Congratulations and AT Program Updates
Posted: June 5, 2014
Dr. Parsons leads NCAA Sport Science Institute
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the resignation of Dr. John Parsons, Associate Professor & Director of the Athletic Training Program. Dr. Parsons left A.T. Still University after 17 years to become the Director of the NCAA’s Sport Science Institute. In his new position, Dr. Parsons works alongside NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline, to address sports medicine-related issues such as concussion, student-athlete mental health, and injury-tracking systems. Dr. Parsons’ time spent studying and working with medical technology is an asset as the NCAA pushes to improve its means of collecting and utilizing sports injury information data.
Dr. Parsons began his career at ATSU in 1996, where he served as an assistant professor and clinical education coordinator. He eventually became the program’s 3rd director in 2009. According to Department Chair, Dr. Sauers, “Dr. Parsons’ departure is really bitter sweet. I am so happy for him to have this tremendous new leadership opportunity with the NCAA that matches so closely to his interests and talents. But, I am also sad to see him leaving ATSU, as he has been my teacher, my colleague, and friend here for the past 17 years. His leadership, expertise, and professionalism will be greatly missed. Fortunately, the Athletic Training faculty are amongst the best in the country and they will continue the long standing tradition of excellence in the program.”
Please join us in wishing Dr. Parsons good luck in his new endeavors.
Dr. McLeod’s New Role as ATSU Program Director
It is with great pleasure to announce that Tamara McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA, has accepted a new role as Professor and Director of the Athletic Training (AT) Program at A.T. Still University (ATSU). She retains her distinction as the John P. Wood, D.O., Endowed Chair for Sports Medicine.
Dr. McLeod began her career at ATSU in 2002 as an Assistant Professor. She was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 2007, received tenure in 2009, and was promoted to the rank of Full Professor in 2012. Additionally, she currently serves as the Director of the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network (AT-PBRN), Director of ASHS Interdisciplinary Research Labs, and is a Research Scientist within the ATSU Still Research Institute. She was recognized as a Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in 2011, in addition to receiving numerous other professional honors and awards related to her scholarship and service.
Dr. McLeod completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education with an emphasis in Sports Medicine from the University of Virginia. She is a nationally and internationally recognized expert on the pediatric athlete with respect to sport-related concussion. Her current work is investigating the short- and long-term effects of pediatric sport-related concussion as well as recovery following concussion on traditional concussion assessments and health-related quality of life. Dr. McLeod was a contributing author for the NATA Position Statement on the Management of Sport-Related Concussion, the lead author on the NATA Position Statement on the Prevention of Pediatric Overuse Injuries, and a consultant and contributing author on the Appropriate Medical Coverage for Secondary School-Aged Athletes. Dr. McLeod serves on numerous editorial boards, and publishes frequently in the athletic training and sports medicine journals.
According to Dr. Eric Sauers, Professor and Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences which houses the AT Program, “We are very happy that Dr. McLeod has chosen to bring her significant academic expertise and experience here within the AT Program and accept this exciting new leadership opportunity as the Director of our AT Program. She is extremely well qualified and is very well respected within the athletic training profession, the University, and the community, as an academic leader. Furthermore, she has the full faith and confidence of the administration, AT faculty, alumni, and the students.”
Up until her promotion, Dr. McLeod has also been the faculty advisor for the Athletic Training Students Association (ATSA), which is now taken over by Assistant Professor and Clinical Education Coordinator, Mr. Barton Anderson MS, AT, ATC. The Athletic Training faculty and students would like to thank her for her time and dedication to ATSA.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. McLeod into her new leadership role within ATSU.
Faculty of the Year Award
Each year, ATSU’s Student Government Association (SGA) hosts a Faculty of the Year award. Faculty are nominated and chosen by the students within each respective program. This year’s recipient for the Athletic Training Program Faculty of the Year Award was Tamara McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA. The award was presented at the awards breakfast on May 28, 2014.
The following was said of Dr. McLeod, “She always goes above and beyond for the students! Even though she has a number of things on her plate, she always finds the time to talk with students while sharing her passion and encouraging students to do the same.”
Congratulations Dr. McLeod!
Dr. Welch Accepts Faculty Position
It is with great pleasure that we announce that Cailee Welch, PhD, ATC, has accepted a position as an assistant professor in the Athletic Training (AT) Program at A.T. Still University (ATSU). Dr. Welch took the full-time AT faculty position that as recently vacated by Dr. Tamara McLeod’s move into the program director position.
Dr. Welch began her career at A.T. Still University as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Center for Clinical Outcome studies. She has worked extensively with the AT faculty as an integral member of the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network (AT-PBRN) where she has provided education and instruction for clinicians within the AT-PBRN.
Dr. Welch earned her BS in Athletic Training from Boston University, followed by a master of science in education degree in athletic training from Old Dominion University. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in human movement science with a special focus in athletic training curriculum and instruction from Old Dominion University, where she investigated the effectiveness of educational techniques to assist athletic trainers in learning the fundamentals of evidence-based practice. Her current research emphasis is focused on clinical outcomes assessment, while in continuation in identifying effective educational strategies to incorporate evidence-based practice within athletic training. During her time at Old Dominion University, Dr. Welch served as an instructor for several undergraduate courses within the Health & Physical Education and Exercise Science departments, as well as a teaching fellow for various courses in Post-Professional Athletic Training Program. As part of her post-doctoral fellowship, Dr. Welch assisted with clinical outcomes and evidence-based practice courses within the AT program at ATSU.
According to Dr. Tamara McLeod, Professor and Director of the AT Program, “We are excited that Dr. Welch has chosen to remain part of the ATSU family. Her expertise in evidence-based practice, clinical outcomes, and research methodology make her a natural fit for the program and tie nicely with the AT program’s points of distinction. She has been and will continue to be a vital aspect of the AT-PBRN and we look forward to her immediate contribution to all aspects of the program.”
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Welch into her new faculty role within ATSU.
Barton Anderson Graston Accreditation ’03
Congratulations to Assistant Professor and Clinical Education Coordinator, Barton Anderson MS, AT, ATC, who this past fall, completed the second and final Academic Faculty Assist training for Graston Technique.
His accreditation was instrumental in the incorporation of Graston Technique training into the updated AT 6241 Advanced Practice: Soft Tissue Mobilization Techniques course. Beginning with the class of 2014, graduates from the AT program will be Graston Accredited and will be eligible to purchase Graston instruments and utilize this technique in their clinical practice.
Congratulations to Bart!
New Anatomy Staff: Chelsea Lohman, PhD, ATC, CSCS
We would like to welcome Chelsea Lohman, PhD, ATC, CSCS as she accepted the position as Assistant Professor for Human Anatomy in the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Dr. Lohman earned her BS in Kinesiology from Arizona State University followed by a Masters in Athletic Training from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She also earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rehabilitation Sciences from Texas Tech where she investigated the Cervical Nerve Root Displacement and Strain during the Upper Limb Neural Tension Testing. She continues her current research on the upper limb neural tension test investigating proximal versus distal initiation with sensitizing maneuvers. Also, she is working of the comparison of cervical nerve root motion of the ulnar, radial, and median nerves during the upper limb neural tension test and immunohistochemical analysis of nociceptors in the foraminal ligaments of the cervical spine. Dr. Lohman joined A.T. Still University in August 2013 and works directly under Director of Anatomy, Dr. Lesley Gilmer, PhD.
NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award
This year, longtime ATSU Athletic Training Program faculty member, Jackie Kingma, DPT, ’13, MS, PA-C, ’00, ATC is being recognized by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association with the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. This award recognizes NATA members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to leadership, volunteer service, advocacy, and distinguished professional activities as an athletic trainer. In particular, this award exclusively recognizes NATA members who have been involved in service and leadership activities at the national and district level. In order to be an eligible recipient, individuals must be in good standing as a member of the NATA, have 20 years of BOC certification, and have been a member of the NATA for 20 years.
Dwight Patterson Scholarship Recipient
The Dwight Patterson Youth Sports Scholarship was established in 2004. This scholarship is a tribute to a man who left a mark on youth, education, and sports in Mesa. Patterson received training as a teacher, and he accomplished another rare feat, serving as a trustee for all three branches of public education in Arizona: K-12, community college, and university. The Dwight Patterson Youth Sports Scholarship at ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences celebrates Patterson’s legacy. Click here for more information on the Dwight Patterson Scholarship.
Dwight Patterson Scholarship flyer. Click to view full-size PDF.
This spring ATSU hosted the Mesa IRC Research Symposium. Throughout the week, faculty presented their research to interested staff and students. Dr. McLeod presented her study “Improving Athletic Training Practice Through the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network,” and Dr. Welch presented “The Infusion of Evidence-Based Practice and Healthcare Competencies Throughout Healthcare Professions Educations.” Students were also invited to present their research during a poster presentation session to wrap up the week. ATSU alumni Mark Heichelbech and Jessica Rodriguez presented, along with current students Michelle Weber, Kelsey Picha, Melissa Kay, and Shirleeah Fayson.
Mark Heichelbech- The Relationships Between Upper Extremity Pain, Injury History, and Health-Related Quality of Life of Collegiate Baseball Players During Late-Season
Jessica Rodriguez- Increasing the Interpretability of Patient-Rated Outcome Measures for Evaluating Concussed Patients
Michelle Weber- The Impact of Athletic Trainer Employment on School Nurses’ Concussion Management Practices for Student-Athletes with Sport-Related Concussions
Kelsey Picha- Normative Values for Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy and Injured Baseball and Softball Players Using a Region Specific Patient Self-Report Scale: The Functional Arm Scale for Throwers© (FAST©)
Melissa Kay- The Comparison of Athletic Trainers’ and School Nurses’ Familiarity and Perceptions of Academic Accommodations Following Sport-Related Concussion
Shirleeah Fayson- The Impact of Sport and Sex on Sport-Related Injury Patterns: A Report from the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network