CHCS - Perspectives Winter/Spring 2016

COLLEGE OF HEALTH CARE SCIENCES • 23 In late September, the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) faculty members and students provided medical care to the world’s top international beach volleyball players at the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVN World Tour Finals held in Fort Lauderdale. The CHCS faculty participants were Elizabeth Swann, Ph.D., ATC, department chair; Pradeep Vanguri, Ph.D., ATC, program director; Megan Colas, Ph.D., ATC, NEMT-B, clinical education director; and me. The aforementioned faculty members were invited to provide medical care with an interprofessional medical team that included sports medicine physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, sports massage therapists, physiotherapists, and athletic trainers. This was the first time the ATEP had the opportunity to work this event side by side with students as they interacted with professional athletes through an international experience. The ATEP students said they were impressed by how each health care professional worked together and openly communicated in order to achieve one common goal—to get the athlete back to play in the quickest and safest manner possible. It was a great learning experience for everyone to see each other’s specialties put into practice at a major international event. The students also gained new and diverse manual therapy techniques that are generally outside of the standard athletic trainer’s educational experience. The trained individuals demonstrated and taught the students unique skills they will be able to continue to incorporate and utilize to enrich their personal practice expertise. “I was very impressed with your students, and that is a direct reflection of the strength of your program and the faculty,” said Ward Daron, PT, tournament medical director and regional vice president of opera- tions for Jacksonville/South Carolina CORA Health Services, Inc. The feeling was mutual for both parties on the appreciation of collaborating and the experience gained working together. ■ Students, Teachers Provide Medical Care at Beach Volleyball Finals BY JEFFREY R. DOERINGER, PH.D., ATC, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR