CU-Lock Haven graduate student pursues childhood dream through hands-on experience at Hughesville school

Madeline Driscoll graduated from Lock Haven University in May with a Master of Science degree in athletic training. She is a 20 year resident of Lewisburg, and left for a couple of years to get her bachelor's degree in exercise science from Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida.

She has been interested in athletic training since she was 14 years old, a freshman at Lewisburg Area High School, where she worked in the athletic training room all year round. Driscoll specifically worked with football, boys' basketball and boys' lacrosse from 2013-16. She is excited to finally be able to be a certified and licensed athletic trainer in Pennsylvania after 10 years in the field.

This spring, Driscoll completed her clinical internship at Hughesville Area Jr. Sr. High School under the supervision of certified athletic trainer, Brian Duke. Duke has been a Spartan for over 20 years and has taught her an incredible amount about the field during her time at the school.

Driscoll worked with tennis, track and field, baseball and softball; and also had the chance to work with the boys and girls basketball teams for the end of their season. Through this internship, she has obtained quality experience with writing rehabilitation plans, evaluation of sport injuries, relationships with coaches, mental health and administrative tasks.

Athletic trainers are the first responders to athletic related injuries and because of this, they need to have extensive training in areas such as injury prevention, examination and evaluation, emergency care, treatment and rehabilitation and administration. They have to be educated in understanding and caring for a wide variety of possible pathologies, because anything can happen during athletic activity. This umbrella of knowledge could range from orthopedic to dermatological injuries.

The internship at the end of the graduate program at LHU was designed to give the students immersive experience at the athletic level of their choice, and work on their skills under the care of their clinical preceptors in order to prepare for jobs following graduation.

"It has been wonderful coming back and being able to practice my new skills in the community that I grew up in," Driscoll said. "This spring was full of educational and challenging experiences that I will utilize for my entire career."

Go Spartans!