Extra Blog: May

When I think about what's coming to an end and what I've personally left behind, I realize it isn't much. I made an effort to pass classes and get through things but nothing lasting and memorable. Partly due to lack of motivation causing me to stick to the norm and not do anything out of the norm. Doing extra activities was something I loved to do and felt was rewarding but this year wasn't there. I definitely had my share of fun and memories but compared to other years this one scored pretty low. 

Now when I look toward the future I see it as an opportunity to make changes and deal with certain consequences and learn from those mistakes. It is also a scary feeling not knowing what's next and having that actual freedom to do as I please is definitely different. It's going to be a way for me to hopefully find something that makes me happy and is enjoyable

Blog 23: Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?
I am most proud of having an audience that actually paid attention who understood what I was teaching. It gave my presentation some meaning, like it was worth peoples time

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation (self-assessment)?

P-

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

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(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

Mentorship really was a benefit for me because it provided a lot of answers for me because my topic was a more experience based/hands-on topic. I appreciated mentorship because it was a huge learning experience for me
(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?

I would have found better articles and added more depth to my research because it would have made my block presentation a lot better

(5) Finding Value
How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

It helped me narrow down my possible career in the future. Senior project also taught me about meeting deadlines, finding meaningful research, and it allowed me to make connections with other athletic trainers. Meeting deadlines is going to be important especially in college and when I start working so being able to turn things in on time was a definite skill strengthened by the senior project. Being able to find research that has meaning on my own by means other than the internet or google was a definite benefit. I also made connections to athletic trainers on the collegiate level (mt. sac) giving me more access to information when I need it. 

Blog 22: Mentorship

Mentor: Brittany Menchaca, Southlands Christian

Interpretive: What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing I gained from mentorship was not only the hands on experience but the more personal skills that come with being an athletic trainer that could not be learned from the textbook and research. It was learning about talking with each individual athlete and getting to know who they are and relating that with treating their injuries. The hands on experience gained came in the form of learning the skills such as taping, stretching, and rehabilitation exercises.

Applied: How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.

Each time I work with Brittany, I pick up on the repetitive aspects of treating an injury, allowing me to notice what important components are needed to treat an athletes injury. I also notice the skill needed to make adjustments to those repetitive actions is what makes her an athletic trainer.

Exit Interview

Content:

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

What is the best way for an athletic trainer to treat an injury?

1. Knowing the anatomy of the injured area

2. Proper initial diagnosis of the injury

3. An athletic trainer can best treat an injury through rehabilitation exercises

Rehabilitation exercises are the best way to treat an injury because it is a way of treatment that is flexible and can adjust to each individual athletes injury. Rehabilitation exercises can change based on reevaluation which check what work for an athlete and what exercises better suit the injured athlete. It sets the course for an athletes recovery, focusing on strengthening the muscles around the injured area and returning those muscles and ligaments to their state prior to the injury.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

The process involved with coming up with this answer came with hands-on experience while working with my mentor. I observed that initial diagnosis was important but in most cases they were not always 100% accurate. Rehab was something that fit each athletes needs and at the same time aided in the treatment of the athlete.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

Knowing which exercises suited which injuries was a struggle for me. Researching the effects of each exercise and what muscles and ligaments were targeted with each resolved the issue and allowed me to develop a rehab schedule for an athletes injury.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My mentor Brittany Menchaca provided crucial information, hands-on experience working with athletes, and suggestions for research topics.

 Arnheim's principles of athletic training is a textbook providing the technical aspects of athletic training that I referred to when trying to make connections from mentorship.

 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons provided articles with rehabilitation exercises and post injury treatments.

Extra Blog: April

During mentorship I noticed more and more of the incorporation of technology into every activities. The head AT at Southlands Christian began by cataloging each athletes injury on her computer and what initial symptoms and diagnosis was given each time the athlete met with her. When I asked her the reason for this she said it was a way to refer back to prior notes on each athlete along with being able to carry that information with her anywhere she went via her phone. That technology benefited me as well because while she was teaching me the anatomical structures of the body, she made it easier to translate through 3D visuals that explained motions of certain muscle groups. This incorporation of technology has benefited sports medicine in many ways aside from just treating an injury.

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

Content:  

LITERAL
(a) “I, Tommy Trang, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
(b) Source: Brittany Menchaca 909-912-2402 certified athletic trainer. Arnheim's Principals of Athletic Training.
(d) My Independent Component 2 was me doing more hours with my mentor, spending a full day with her and applying the skills she taught me.   


INTERPRETIVE 
Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  
The 30 hours I completed were spent gaining skill based experience, in working with athletes and performing test and aiding in the rehab of athletes.


APPLIED
How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 

This component supported and provided information on my second and third answers. My second answer being, conducting a proper initial diagnosis where during my hours I would shadow while my mentor diagnosed injuries and eventually I was making initial diagnosis as my mentor would agree or disagree with my diagnosis. My third answer is rehabilitation exercise, where on non-game days my mentor and I would work on rehabbing athletes injuries. Conducting injury relevant exercises such as rotator cuff stretches, calf raises, or ankle strengthening exercises. 

Extra Blog March

This video has a great visual display of the Achilles tendon rupture that was suffered by Kobe Bryant. The surgeon also makes initial diagnosis based on what he sees from the footage of the injury. Later on in the video, he explains how he would treat the injury surgically. This video was a great aid in understanding the injury itself and how to treat it.