Preceptors are an important part of the MAT program for future Athletic Trainers. Dr. DJ Gilliland shares what makes a good
Call out by name a few of the best preceptors you have known.
David Stuckey at Hardin Simmons - instilled in us the desire to give back to the profession.
It was our responsibility to mentor someone
David Colt or DC hired me out of undergrad. He guided us on how to teach and interact with our students.
Kyle Southall at Briarwood Christian in Alabama
48 local preceptors
Dustin Rush - What you see is what you get
He does a great job of letting students take chances and risks.
Dustin has a fantastic debrief with the students.
Frank Perez - He is a tough preceptor with a ton of experience. He is really good.
He spent several years with Cirque De Soleil and brings dance medicine into the equation
He has a large administrative component to his site.
Great communication skills with coaches and admin, and team docs
He is an alumnus
Always an ear to listen or a shoulder to guide them…we need to guide them more
Administrative work:
Documentation practices are on par with what is needed for professional communication
Team management - day-to-day injury report presentations
Working alongside the nutritionist for the team
Physician referrals
Scheduling
Second-year students should be involved with scheduling and communicating with the opponents' medical staff.
5% of the BOC is now about Administration
Allow the MAT students to schedule the student coverage
Teach them how to manage the student aides
Allow them to create an evaluation system
Have them look at and update the policies and procedures.
Have them look at and update the EAP
Teach them to be a mentor to the kids
Understanding professional boundaries
Mike Ramirez -
“You can not work in the NFL unless you work at a college”
Great with organization and teaching the students what to expect.
He puts students in charge of making sure the gear is ready
They learn inventory
Real-world problem solving
Writing rehab plans
Brenna Ellis -
She transformed the experience for our students. They leave feeling like they have grown as an individual and professionals.
AT is a family.
Supervised Autonomy -
The preceptor should be the patient's advocate
Build up the student's trust and confidence by having mock scenarios in downtime.
The really good preceptors take advantage of that time.
EMS situations
Knowing the rules of the sport
Use the scaffolding approach to build trust
Give them more freedom in lower-pressure situations first.
Give them a comfortable environment to fall forward
From the students:
JP: I felt like my hands were being held the whole time… I was either setting up the field or observing.
JP: One preceptor gave us printed steps for taping. So we could use them during independent practice
JP: Having a written plan for the athletes to follow helps us grow, but also gives me the opportunity to develop a plan.
