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 Students Get a Great Learning Experience Taking Care of the Billikens

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Billiken Athletics

By; David O'Loughlin and Haylie Dehm (SLU MAT Class of 2016)

In my few months with Saint Louis University Sports Medicine, I have gained a widespread variety of experience and knowledge.  I have enjoyed a great balance of privilege and responsibility working with Tamara Pastor, ATC and Jonathan Burch, ATC.  Both athletic trainers treat me as a knowledgeable professional, and they allow me to practice many skills under their direction.  In my time with them, I have been given comprehensive rehab assignments to work with athletes from start to finish and design programs for them.  I have been exposed to and practiced techniques such as Graston, ART, and muscle energy to correct malalignments.  Because of their investment in me in these areas, I have a great interest to study these fields further after graduation and earn degrees and certificates.  What has really been exceptional for me has been when my supervisor is on the road with their respective team, and I am responsible for their athletes that are still on campus.  This has given me a great taste of what being certified means, and it has emphasized the importance of communication amongst sports medicine team members.  

-Dave O’Loughlin

This year I am returning to SLU Sports Medicine in a new role. Prior to beginning the professional phase of the Athletic Training Program, I was able to get a work-study position working with in Sports Medicine. The transition from being a student worker to being a PY2 at SLU has been neat. I came in already having an established working relationship with most of the ATs, the team physicians, and many upperclassmen athletes. Having these previous relationships has made it easy for all the members of the sports medicine team to trust and respect me. I am working with the women’s soccer, swimming and diving, and softball teams this year under the supervision of SLU Alum Lizzy Kienstra, ATC. This season when the women’s soccer team has been out of town, I have been able to get experience with other SLU ATs Angie Wills ATC and Kara Cummins-Ludwig ATC along with other PRN ATs from the area, covering field hockey, softball, tennis, cross country, baseball, men’s soccer and men’s basketball. Each team has it’s own personality and vibe. As soccer season is winding down I am looking forward to a vastly different experience working swimming and diving. My knowledge of swimming and diving is minimal, at best, so I am ready and eager to learn. 

-Haylie Dehm

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 Get a Wide Variety of Experiences with the Billikens

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University
By: Connor Doherty, Mike Griffith and Tori Lycett (MAT Class of 2015)

Saint Louis University has offered the three of us: Connor Doherty, Mike Griffith, and Tori Lycett, as PY2 students, a multitude of opportunities and diverse experiences. Currently for the fall season Connor is working under Angie Wills ATC with the men's soccer team; Mike is helping with Volleyball under Tammy Pastor ATC; Tori is assisting with women's soccer under Lizzy Kienstra ATC. We also interact with two other AT's at SLU:  Jonathan Burch ATC and SLU AT Program alum Kelley DeGreeff ATC. Each of our placements have offered us first hand experience work in the D1 setting.

Connor: "This year for my clinicals I am at Saint Louis University and have been gaining experience with Angie Wills, ATC.  We have been working with the Men’s Soccer team as well as the Men’s Baseball team.  The Men’s soccer team has enjoyed a great start to their season while the Baseball team has been preparing for the start of their season.  During practices and games I have gained experience with assessment and treatment of various injuries.  So far this semester I have been able to work on rehabilitation with a number of athletes using the great facilities that SLU Sports Medicine possesses as well as communicating and working with SLU Physical Therapists.  I am looking forward to a great rest of this season with Angie and the rest of the SLU Sports Medicine Staff."

Connor Doherty and Kelley DeGreeff ATC

Mike: “My rotation at Saint Louis University has been a great experience for me in my education and development as an Athletic Training student. This past month I have had the priveledge of working and learning under Tammy Pastor ATC as we manage the Women’s Volleyball team. Working in the Division 1 setting has been a great change of pace for me as I have found that the Athletic Training staff plays a much greater role in the overall success of a competitive sports program such as the Billikens. At Chaifetz, I have had the chance to improve upon my rehabilitation knowledge thanks in part to the level of attention that is able to be afforded to each team, allowing a more comprehensive study of an athlete’s injury and how to bring them back to play. I am extremely happy with my setting this year, and look forward to what the rest of the year has to offer.”

Lizzy Kienstra ATC and Tori Lycett outside Chaifetz Arena

Tori: "Transitioning from my internship at Georgetown University to Saint Louis University, I have been privileged to be able to compare my experience at the two collegiate settings. This year I am working under Lizzy Kienstra ATC, a former SLU MAT graduate. Currently we are aiding the Women's Soccer team through their season. I have been able to help treat, evaluate and rehab many of the girls. I have even had the opportunity to become more familiar with the SwimX and utilize it in facilitating rehabs. Even though it is soccer season, Lizzy also manages Swimming and Diving, and Softball so I have been able work with a diverse group of student athletes.

In addition to working with the athletes, I have also been able to observe the interprofessional practice. At each of the games there is always a SLU physician. In addition to the physician there are also doctors such as Orthodontists, Dermatologists, and many other specialists that work directly with the SLU athletic trainers. Rehab is also a way I have observed the interprofessional interactions. There are several PTs that are part of the Sports Medicine staff; Several of the women's soccer players utilize their services that they provide. The PTs keep good communication with the Athletic Training staff throughout the athletes rehabilitation and progressions. Having an interprofessional approach to a Sports Medicine staff helps to ensure primacy of the patient, and SLU is a good example of how it positively impacts the athletes."

