The Athletic Trainer’s Guide to Differential Diagnosis: A Visual Learning Approach

As educators, we strive to teach students to think critically and to commit to a diagnosis, the ability to make that commitment is one of the most difficult steps for clinicians in training. With many possible injuries and conditions, and an equally large number of diagnostic elements, a clear and logical method is needed.

Andrew P. Winterstein, PhD, ATC is a clinical professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, where he serves as the program director of their CAATE-accredited athletic training professional preparation program. He also maintains an affiliate appointment in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation in the School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Winterstein has been at the University of Wisconsin since 1986. He provided clinical care as part of the athletic training staff in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics for 14 years before moving over to direct the AT education program. He is an alumnus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Winterstein’s academic interests include studying emerging technologies and their use in teaching and learning; medical humanities and their application to athletic training education; organizational dynamics and behaviors; patient outcomes following injury; and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). His papers and abstracts have appeared in the Journal of Athletic Training, Athletic Therapy Today, Sports Health, and Athletic Training and Sports Health Care. He has been privileged to make numerous professional presentations at the state, regional, and national level.

A certified member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association since 1985 and a certified member of the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association, Dr. Winterstein is active in many aspects of athletic training. He serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Athletic Training and the Athletic Training Education Journal, is a reviewer and member of the editorial board for Athletic Training and Sports Health Care, and has served on several state, regional, and national committees. Dr. Winterstein has received numerous awards, including the 2008 Great Lakes Athletic Training Association Outstanding Educator Award, the 2007 Wisconsin Athletic Trainers Association Outstanding Educator Award, and the 2006 University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education Distinguished Service Award. He and his colleagues were three-time winners of the NATA Educational Multimedia Committee award for educational innovations and have been awarded the MERLOT Classics Award for exemplary on-line learning objects. He is the author of two textbooks, The Athletic Training Student Primer (now in its 2nd edition) and Administrative Topics in Athletic Training: Concepts to Practice (coauthored with Gary L. Harrelson, EdD, ATC and Greg Gardner, EdD, ATC, LAT), both published by SLACK Incorporated.

In his spare time, Andy enjoys fly fishing, stand-up paddle boarding, reading, and writing. He resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, Barb.

Sharon V. Clark, MS, ATC is an assistant faculty associate in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, where she currently serves as Clinical Coordinator and instructor in their CAATE-accredited professional preparation program in athletic training. She also maintains a position as a senior athletic trainer for the Sports Rehabilitation Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Department of UWHealth. She continues to participate in outreach athletic training event coverage for UWHealth. Ms. Clark has been with the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 2009, and has been a care provider for UWHealth for over 18 years. Prior to working in the rehabilitation clinical setting, she provided athletic training services as a physician extender and at an area high school. Ms. Clark is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In her spare time, Ms. Clark enjoys running, kayaking, and following her children in their respective activities. She resides in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, Brent, and two children, Carly and Luke.