care by having an interprofessional team assisting with the care. While ATs are specifically trained to diagnosis, treat and manage concussions, apply assistive taping and handle emergency spine boarding situations it is important for other medical professionals to understand and be able to assist if necessary. The 2nd year medical students had great questions during each session that showed they were extremely interested in the sports medicine field. 

Overall this event was a huge success for spreading knowledge about the athletic training profession and building interprofessional teamwork. The group leaders for the concussion session were Killian Hollo, Adam Long and Paul Lamb. Group leaders for the taping session were Madeleine Bresnahan, Erin Fabbri and Rory Cusack. Taping Models were Claire Ditman and Cheyenne Meinershagen. The group leaders for the spine boarding were Bridget Bushong, Jenna Ginsberg and Ben Wildman, models included Mitchell Buerck and Allison Stefan.

A big thank you to all of those who participated in the event!

SLU AT Students Enjoy Unique Learning Environment with Staff and Students at Lindenwood-Belleville

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University-Belleville

By: Ben Wildman (SLU MAT Class of 2018) and Sarah Menzuber (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

This semester, we have joined the Athletic Training staff and students at Lindenwood University-Belleville. We have greatly benefitted from the abundant insight and experience of our many preceptors as we work with the Lynx football team. Our clinical experience has proven to be a unique and dynamic learning environment as we not only learn from our preceptors but also our peers in the Lindenwood-Belleville Athletic Training program. We began the semester in August assisting with football pre-season camp. During camp we learned the importance of recognizing and tending to urgent situations. We also had opportunities to work with individual student-athletes as they progress through the various stages of injuries and rehabilitation. 

Each day we arrive and assist with various duties from rehab to practice prep and then cover football practice. We arrive two hours before practice to begin rehab with the injured student-athletes. Having the opportunity to go to Lindenwood almost every day allows us to get to know the athletes and their injuries thoroughly, which provides us with the knowledge for improved rehab and treatment options. During practice, as an Athletic Training Staff, we oversee the whole field so we can assist any athlete that may need critical attention.  We are also there to provide quick fixes to the athletes, from bandaging a wound to assuring they stay hydrated, so they can return to play. 

Game days are incredibly exciting. We enjoy the energy the Lynx bring to each game and regardless of the result they are proud of the continuing development as a team and program. On game days, the importance of urgency is especially stressed, as the game is fast-paced and athletes, coaches, and fans, are looking for efficient and effective solutions. Also, these days can be very rewarding for both the players and us as athletic training students -whether we take home a win or help an injured athlete return to play to score the winning touchdown. We are looking forward to the next few weeks with home games to cheer on the team! Go Lynx! 

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 Spends a Busy Summer in South Bend with the Fighting Irish

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - University of Notre Dame
By: Ben Wildman (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

This summer I joined with the Sports Medicine staff at the University of Notre Dame. I had the opportunity to get experience with several different preceptors with the youth and high school sports camps that Notre Dame hosts throughout the summer. 

While in South Bend this summer I covered 11 different camps, each lasting from 3 to 4 days. I was able to gain experience and insight in covering Girls’ basketball, lacrosse, and soccer. For the boys’ I covered football, hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. There were anywhere from 60 to 600 campers at a given camp. It was imperative that me and the other athletic training students, who came from various universities, employed strong communication skills between each other and our supervising preceptors. We were often spread out covering several fields across campus throughout the day so it was essential that important information regarding campers was communicated effectively to ensure continuity of care and awareness of certain conditions. This also provided an enriching learning environment in which my peers and I not only learned from our preceptors but each other. We often discussed different methods of evaluating, treating, and preventing the many injuries we encountered. 

The high volume of campers meant that we were quite busy any given day. We would typically arrive at the Joyce Athletic Center each morning to prepare medical kits, water and ice coolers, and discuss any follow ups or referrals that were needed. Then we would head out to our assigned fields where we would check in on our campers and provide any first aid, stretching, and/or taping they may need to get through the day. We would then monitor the practice or scrimmage sessions and tend to any camper who was injured or ill. 

Our camper population was very diverse and typically were between 6 and 18 years old. The wide age disparity and skill level meant we would manage injuries ranging simple contusions and abrasions to fractures and concussions. Much of the injury management was done on the field and if further referral was needed we would coordinate with the supervising preceptor so that we could refer the camper onto the proper health care provider. I feel that through this experience, I greatly benefited in enhancing my evaluation and injury management skills. I learned to be flexible in managing several athletes at a time and to be diligent in following up with the campers throughout the day. There was a lot of autonomy provided by the preceptors at Notre Dame. 

This proved to be very valuable in further development of confidence and skills. I greatly enjoyed the enriching and dynamic environment this summer at Notre Dame and am very grateful for each of the preceptors and peers that I have worked with along the way.

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 Pre-professional Student Excited for Next Step after Interacting with First Year AT Student and Preceptor

New AT Student Blog Post - Rory Cusack (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

Majority of my direct observation (DO) hours were at Missouri Baptist University with the lacrosse team. It was such a great and interesting experience! My first time during DO hours I was very impressed with the PY1 student Ben Wildman by how much he knew and how he was helping the athletes. It made me extremely excited for the professional phase of the AT program.

