UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine is extending its educational impact beyond Birmingham, serving as a clinical training resource for athletic training programs across Alabama through a growing series of invited lectures and hands-on labs.
The Clinical Lecture and Lab series, designed to provide hands-on exposure into clinical sports medicine, is now being requested by neighboring institutions like The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and, most recently, a second visit to Jacksonville State University. Faculty and clinical providers work directly with students in the Master of Athletic Training programs, providing instruction and mentorship that bridges the classroom and clinics together.
Led by Ashley Williamson, MSHA, LAT, ATC, director of strategic initiatives, Megan Haynes, MS, LAT, ATC, Sports & Exercise Medicine operations manager, and Will Mayweather, Supervisor of Orthopedic Technology, the program is designed to introduce students to the day-to-day procedures and responsibilities of an integrated sports medicine clinic.
“Hands-on learning is essential in athletic training education, and this experience with UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine gave our students the chance to practice critical clinical skills in a real-world setting,” said Chris Clark, EdD, LAT, ATC, program director for the Jacksonville State University Master’s in Athletic Training program.
The invitations reflect UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine’s unique position in the state as a leader in clinical athletic training education. With a team of 26, UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine employs the largest staff of clinical athletic trainers in Alabama. While the integration of athletic trainers into medical clinics is still an emerging model, UAB has been practicing this approach for years, offering students a well-established example of collaborative, clinic-based sports medicine care.
UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine also serves as a preceptor site for these athletic training programs. This role positions our clinicians not only as providers, but as educators responsible for shaping the next generation of athletic trainers.
“As a preceptor site, we see it as our responsibility to expose students to what modern, clinic-based athletic training truly looks like,” said Williamson. “By bringing these hands-on learning opportunities directly to athletic training programs across the state, we’re helping students connect classroom education to real clinical practice and better prepare them for the realities of patient care.”
During the lectures and labs, students receive instruction in core clinical competencies, including:
- Clinical evaluation and care techniques
- Casting and splinting applications
- Injection drawing and preparation protocols
- Durable medical equipment education
- Administrative and operational workflows in sports medicine clinics
The Clinical Lecture & Casting Lab series is part of UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine’s broader mission to advance education, mentorship, and professional development within the sports medicine community. As demand for immersive, clinically grounded education continues to grow, UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine remains a trusted partner for athletic training programs seeking hands-on instruction rooted in practical clinical experience.
By sharing its clinical expertise with other universities, UAB is helping standardize high-quality training experiences, expanding exposure to clinic-based athletic training, and strengthening the statewide pipeline of sports medicine professionals.