To be a student in ATSU’s Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) program is fulfilling and inspiring. Each course I’ve taken thus far has not only enhanced my skills as a clinician, but has also driven my passion to create meaningful change. My ultimate pursuit in life is to be a lifelong learner, and this program encourages a variety of tools that can be added to my personal and professional toolbox.

Uniquely, I took the Winter Institute: Innovation to Advance Healthcare in my first year of the DAT program. From my experience during the Winter Institute, I learned I can make a change. One of my largest fears taking this course so soon in my program was that I would have nothing to contribute to the group. But I walked away with confidence in my ability to form impactful change on a small scale and a large scale. I walked away knowing I have a lot of time to develop new initiatives for my current employment and serve on a variety of teams to advocate for the athletic training profession. I walked away with a heightened passion to build my brand, facilitate growth in preceptor programming, and ultimately courage to be the change that my company needs.

Another large takeaway from the Winter Institute, for me, is that I only need to start with one thing to make the change. In my coming years at A.T. Still University, I have the time and the drive to implement policies that align with best practices, promote and implement PROs into daily practice, and disrupt current concepts in the athletic training field.

Currently, I am working on reinventing my company’s precepting process, training, and policies. Alongside my company’s leadership, we are forming specialized committees to accomplish these initiatives. In the secondary setting, I am working alongside our head athletic trainer and district representatives to rewrite our policies and procedures for head injuries. I am also working to promote a district EMR system for documentation. The DAT program curriculum aligns with many of the concepts that my employer is looking to reform.