JAT Podcasts

JAT Chat | Exploring Health-Promoting Behaviors: Insights from Former NFL Players

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, Dr. Shelby Baez is joined by Dr. Sam Walton as they delve into health-promoting behaviors among former National Football League players. The paper discussed in this episode, "Health-Promoting Behaviors and Their Associations With Factors Related to Well-Being Among Former National Football League Players: An NFL-LONG Study" is available open access in the February 2025 issue of JAT.
 
Article: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0537.23
 
Guest Bio: Dr. Samuel (Sam) Walton is a certified athletic trainer who studied at the University of Southern Maine (B.S. in Athletic Training, 2008) and the University of Virginia (M.Ed. in Athletic Training, 2013; Ph.D. in Sports Medicine, 2019). He has 11 years of clinical experience with three different NCAA Division I universities and he completed postdoctoral research training at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (2022). Currently, Dr. Walton is an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and a Research Associate with the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center. His current research focuses on 1) the short-term, long-term, and cumulative effects of concussion among athletes and military personnel, including a specific focus on sex-differences, 2) promotion of brain health and well-being across the lifespan, and 3) guiding transition experiences to life after sport & military service. He also provides service for marketing, promotions, and communications efforts to the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT) and the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG). 
 
 

JAT Chat | Bridging the Gap: Athletic Trainers and Mental Performance and Mental Health

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, co-host Dr. Kara Radzak sits down with Drs. Morgan Eckenrod and Melissa Kossman to discuss their recent "Working With and Through Athletic Trainers to Meet Student Athletes' Mental Performance and Mental Health Needs," published in the January 2025 issue of the Journal of Athletic Training. 
 
Article: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0132.24
Financial barriers and the need for seamless referral channels are discussed to better support student athletes' mental health and performance-related issues.
Drs. Eckenrod and Kossman emphasize the value of interdisciplinary partnerships and share practical strategies for athletic trainers to advocate for more robust mental performance resources.

JAT Chat | Student Debt in Entry-Level Athletic Training Education

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, Dr. Shelby Baez is joined by Dr. Gianluca Del Rossi from Creighton University to delve into the compelling findings from Dr. Del Rossi's manuscript, "Student Debt Associated with Entry-Level Athletic Training Education," published in the December 2024 issue of the Journal of Athletic Training.
 
Article: https://tinyurl.com/5xkcy8hf 
Key Points:
The average education-related debt-to-income ratio reported by entry-level athletic trainers is considered high by finance industry standards.
High debt-to-income ratio and monthly payment debt-to-income ratio related to student debt portends the possibility of experiencing financial challenges postgraduation for entry-level athletic trainers.
 
Guest Bio: Dr. Del Rossi is a Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Creighton University. His research is focused on pre-hospital emergency care and most recently on education-related topics.  

JAT Chat | Medical Disqualification Following Concussion

Welcome to JAT Chat presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, hosted by Dr. Kara Radzak speaking with Dr. Michelle Weber Rawlins from San Diego State University. This episode delves into the complexities of medical disqualification following concussions, highlighting Dr. Weber Rawlins' recent publication on case characterization and athletic trainers’ perceptions.
Explore the mixed methods study that reveals the intricacies of concussion management, focusing on the involvement and beliefs of athletic trainers. Key findings include the frequency of disqualifications and factors influencing these decisions, such as concussion history and long-term health considerations.
The discussion emphasizes the need for comprehensive guidelines and support for clinicians navigating these challenging decisions, ensuring the well-being of student-athletes both now and in the future. Join us to uncover the multi-faceted process of concussion management and the role of athletic trainers in supporting their patients' long-term health and transition post-sport.
 
Full Article Link: https://tinyurl.com/y5mxtjhj
 

JAT Chat | Sensory Reweighting in Chronic Ankle Instability

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, Dr. Shelby Baez is joined by Dr. Yuki Sugimoto, a postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University. Dr. Sugimoto discusses her recent publication on sensory reweighting system differences in individuals with and without chronic ankle instability.
Full article: https://tinyurl.com/yj27h68z
Guest Biography: Yūki Sugimoto is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University. She is currently exploring postural control and the sensory reweighting system in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI).
 
 
 

JAT Chat | Mental Skills Training for College Athletes

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, Dr. Shelby Baez is joined by Kelsey Roberts (formerly Griffith), MS, a mental skills specialist at The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention at Boston Children's Hospital and by Dr. Melissa Christino, an orthopedic surgeon at Boston Children's Hospital and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. 
Ms. Roberts and Dr. Christino discuss how the mental skills training they conducted with collegiate athletes was viewed as a positive contributor to well-being and sport performance. They also provide insights into how they conducted the mental skills training and what aspects were most meaningful in female collegiate athletes. 
Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/yft8k7re

Revamping Emergency Action Plans in Sports: A Conversation with Dr. Samantha Scarnio-Miller

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers Association. In this episode, Dr. Kara Radzak from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, hosts Dr. Samantha Scarneo-Miller, the lead author of the National Athletic Trainer Association's position statement on Emergency Action Plan Development and Implementation in Sport.
Resources:
EAP Position Statement: https://tinyurl.com/y8vm83m6
Position Statement Toolkit: https://tinyurl.com/4ah2c72s
Guest Biography:
Dr. Scarneo-Miller, an assistant professor at West Virginia University, discusses the impetus behind updating the EAP position statement after 22 years and highlights the significant changes and recommendations included in the new document. The conversation delves into the roles of various stakeholders, the importance of venue and sport-specific plans, and the introduction of the EAP coordinator role and pre-event medical meetings.

JAT Chat | Navigating Ramadan: The Experiences of Muslim Student Athletes

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers Association. In this episode, Dr. Shelby Baez is joined by Dr. Mishaal Amjad, an athletic trainer for the NLL Colorado Mammoth and PLL Philadelphia Water Dogs.
Dr. Amjad discusses her research on the experiences of Muslim collegiate student-athletes fasting during Ramadan while participating in sports. She provides valuable insights into the significance of fasting, intrinsic and extrinsic challenges, and the types of support that these athletes need.
Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/42aafkmz

JAT Chat | Strategies to Promote Health Literacy in Athletic Training

Welcome to the latest episode of JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers Association. In this episode, Dr. Shelby Baez and Dr. Kara Radzak are joined by Dr. Meredith Madden, an assistant professor in the Athletic Training Education Program at the University of Southern Maine.
Dr. Madden, the lead author of "Become a Health Literacy Champion," discusses the importance of health literacy in enhancing patient care and outcomes. She explains the concepts of personal and organizational health literacy, emphasizing the role athletic trainers play in advocating for these principles within the healthcare system.
Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/bdcpn3s7
Guest Biography: Dr. Madden is an assistant professor in the athletic training education program at the University of Southern Maine. She earned her BS in Athletic Training and EdD from Boston University, MA in Psychology from Washington College; and a Certificate of Graduate Study in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety from the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service. In 2022 earned the national Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator® credential in 2022. Meredith has experience providing athletic training services in diverse clinical backgrounds, including high school, collegiate (DI & DIII), and semi-professional (women’s tackle football). Dr. Madden’s research interests include concussion education with an emphasis on individuals with neurodiverse needs and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, simulation in athletic training education, interprofessional education, and healthcare quality and patient safety in athletic training/athletic training education, specifically health literacy and quality improvement.

JAT Chat | Enhancing Care for Transgender Athletes: Part II

In the latest episode of JAT Chat, hosted by Dr. Kara Radzak, features Dr. Ashley Crossway and Chloe Klaus, M.Sc. Our guests discuss the effort to improve care for transgender and gender diverse individuals in athletics through a series of articles published in the Journal of Athletic Training's recent special issue.
Articles:
The Role of the Athletic Trainer in Providing Care to Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients: Foundational Knowledge and Disparities—Part I
The Role of the Athletic Trainer in Providing Care to Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients: Considerations for Medical Affirmation—Part II
Guests:
Cloe Klaus (they/them) is an Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Notre Dame. They currently serve as the District 4 Rep on the NATA LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee, and an ex officio member of the GLATA Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and previously served on the President's Advisory Board on Equity and Inclusion at Bellarmine University. Cloe's dedication to equity and inclusion extends beyond their lived experience as a trans and non-binary person, trying to create a more equitable workplace for all. 
Dr. Ashley Crossway (she/her) is an Assistant Professor, Program Director for the Professional Athletic Training Program at the State University of New York at Cortland.  She was a founding member and District 2 representative on the NATA LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee from its inception as a workgroup in 2016, then as a full fledge committee from 2017 to 2023.