22^nd Annual SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium
by Ray Castle & R.T. Floyd

The 2007 SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium was held on February 9-10 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta, GA.  Continuing with the format established in recent years, the symposium had two major sections: a symposium section designed for athletic training students junior level and below and a workshop designed for senior level and graduate students within one year of taking the NATA Board of Certification examination.  The universal theme of the symposium for underclassmen is Foundations in Athletic Training, with two specific “educational tracks”.  The senior level symposium section theme was “Competencies in Athletic Training”, which is designed as an examination refresher course for those students entering the final stages of preparation for the BOC certification examination.  This year’s meeting again broke previous attendance records for student meetings hosted by SEATA, with approximately 576 students from nine of the 10 NATA districts across the United States attending the symposium.  The athletic training students represented 60 athletic training education programs (ATEPs) from over 22 states. 

The Foundations in Athletic Training section is directed by Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, of Louisiana State University.  This symposium section is divided into two separate educational “tracks”, which allowed athletic training students to participate in a track that was closely linked with their current educational level in their athletic training curriculum.  Track “A” focused on “Prevention, Evaluation, and Initial Management of Athletic Injuries” while Track “B” focused on “Therapeutic Exercise, Modalities, and Professional Development”.  Each educational track incorporated in-depth lectures and hands-on laboratory activities for the students.

The symposium featured over 65 outstanding faculty members with expertise in teaching and clinical practice from throughout the southeast and outside of District IX.  The two tracks had a combined attendance of over 315 athletic training students.  The laboratory sessions for both tracks were coordinated by Amanda Andrews, PhD, ATC of Troy University.

The Competencies in Athletic Training section was directed by R.T. Floyd, EdD, ATC of The University of West Alabama.  Special effort was made to address major areas felt to be important in preparing for the BOC examination.  Established leaders in athletic training education presented on numerous topics, which included the BOC Competencies, each of the major body areas, therapeutic modalities, rehabilitation, organization/administration, psychosocial intervention/referral, pharmacological considerations and general medical conditions.  Additionally, students were provided in advance of the symposium an online computerized mock examination composed by the faculty.  The Competencies in Athletic Training section was attended by approximately 260 athletic training students.

In addition to the general sessions, SEATA held its annual Clinical Case Study Presentation contest for athletic training students.  An open invitation was provided to all athletic training students to submit clinical case report abstracts for presentation at the 22^nd Annual SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium.  All abstracts were evaluated under a blind-review process by three published authors who selected the top four abstracts for presentation.  The winner of the 1^st place abstract will be provided an opportunity to prepare their case study manuscript for publication in Athletic Therapy Today.

Karen Straub Stanton, MS, ATC of Auburn University coordinated the Student Clinical Case Study Competition which had 15 submissions conducted under a blind-review process.  From these, the top four outstanding abstracts were selected and presented during the symposium banquet on Friday, which was attended by all of the students and faculty attending the athletic training student symposium.  The top ten case studies also provided a poster presentation.

The Friday evening reception included presentations by the student authors of the four Clinical Case Study Contest winners, presentation of the SEATA Athletic Training Undergraduate Scholarship Award Winners, recognition of speakers for both the athletic training student symposium and an inspiring address by Denise Fandel of the Board of Certification.

Tom Rokovitz of School Health (www.schoolhealth.com) in cooperation with Laerdal Medical Corporation (www.laerdal.com), donated 20 spine board systems that were utilized in the Emergency Management laboratory sessions of the Track A.  Three systems were provided to the participants in a drawing.  Additional door-prizes included textbooks from SLACK, Inc. 

The symposia was a tremendous success, due in large part to our corporate support from the following:

Workshop Partners:

• California University of Pennsylvania (www.cup.edu)

• Florida International University (www.fiu.edu/~athltrn)

• Laerdal Medical Corporation (www.laerdal.com)

• www.myCEUsource.com

• Sports Health Corporation (www.esportshealth.com)

Clinical Education Partners:

• Champion Sports Medicine, a Benchmark Medical Subsidiary

• Foot Management, Inc. (www.footmanagement.com)

• Human Kinetics (www.humankinetics.com)

• Brooks Running (www.brooksrunning.com)

Lecture Partners:

• SLACK, Inc. (www.slackinc.com)

• Jones and Bartlett Publishers (www.jbpub.com)

• Hughston Foundation (www.hughstonfoundation.com)

• National Athletic Trainers’ Association (www.nata.org)

Educational Materials Partners:

• University of Oregon

• McNeil PPC, Inc.

In addition to corporate–level exhibitors, the NATA exhibit booth was represented by Larry Commons of the NATA Office to address membership questions for attendees. The NATA Research & Education Foundation exhibit booth was also available for the participants to learn more about the Foundation and pick up copies of Grant Information Summaries of recent research it has funded.

Next year’s symposium will again feature the Competencies in Athletic Training section for seniors as well as the section for all other students focusing on Foundations of Athletic Training tracks.  Students should plan on attending this event tentatively scheduled for February 8-9, 2008 in Atlanta at the Crown Plaza Ravinia.  Please visit the SEATA website, and also the NATA News for more details on both meetings.

Link to details & agenda of the 2007 SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium

Link to more 2007 SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium pictures

Link to purchase additional notebooks from the 2006 & 2007 SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium

 District IX Director R.T. Floyd, SEATA President MaryBeth Horodyski, Clinical Case Studies presenters Karen Edwards, University of South Carolina, Cailee Welch, Boston University, Sarah Spino, Quinnipiac University, Caitlin Redlich, Louisiana State University, SEATA Clinical Case Coordinator Karen Straub Stanton


MaryBeth Horodyski, SEATA President, Dawn Selvidge, Florida International University, Jim Gallaspy Student Leadership Scholarship recipient, Renan Saavedra, University of South Florida, SEATA Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship recipient, Bill Welsh SEATA Scholarship Representative, R.T. Floyd, District IX Director
Rebecca Mohl, University of Georgia, Jerry Rhea/Atlanta Falcons Undergraduate Scholarship recipient (not pictured)


Sarah Spino, Quinnipiac University,  1st Place Winner in  the Clinical Case Study Competition presents her case study on Wrist Injury in a Division I Collegiate Male Basketball Player


Denise Fandel, BOC Executive Director, provides advice to students at reception
 

Sarah Spino, Quinnipiac University,  1st Place Winner in  the Clinical Case Study Competition with Susan Norkus, PhD, ATC- Quinnipiac University - Hamden, CT


Cailee Welch, Boston University, 2nd place Winner in  the Clinical Case Study Competition with R. Mark Laursen, MS, ATC - Boston University - Boston, MA


Caitlin Redlich, Louisiana State University,3rd place Winner in  the Clinical Case Study Competition with Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, LA

 
Karen Edwards, University of South Carolina 4th place Winner in  the Clinical Case Study Competition with Toni Torres -McGehee, PhD, ATC - University of South Carolina - Columbia, SC

LSU Students with Ray Castle, PhD, ATC

Caitlin Redlich, Louisiana State University,3rd place Winner in  the Clinical Case Study Competition with her poster presentation.