Past Episodes

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AT Moms have a lot to deal with. Being mom at home and “mom” at work, breastfeeding in a football locker room at halftime…I mean come on.

Cari Wood, Valerie Moody, and Kelly Salter join share some of their stories to encourage and lift you up as an AT Mom.

Val, what is your family makeup?

University of Montana Director of our program

AT Journey Colorado, Nebraska, Colorado, Florida back to Nebraska

Met husband in high school but actually met when she was back in Nebraska

Cari?

22 year old and 19 year old

Married 23 years

Kelly?

Born and raised in Michigan

Husband was a coach at her first job

23 years this summer

21 and 20 year old sons

Tell some stories of raising kids as an AT mom?

Kelly – we now sleep with a phone on for our kids…but it can not be me as I get messages from former kids at all hours.

I was able to provide AT care to my kids in little league.

As the only AT at my school, I have to care for my kids.  It takes practice and objectivity.

Cari – former athlete called her after a varsity football game and they had been having fun.

I love they feel safe to call me

A friend fell off the golf cart and broke her 5th metatarsal but Cari made her play through it.

It is hard to evaluate your own kid.

My son was a wrestler but my contract did not cover the road trips.  So I had to sit in the stands and sit and watch, but I can never really turn that off.

Val – when my kids are playing I have the other AT doing the evaluation.  It gives me a layer of separation.

“Will there ever be a game where I am just mom, not the AT?”

What are some of the best moments?

Cari – raising the kids in the high school and having them be included with the teams.  Allowing the high school kids to guide and instruct them.

Realizing I had to lay down the law with the boys trying to date my daughter.

Kelly – getting to see role models and how the teams can be like family.

Now my boys are returning the mentor favors.

Keeping my kids involved in what I do and allowing them to be pediatric patients and part of my regular routine

How do you handle the dating scene?

It was great for me but tough for the kids.  I always knew everything.

It is a double-edged sword.  There was much more benefit than difficulty.

Being relationship-driven has always been important to me so it caused some issues as I wanted to be friends with others.

Am I an imposter?

Val – It is easy for us to fall into that trap with social media.

I try to surround myself with good role models that I can reach out to.

I intentionally connected with another faculty member who is in a similar situation.

Cari – I missed a lot of competitions because I had to work, my husband did a lot of the nighttime routines.

Kelly – It is hard to be vulnerable, but it is so important to have a real conversation with someone you trust instead of just venting on social media.

Once we acknowledge the feeling we give them less power.

Being understanding of the schedule and requirements is really important to help and support the feeling of adequacy.

Help with child care understanding daycare requirements.

Val – bring coffee or chocolate

What are some of the struggles of being an AT Mom?

Breastfeeding can be tough

Have a handheld pump as a backup

Talk to your admin and say I need a space to do this.

Having a pretty rigid schedule helps as well even though it is really tough.

Planning ahead and making sure they had backups for the backups…diaper blowouts can derail your lesson.

I allowed my students to help and that was crucial.

People want to help you, let them.

I feel many women have to choose to be an AT or a mom, speak to that thought.

Kelly – I knew I wanted to be an AT before I knew I wanted to be a mom.  I was told several times that if I wanted to be a mom I would need my teaching certificate so I had something to fall back on.

“ YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE!!!”

You can make it work if you are both flexible and understanding.

Cari – dropped down to 20 hours per week to raise her kids

Val – not being afraid to ask

In AT Dads Larry Cooper shared Pizza Fridays as a way to be involved with the family.  What routines or traditions have you used to stay involved with family life?

• Ball boys and cheer escorts.
• Kids went on some field trips with the team
• Family dinners with coaches kids
• Meals after games with coaches family

Who has been a mentor for you as an AT MOM?

Cari – I did not know anyone who was an AT mom, but I had friends who were in similar situations.

My parents were involved in the community and were busy but made it work.

Val – Shannon Courtney was the Head AT and program director while raising her young children.

Mickey Cuppett demonstrated how she was raising her family while being successful as an AT

My Mom as well did a great job.

Kelly – a coworker, Cindy, who was an AT and new mom.

Friends in similar situations in similar situations.

Contact Us:

Cari – cari.wood@redmondschools.org

Val – valerie.moody@umontana.edu

Kelly – @Cookie_Tuesday

Jeremy – @MrJeremyJackson

These people LOVE ATs and help the SMB pay the bills:

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

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As a single mom AT you have to make a lot of sacrifices. Dr. Erin Hassler has gathered a few friends to share their stories.

Dr. Hassler, start us off with your story of getting into AT.

Went to school in Atlanta and always playing some sort of sport.

When I got to college I put the two together.

The 1996 Atlanta Olympics

Currently a teacher

Own SportzFactory

Own a non-profit

Work with Olympic Track and field

Teach adjunct online

Paula –

20 years out of college and 28 years in AT world

I started as an aide at 13 years old

I hated PE and tried to find my way out of it.

As a cheerleader, I jumped down the stairs and had to visit 

First 5 years I was at a private school and then after school stuff

After that I became the sports performance coordinator.

I loved being part of the team and celebrating and getting better.

It was neat as a high school student to understand the psychological pressures

Chakaia –

Athlete with a lot injuries

My high school AT taught me a lot 

Tennessee state for undergrad

Fell in love, got engaged, had a baby, we split and went our separate ways

I knew it was time for me to complete my schooling.

Te Shondra –

Born and raised in Florida and I was into sports.

A close family friend was the AT and she became my ride to and from school.

I was active but always found a way to help in with AT.

Went to school in South Carolina

Was married for about 7 years and moved back to Florida.

About year 7 or 8 we were pregnant and about that time he bailed

I did not make the adjustment until my daughter was at an age where she needed more hands-on for competitive practices.

When did the kid(s) come into the picture?

Tell me about your Tribe:

Co-workers that all started at the same time and were in similar situations.

These are the emergency contacts for my daughter

Now I have my “mommy squad” that I have met through my daughter.

Being willing to pick up and drop off your friend’s kids and it is reciprocal.

You need someone to celebrate and sorrow with.

Dr. Hassler – I do not call myself a single mom

I do not label myself as a single mom so that it does not look like I am missing a piece.

“You do not need to try to make up for someone else”

K – I am a thinker and a planner.  I will manage my emotions, but sometimes that is at the end or the process.

I have to let someone else help me

Advice for K

Let your story show your passion and desire

Build your network now

Reach out to everyone you know.

Know the presence the ATs have in the area.

Really understand the expectations that will be placed on you.

Build camaraderie and trust your co-workers

Making a strong connection with the parents and letting them know “I am here for your kid”

Moving to the DAT/PHD

Dr. Abner – I was praying and had a vision and saw that I could get into the collegiate and instructional side then I could still be in the profession. I could help shape the future.

I knew I wanted to finish in 2 years so I did, while holding down my full-time job.

I left my high school while I was in my final year and finished up the DAT.

A friend called and offered the online teaching job.

Erin – My son helped me with my homework.

I would get the books from amazon so we always had books for him to get work done.

Lots of prayer

What has been the best part of being an AT Mom?

Giving my kids different exposures to the different populations I have been around.

Words of encouragement to other Single Mom ATs:

K – you never know what you can do until you are cornered

Do not put energy into things you can not control

Erin – AT is a lifestyle

Use the skills you use as an AT in the rest of your life.

Make the adjustment for the people that are most important to you.

Te Shondra

Self-care is not selfish – take the step back and take care of yourself

Contact Us:

Dr. Erin Hassler

Paula Cook 

Chakaia Miles – 

Dr. Teshondra Abner – @teshondraabner on IG and FB or teshondra.abner@gmail.com

Jeremy –  SportsMedicineBroadcast

These people LOVE ATs and help the SMB pay the bills:

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Founder of the Brookbush Institute, Dr. Brent Brookbush joins Tanya Watson to discuss some tips for maximizing online learning. AS we are hot on the heels of NATA going virtual again, we hope to help make lemonade.

Dr. Brent Brookbush, you were recently on the movement underground with Mike Stella.  What was your big takeaway from that podcast?

We make statements that I feel are for social media.  We do not live that out in our lives, but we do it for the clicks.

Manual Therapy is supported in research.  Period

All of our courses are Evidence-Based courses

Joints mobs and manipulations have the most research of any treatment in our profession.

How do I find a research-based course?

If it does not have a bibliography then it is not worth studying.

Is there evidence other than this guru’s opinion?

Is there original research?

Look for original sources as the citation

Accreditation is important but an end all be all

Brookbush Institute has lots of courses, almost all online now.  How can we as ATs maximize our online learning? 

There is no current research saying in-person education is better than online.

Would you benefit more if you could review the material and practice on a colleague and then go to the course or course first?

Take it on your own

Repeat it as much as you want

Practice until you are comfortable

Practice on related injuries but not the exact (i.e. shoulder injuries get a spinal manipulation)

Add in an in-person workshop for mastery.

What is Brookbush Institute including in their courses to help retain learning?

The online workshops were incredibly successful because now people had access.

We were only getting into 20-30 cities

“I hate the education system as it is” – Brent Brookbush

What will make this possible for my working colleagues?

We have to make courses short and give credit as they go.

Needs to be on mobile and desktop.

Multimedia – we are adding audio voice over so you can listen while driving or running

We want you to have more access during random downtime.

We do not want to penalize people for taking a long time to finish a course.

Educators tend to kick customer service out the window.

Make it possible to take education easily.

I want to take an IASTM course. What can I do to help me master the manual skills while learning online?

Find a mentor or find/form a local group and “therapize” each other

Watch the podcast on Facebook

Contact Us:

Brent – www.brookbushinstitute.com

Tanya @tewatc on Twitter & Instagram. or email: tewatson79@gmail.com

Jeremy – IG: SportsMedicineBroadcast

These people LOVE ATs and help the SMB pay the bills:

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Women in Athletic Training acknowledges women and men are not the same; however, that does not mean one is less than the other. Come celebrate with this awesome group as they are growing healthy relationships to grow our profession.

What’s new with WAT? 

• Since the last time we were on the SMB a ton has happened – specifically in the area of intentionality and forward direction. 
• We launched our re-brand of WAT 2.0 on 1/1/2020 and that for us signified a HUGE shift both in who we were and where we were going. We started the process in September of 2019 and used the last 4 months of 2019 really collaborating and digging deep into who we (the revitalized WAT board) wanted to be and where we wanted to take WAT. 
• That leads us to the creation of a formal mission, vision, and our credo that WAT is more than AVERAGE (insert visuals here) standing for authenticity, virtue, empowerment, respect, advocacy, growth, and elevATion. 
• We moved what was a place for all women AT to just come and ‘be’ to a true resource. A safe space for the women in this profession to empower one another. 
• It was through this re-launch that we saw a huge shift in the way our membership interacted with the group – in a hugely positive way. We also were sure to come into the process using the evidence-based models and surveys out then 7800 members. This year when we started 2021 we did the same thing to evaluate our model. 
• We are super proud that we just hit 9000 members, have 9 board members, we were the 1st group to offer a virtual interview of the then-candidates for NATA presidency, have hosted multiple call-in sessions for professional development around covid, interviews with NATA LGBTQ, EDAC, and more.  

What are y’all working on now?

• At the end of each year, we put out a survey for our members to complete for the Women in AT board to review and re-assess the needs of what our members are wanting from us. We all completed passion roadmaps which is a resource that we utilize from Passion Planner (Megan loves Passion Planner) that allows us to each individually brainstorm the goals that we foresee for WAT over a time period of 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and a lifetime.
• We work together to review the survey answers to plan and create a quarterly outline for Women in AT to help us take small steps to reaching our larger goals for WAT while also catering to the needs that our members requested of us.
• This past year the survey revealed that the top two needs that the members would like for us to provide are networking opportunities and educational content. This is something we are working hard to provide for our members.
• This month as NATM’s theme is AT’s are Healthcare, we want to shed more light on the emerging settings of athletic training. This month will include some roundtable discussions from multiple settings, some social opportunities, and an interview with a professor who teaches negotiation tactics. We are all very passionate about athletic training and the future for WAT, and are excited to see how it all evolves. 

What are two key issues y’all are working to improve for women in athletic training?

