The Haven Magazine Spring 2018

access the specialty care they need,
despite their rural location. Many
physicians and PAs are teleconferencing
with patients to review cases. They
have the ability to view live video
images and review photos. In more
serious cases, many regional hospitals
are utilizing telemedicine in their ICU
departments to connect with rural
hospitals and provide guidance and
consultation to nurses and PAs on staff
in those locations.
Students in LHU’s program are
exposed to these models of care
delivery through their experiences
in the classroom and, especially,
their practical experiences. “Our
students are directly participating in
these models of care as part of their
experience in the program.”
“It’s true hands-on
preparation for
the evolving
technologies they
will utilize as
care providers in
the future,” says
Eisenhauer.
Associate Professor Eric Lippincott talks with athletic training students about new
technologies being utilized by the program.
utilizing evolving technologies
has become a key component
of the curriculum in LHU’s
athletic training program. According
to Athletic Training Associate Professor
Eric Lippincott, staying connected with
students engaged in the internship
phase of their coursework is an
essential part of the program. “Our
senior level students take part in
intense, semester-long internships and
it’s crucial for them to stay connected
to one another, and to the faculty,” says
Lippincott.
The program utilizes Zoom video
meeting technology to connect
with students and check in on their
internship progress. He says, “We
have students located across the
country, from New England to Missouri.
Maintaining face-to face interactions
with one another, and the faculty,
helps them connect back to LHU. Plus,
it’s really important for them, and for
us, to discuss what they’re learning,
the interesting cases they’re seeing,
and then have an opportunity to tie
that back to what they learned in the
classroom.”
LHU’s athletic training program utilizes
a cohort model which allows students
to develop a close bond as they move
through their courses together. “The
cohort model helps students maintain
peer-to-peer connections. That has
been well received by students,
especially when it comes time for their
internship semester,” Lippincott shares.
Prior to the internship phase of their
coursework, athletic training students
prepare for the field with the latest in
technology. “We utilize technology in
the classroom in a number of ways,”
says Lippincott. One tool available
to students is the Balance Master
which is used to assess balance and
perform balance exercises, specifically
with patients who have sustained a
concussion.
According to Lippincott, LHU students
are able to learn with equipment that
is the gold standard in the athletic
training field. “Our students are
learning with cutting edge technology.
Athletic training is a medical field
and our students have to stay up
to date with the latest in diagnostic
and treatment tools.” Unlike larger
programs, LHU students have the
opportunity to work directly with
patients and use these technologies
early in their coursework. “I think it
gives our students a real advantage
when they leave here,” says Lippincott.
“They go into the field
knowing how to use the
latest in technology.
Plus, during their time
as student trainers
they are the ones doing
the hands-on work. It
gives them the skill
set they need to be
successful in their
first job.”
He shares that many athletic training
graduates go on to jobs where they
are the only medical professional on
the field. “Many graduates quickly
find themselves in situations where
they are evaluating and making return
to play decisions. The resources and
10 SPRING 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY