All Athletic Training students have the opportunity to work at different clinical rotations. The students are assigned to a certified athletic trainer on campus or a local high school or college. Students learn through real experiences under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer (preceptors). Each school year presents with a different set of skills that each student needs to be proficient in. Students are required to log 200 hours of clinical experience each semester. The set of skills fall in line with the course that was taken a semester before. Students must have a contact/equipment sport, an all-women’s sport, and a high school. This real world experience is crucial to the education of an Athletic Training student.

Freshman Year

Student practice cold tub immersion and heat illness care at orientation in 2019.

Freshmen Pre-Athletic Training students are exposed to the clinical setting through their required 40 hours of observation in order to apply. They are not allowed to perform any treatment on patients, however they can watch and learn and even assist in house keeping tasks such as make Gatorade, prepare water, or fold towels. The freshmen have a proficiency check-off; a list of things they need to be able to do, and it has to be signed off by a senior or a preceptor.

Sophomore Year

Students meet as opponents: Brittany (c/o 2020) was a student with Loyola University, with Kevin (c/o 2020) and Erin (c/o 2022)

First semester sophomores receive their first ever clinical rotation, and during this time, their proficiencies focus on taping techniques, emergency care, and everything that was introduced in the Intro course. At this stage, you are not expected to know much, it is your chance to make mistakes and soak in all the knew experiences. I was assigned to Towson High School for my first clinical rotation, which was the high school I attended (pictured above). I worked under my preceptor, Dominic Costabile, who is a program alum. The second semester focuses on application of the Lower Extremity Evaluation course. It focuses on the student being proficient in evaluating lower extremity injuries. I was assigned to Towson University Football for my second semester. It was early mornings but I learned so much, especially working with larger athletes.

Junior Year

Professor Mary Nadelen and two students working with the US Lacrosse team in 2017.

The first semester of junior consists of a clinical experience that focuses on content from the Upper Extremity Evaluation course. Students are encouraged to take on any upper extremity evaluation. Your role in the clinic grows as you are now one of the upperclassmen. You can mentor sophomores whose shoes you were in just the year before. Unfortunately for me, Covid-19 did not allow me to have a normal clinical rotation for this semester. However, we were allowed to sign up for block scheduling and work with different teams and preceptors at different times. The second semester of junior year focuses on applying skills learned in Modalities. With the supervision of your preceptor, you will carry out treatments with modalities such as cold or heat therapy, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and more. This semester also has a focus on mental health cases and how to handle them in your role as an athletic trainer. This is the semester I am currently in, working with the Towson University women’s basketball team.

Senior Year

Winston (c/o 2021) working a TU football game.

In the final year of the athletic training program, students are allowed to choose where they go for their final two rotations. These last two semesters focus on application of skills from the Therapeutic Exercise course. Students hone their rehabilitation skills in the clinic, coming up with treatment plans and practicing their skill hands-on. Next semester, I will be working with the Towson University women’s soccer team. The second semester of senior year focuses on applicating knowledge and skills from the Gen Med course as well as the Organization and Administration course. This semester adds in the “office” aspect of the profession and all the tasks that is outside of the clinic. I will finish my clinical experience returning to Towson High School. I am the most excited for this semester as that is where I started, and I will come full circle.