Showing up for each other in an authentic, empowering way. For too long women in this profession (and in general) are forced into competitive environments that pit one against another. We aim to change that. We should be building each other up, and working together as athletic training professionals. Empowering each other forward. Not holding each other back.  

What is the vision for the next 5-10 years?

To infinity and beyond 🙂 no but in all seriousness, we have big dreams and no intention of slowing down. We want to be in the room where it happens – since women belong there – as RBG so eloquently reminded us all. We strive to be a national presence. Some of the things we have on our roadmaps are Women in AT Panels at the various different conferences; being a CEU provider – and ultimately even a WAT conference; educational content that invigorates our members and challenges their daily practices in an empowering way. To us the phrase ‘empowering women empower women’ is highest goal. If we aren't meeting that – if we aren't finding ways to continuously empower and enrich or members then we aren’t meeting our mission.  

Has COVID changed anything for women in AT vs men?

COVID has impacted athletic trainers in very intense and unique ways, most often adding even more work to an already overloaded schedule. This has only compounded the discrepancies between the genders in our profession. When athletics were suspended the workload at home was still expected to happen – and any form of work-life separation went out the window. Once everybody went back to work, many female athletic trainers found themselves having to miss work if kids’ daycares or classes got put in quarantine. For those that were furloughed all of the PTO previously banked for things like maternity leave, or parent life, etc those were eliminated.  This carried over into our need to go to work, but our fear of bringing the virus home with us, when many of us remained the primary caregiver at home. Women in athletic training give their all to the safety of their athletes, and that intensified our work and preparation last summer, as we discussed COVID policies in our respective settings, and it intensified our stress and worry every day that we went to work.

Maternity leave vs no accrued PTO after furlough.

Megan – single female, when others have to go home to quarantine/take care of a child that has had school/daycare shut down then the single AT’s within the ATF have to help with coverage

How have you been able to help encourage equality through WAT?

WAT’s main purpose and reason for existing are to build each other up, to give each other support and a cheering section and a shoulder to cry on. In a (formerly) male-dominated profession, where many of us work alone, we need all of those things more than most jobs, because all athletic trainers feel beat down, and all of us need a listening ear. The push for equality comes from the support and the advocacy that we give each other in a profession that still isn’t equal for us. We are all part of a 9000-person team, with all the support, brains to pick, and camaraderie that a lot of us are missing at our jobs.

Call to action:

International Women’s day is March 8, 2021

Watch the Facebook version of Women in AT 2

Contact us:

Megan Smith – megsmith768@gmail.com

Chelsea Lowe – chelsealowe.5280@gmail.com

Maren Carroll – marenccarroll@gmail.com

Women in AT – womeninat@gmail.com 

Jeremy – @MrJeremyJackson on Twitter

Sponsors

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

What are you doing to provide quality COVID Care and Prevention?

Paul Calloway of MiotechGroup joins us to discuss some of the options available to prevent the spread of COVID and other communicable diseases.

What is new in COVID care?

NanoBio – the average person touches their face

BZK kills 99.9% + the negatively charged bacteria

Nasal Swab basically creates a line of defense

Microsure surface protectant

Let’s talk about washing hands

8HD 

Up to 200 applications

Spray rub and let your hands dry

BZK has antiseptic properties

Surface disinfectant

Microsure surface protectant

Protective barriers

MS Sports & Healthcare – basically a bag that goes between the.

PPE

The materials used for masks is the same used for underwrap

There are no alot of places the produce vinyl gloves.

Some of the hospital systems are using 2 years’ worth of gloves in 90 days.

Purell has a food service-rated disinfectant.  Look for the foodservice disinfectant products for things that are dealing with food.

What do you think?

What are you doing for COVID care and prevention? Tweet Us: @MrJeremyJackson @JohnCiecko @Paul_Calloway @MioTechGroup

Watch COVID Care with MioTech on Facebook

Contact Us:

Paul Calloway

John Ciecko

Jeremy Jackson

Sports Medicine Broadcast and COVID Care partners

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Allan Parsells is an Amazon AT or as they call him IPS. Injury Prevention Specialists are positions at Amazon that are only held by Athletic Trainers.

What is it like working for Amazon?

There are about 150 ATs across Amazon

BOC certified is a job requirement

Been with Amazon for 4 months

The industrial setting is a complete 180 from the traditional setting.