The preceptor Jamie Herron, MS, ATC, also was so great with the athletes too and genuinely cared about the athletes and the team’s success. I attended one of their games and it was so exciting to see the team doing well and seeing how much their athletic trainer cared for them. One of the athletes had torn his ACL last year and was still doing rehab. From the beginning of the semester to the middle and end, he had so much more strength and it was really cool to see this transformation. Another athlete had gotten a knee to the calf and had a really cool and unique bruise all down his calf. DO hours has been such a great experience and I got to see such cool stuff. 

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 AT Students Get Multiple Experiences in a Busy Clinical Site at Missouri Baptist University

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Missouri Baptist University

by Bridget Bushong, CJ Butler, Ryan Dale, and Ben Wildman (MAT Class of 2018)

Bridget Bushong - I am with the baseball team. Because there are so many athletes I get to see a wide variety of injuries and consequently, treatments. MoBap has many different modalities so I'm able to practice using them for different purposes. Being at a university has shown me a different side of athletic training because they have so many different team physicians they use. This semester I have been able to expand my skills in rehab and stretching techniques also. MoBap is a nice clinical site to be at this semester because I am learning so much and getting more hands on experience.

CJ Butler -  I am with the Missouri Baptist University wrestling team. Wrestling has been an interesting sport to cover from an athletic training standpoint because the athletes put tremendous strain on their body day after day with live wrestling, little rest and pushing through pain. They also are constantly trying to cut weight so helping them manage that in the best way possible has been challenging. This semester we have been learning the physiology and different methods for stretching and rehabilitation and I have been able to apply these functionally at MoBap nearly every day with battling frequent soreness and injuries to the athletes. My taping ability has also improved and I have started becoming more creative in the ways I tape. Wrestling causes almost any tape or wound care we apply to get damaged or come off, so learning how to quickly tape and get them back in while also using techniques that are durable has been essential. MoBap has been a change from my last site when our hands were the only modalities we had whereas I have been able to use Game Ready, cupping, estim, ultrasound, combo, scrapping, Normatec and ice baths daily. 

Ryan Dale - I have been working with the Men's Basketball, Men's Track, and Softball teams at MBU this semester. Most of my time outside of the Athletic Training Room has been spent covering Basketball games and practices, which has been exciting. I have really gotten to know the team well, and have formed trusting relationships with them. While working in the Athletic Training Room my focus with the Basketball players has primarily been assisting my preceptor (Ashley Broughton, MS, ATC) in keeping everyone healthy; We achieved this through preventative measures such as taping the athletes before games and practices and by providing plenty of postgame treatments on sore/injured areas. With Men's Track I have worked extensively with them on injury prevention through stretching and heating before practice as well as addressing any injuries before they become serious problems. Also there are a couple of injured athletes that I have been working with everyday to help them return to action. I have not worked with Softball too much yet, because I have been so busy with Basketball, but I look forward to helping them stay healthy and getting to know them. Overall I have gained a great amount of valuable experience and I have had a good time while doing it.

Ben Wildman - I am with Men's Lacrosse, Women's Track and Field, and Women's Cross-Country this semester under the guidance of my preceptor, Jamie Herron, MS, ATC, at Missouri Baptist University. Most of my time at MoBap has been split between covering Men's Lacrosse practice and spending time in the Athletic Training Room. At practices we mostly address acute injuries and stretch our athletes. After practices we return to the ATR where I complete evaluations, apply manual therapies to aid the athletes in recovering, and do rehabilitative exercises and treatments. Our athletes are required to complete weekly bands which are preventative exercises that have been selected and catered towards their respective sport. Some of these bands emphasize prevention for ACL injuries, shin splints, and shoulder instability. These are injuries that can be considered rather common to the nature of the game of lacrosse. Therefore, preventing them through strengthening and ear1y intervention is essential. I have learned different manual therapy techniques such as myofascial release through scraping, cupping, and massage. I apply these techniques on a daily basis with our athletes to aid in recovery, pain management, and rehabilitation. My time thus far at MoBap has proven to be very educational, challenging, and fun.

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.

First and Second Year SLU AT Students Learn Together as a Team at Affton HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Affton High School
By: Ali Graham (SLU MAT Class of 2017) and Ben Wildman (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

The fall semester at Affton High School kicked off to a great start. We have been working with the football teams, soccer teams, volleyball teams and other fall sport athletes that frequent the athletic training room. Becky Stigen ATC, our preceptor, has allowed us to have a hands on experience at Affton High School. We have been working with athletes to overcome injuries and get back on to the field. Some of the treatments we have been performing are electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and muscle energy techniques. We have also have had the opportunity to formulate rehabilitation protocols and then implement these in the athletic training room.

Football this year has been very fun and exciting. We have been sharpening up our taping and first aid skills as the Cougars face their opponents each week. We have been able to perform on field assessment. Becky has allowed us to evaluate players, and then we collaborate on our thoughts and come to a possible diagnosis of each athlete. We have also been applying protective padding and splints for players in order to keep their extremities protected during competition.

Affton High School is great secondary school rotation for us. Each day we are learning and seeing new things, while improving on skills we already possess. It is nice to have both a PY1 and PY2 at Affton because we are able to help each other out and teach each other new skills and knowledge. The fall at Affton has been a great one so far and we are excited for what is to come this semester.

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.