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 Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics

It’s great to be a Billiken!
By: John Runde, Dan Herrin, and Kelley DeGreeff (MAT Class of 2014)

Saint Louis University is a great clinical opportunity for any athletic training student. Not many students have the opportunity to work with multiple NCAA Division 1 sports, while also being able to be involved with treating these high level athletes. There are three PY2's (second year professional students) that work under 5 athletic trainers.

Miya Sullivan ATC, Dan Herrin, Jonathan Burch ATC and Kelley DeGreeff

Dan Herrin is with Jonathan Burch ATC, SLU Head Athletic Trainer, and the Men's Basketball team. Practicing at their facilities in Chaifetz Arena, their season is just getting underway and they are looking forward to another successful season like that of 2012 with the care of the athletic training staff

John Runde is with Angie Wills ATC and Men’s Soccer; Baseball; and Men’s & Women’s Tennis. The soccer teams compete at Robert R. Hermann stadium, while the baseball plays next door at The Billiken Sports Center. These teams have had successful seasons that they look forward to building upon.

Kelley DeGreeff is with Miya Sullivan ATC and she had this to say about her experience at SLU:

“Working at SLU has been such an awesome experience. I have been working under Miya Sullivan with women's soccer, women's basketball, and swimming. Miya has been at SLU for 11 years, so she knows the ropes! I have learned so much from her and am grateful for the opportunity to work with such amazing people. I love the continuity of working with Division I sports. I see these athletes every day and really feel like they trust me -- I hope!! The soccer team had a rough season injury wise and we worked hard trying to keep the girls off the bench and in play. Now with basketball starting, it’s a whole new set of injuries to consider. I feel like I get to see it all from ACL tears to metacarpal fractures. Being able to put the skills I've learned over the past year into practice is such a rewarding experience. I am proud to work for SLU's outstanding athletic program.”

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 Clinical Site Spotlight - SLU Athletics

Spring in full swing at Saint Louis University!

Spring is in full swing at Saint Louis University and all of the athletic training students and preceptors are wrapping up winter sports and jumping into full spring season play.  Last semester (fall) there were two athletic training students working with the four athletic trainers and four in season sports.  This semester we gained more students and now have three PY1 students and two PY2 students working with the winter and spring sports!! 

Women’s basketball just wrapped up their season with the A10 conference tournament in early March,  AT students Janese’ Evans and Mary Rhatigan, along with Miya Sullivan, ATC had a great season working with the women’s team, and can’t wait to see what their season will be like next year!  Men’s basketball won their 1st place A10 conference title.  SLU fans were excited to keep cheering on our Billikens on while they made it two rounds in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. Working with the Men’s basketball team and Jonathan Burch, ATC this season was a new and fun experience for AT student Lizzy Kienstra who was placed at SLU as a clinical site for the entire 2012-2013 year. 

For PY1 Mary Rhatigan, SLU has been a great place so far for her spring rotation. Coming from the fall semester at Mehlville High School SLU has provided a new atmosphere and change of pace that she has found incredibly valuable. From the ages of athletes, available tools and therapeutic modalities, and the general mind set, the collegiate level is a different experience and Mary is very appreciative of the opportunity to learn from Miya and Janese’. Joining a team that had already started and developed their routine, it was a huge help to have Janese’ (PY2) there to help show her the ropes and act as a peer mentor throughout the season, finishing this semester working with men’s and women’s spring soccer.  

Men’s baseball has a reputation to keep up with winning the A10 conference tournament last year, with a current overall season record of 31-16 and a conference record of 13-5.  This week they continue their conference games with three game stint against St. Joseph’s University, hopefully adding wins to their record, keeping them in a good seat for the A10 conference in late May.  Angie Wills, ATC, along with AT students Michelle Cybulski and Cat Costello have worked hard all season through weather rescheduling and game cancellations to keep everyone in good health, while the students learn a lot from Angie about sport and position specific baseball injury prevention, injury evaluation, rehabilitation and much more.

SLU AT students Candie Hill, Janese' Evans, Haylie Dehm, Brandi Burgett and Mary Rhatigan in the Medical  Tent at  a chilly SLU Track Meet.

Tammy Pastor, ATC has also been working with PY2 student Lizzy Kienstra with the track and field and women’s softball team.  Men’s and women’s track and field finished up their season with their conference tournament in Charlotte, NC last week.  Billikens softball currently grabbed a number 5 spot for their A10 conference tournament that starts this week.  These girls have worked so hard this season; we are excited to see how well they will do in Amherst. 

The second semester at SLU flew by for all PY athletic training students!  We all learned so much working with various sports and AT’s all semester.  Saint Louis University sports medicine team had such a great year with their athletics, it was a great experience for all of us to work with everyone that helps keep the athletes healthy and playing from the AT’s to SLUCare team physicians, physical therapists and so much more. 

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.