I had to step out of my comfort zone.

I had to learn OSHA stuff and learn what I was able to do and what they wanted me to do.

From day one the IPS network at amazon has been extremely helpful.  From onboarding to answering questions.

There is a six-month learning curve.

How did you get the job?

Amazon is the most customer centered company in the world.

Allan’s customers are the associates that fulfill orders.

Our “athletes” are our associates and getting them back into work.

You are dealing with professionals that can not afford to go home or “sit out”

They need to earn income.

What is good about being an Amazon AT?

Favorite thing: interactions with associates that make a difference.

• Collaborating with co-workers

• Great Benefits Package
• Stability
• Opportunity for advancement
• Life Balance

Calling in sick – there is no sub, you just do not go to work.

Switching to the morning shift – may require moving to a different building.

Leadership roles – there are managerial roles in IPS, safety manager role, ergonomics role.

What is not so good?

There are a lot of people that have to approve things before changes can be made

Everything that happens in safety affects operations.

Amazon is hell-bent on safety.

In the Facebook Insights, it says women 2-10 years into the profession are the target audience.  What specific advice would you give them?

What am I going to do now and what am I going to do when I have a family.

Amazon provides a great opportunity for you if you are starting a family.  Maternity/paternity leave.

It is not a “boy's club”. Everyone has equal opportunity here.

If you love to help people you can help people here at Amazon too.

Amazon is thriving during the pandemic, does that impact you as an AT?

There are salary employees and hourly employees. At this point, I do not know what that looks like.

PhysicalTherapy.com is a great way to earn CEUs as an AT and be a better clinician.  What are the skills you are improving on as an AT right now?

If you stop learning you are getting behind.

OSHA requirements are the biggest learning right now

Contact Us

Allan – aparsells@premiersportsmedicine.net

Jeremy – Info@sportsmedicinebroadcast.com

These people LOVE ATs and help the SMB pay the bills:

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

When you are ready to change there are several employment considerations you should consider. Dr. Danny Barringer did his dissertation project on the key areas Athletic Trainers should condsider before making the move.

The Problem:

The Athletic Trainer applying for a job did not know what to ask and what to look for.

COVID really underscores the need to know and clarify the expectations of your job

Three main employment consideration models: 

School District

Outreach

PRN

Source of Funding

School District – city/state/federal level

Are you going to be teaching anything?

Does the school only need to cover the stipend?

Outreach

Typically from a hospital

Are you an at-will employee?

Will you be furloughed?

PRN

Usually, funding comes from the school district to the third party.

Job Expectation

School District – 

The AT knows the hours are long but usually has summers off.

May have to supervise student aides

Outreach

Hours are usually better regulated

But typically working year-round (finding more business)

Mileage?

When are you on the clock, when you leave the house or arrive on site?

Supervision of PRN ATs

PRN

Much more freedom of schedule

Consider who will keep the documents and records

Varying policies and procedures between sites

Human Resources

School District – 

Teaching with stipend

A clinician with or without teaching responsibilities

Summer camps

# of days on contract

Stipends

Benefits

Outreach

HR may not know what you do and who you are. 

Make sure you have liability and physician oversight

Stark Law/referrals

PRN

• No benefits / HR Access
• Liability and physician orders are on your own

Immediate Supervisor

School District

• Typically and Athletic Director (hopefully we are moving away from this)
• Principal
• Superintendent

Outreach

• You could be reporting to a clinician
• Maybe a CEO or CFO
• Contracted Schools ADs

PRN

• Physician
• Tournament Director
• School AD

Location Specific Nuances

School District

• Rural vs. Urban
• Physician/clinical staff

Outreach

• Clinical space access
• Multiple offices

PRN

• Could but constantly changing

Contact Us:

Dr. Danny Barringer

Jeremy Jackson

These people LOVE ATs and help the SMB pay the bills:

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

MioTech – meeting all of your sports medicine supply needs

PhysicalTherapy.com – use promo code “1FREECOURSE” to start for free

Donate and get some swag (like patreon but for the school)

DragonflyMax – one-stop EMR

HOIST – no matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second-year free and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.