Real Experience, Real Careers: How SEMO’s Health Sciences Programs Help Students Stand Out

From the sidelines of SEMO's Division I sports teams to internships with professional baseball clubs across the country, students in the Health Sciences and Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) programs are building skills and confidence that set them apart in today's competitive healthcare landscape.

"We want our students working with real patients in real-world settings as soon as possible," said Dr. Kyle Schneider, Associate Professor and Program Director of Athletic Training/Health Sciences at SEMO. "That's why our students complete six different clinical rotations during their time in the program."

Those rotations take students everywhere-from local high schools and orthopedic clinics to family practice offices and even professional sports organizations. One student recently landed a paid internship with the California Winter League in Palm Springs.

"The opportunities really are endless," Schneider added.

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SEMO's close partnership with Mercy Hospital Southeast gives students access to cutting-edge diagnostic tools and a chance to learn directly from experienced sports medicine physicians.

"Our students work alongside doctors to interpret X-rays and MRIs, use ultrasound technology, and assist with guided injections," Schneider said. "They're not just watching-they're doing. It's a team-based approach to healthcare that prepares them for the kind of work they'll be doing after graduation."

SEMO's commitment to healthcare education is growing with the new Roy Blunt Health Professions Hall, which will house high-tech spaces like a medical assessment lab, a therapeutic modalities lab and a diagnostic testing center. These facilities will give students even more opportunities to practice their skills in environments that mirror today's clinical settings.

"It's a game-changer," Schneider said. "This building puts SEMO at the top of the list when it comes to athletic training and health sciences education in our region."

For students who know they want to pursue a master's degree, SEMO offers a 3+2 accelerated program that allows them to earn both their undergraduate and MSAT degrees in just five years-saving time and money.

"The curriculum is designed to be flexible and accommodating to students," Schneider explained. "It allows them to move quickly through their undergrad courses and meet the prerequisites for professional schools. We've had students consistently accepted into top physical therapy and occupational therapy programs."

Stories of student success are already stacking up. Lance Wenzel, one of SEMO's athletic training students, completed an internship with the Cape Catfish baseball team and later earned a paid internship in California working with athletes from around the world.

And with SEMO's first MSAT cohort graduating in May 2025, the future looks bright.

"Every one of our students graduating this spring either has a job lined up or is in the process of finalizing one," Schneider said. "That's something we're really proud of."

For students considering a healthcare career but unsure of their exact path, Dr. Schneider offers simple advice: keep an open mind.

"There are so many directions you can go in healthcare," he said. "Our program is built to help you discover what you're passionate about, whether that's athletic training, physical therapy, nursing or something else entirely. You don't have to have it all figured out on day one-but you'll leave SEMO ready for whatever comes next."

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