Dickinson Athletic Training

What We Do

The Dickinson College Sports Medicine Program services 23 intercollegiate sports, and approximately 600 student-athletes. The approximately 20 student workers are employed through work-study or institutional funding. The student workers are all certified in First-Aid and CPR, and assist in providing emergency care and first-aid for the student-athletes.

The student workers are primarily science majors and have a special interest in medicine. In addition, there are some with diverse backgrounds such as political science, history, spanish, and computer science,

The sports medicine program is supervised by the orthopedic physicians at Appalachian Orthopedics; Dr. Hely, Dr. Green, and Dr. Oplinger, and the general practitioners, Dr. Daniels and Dr. Dell of the Three Springs Family Practice. With our broad base of staffing, (Physicians, ATC's and student workers), we provide a comprehensive plan of care for all our student-athletes.

Who We Are

Dr. Bob Shank

Dr. Shank obtained his undergraduate degree from Millersville (PA) University (1970), and both his masters in Athletic Training (1979) and doctorate in Sports Medicine (1988) from the University of Virginia.

Bob Shank, a 30-year plus veteran of sports medicine, is in his 23rd year of employment at Dickinson College, he previously had been employed at the secondary school level and was on the Sports Medicine Staff at the University of Virginia. He has worked with the United States Olympic Committee at their Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs, CO, and Lake Placid, NY, and was on the staffs of the 1981 U.S. Olympic Festival in Syracuse, NY, the 1983 United States Pan-American Team in Caracas, Venezuela and the World University Games in Buffalo, NY. Bob also has worked with the Washington Redskins Professional Football Team and USA Baseball.

Bob is the author of many publications concerning sports medicine topics and has presented at state, regional and national sports medicine conferences and symposia. He is a past-president of the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society, served on its Board of Directors from 1984 to 1992, and still serves actively as a liason to two other professional organizations. He has also been the liason between the National Athletic Trainers Association and the International Academy of Sports Vision. He sits on the Board of Directors of the American Trauma Society-Pennsylvania Division and is a member of the Council of the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council.

He also is a First Aid and CPR Instructor for the American Red Cross and has been an Emergency Medical Technician Instructor and Instructor-Trainer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a Basic Trauma Life Support Instructor for the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Janelle Nolt

Janelle Nolt joined the Dickinson College Athletic Training Staff in 2002. She serves as an Assistant Athletic Trainer and as an Instructor in the Health and Physical Education Department. She is also a member of the Health and Wellness Committee.

Janelle is a 2002, magna cum laude graduate of Messiah College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in athletic training. Along with being a Certified Athletic Trainer, she is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a certified examiner for the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification. Janelle is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society

She is originally from Ephrata, Pennsylvania, but currently resides in Mechanicsburg. When she is not busy in the athletic training room, Janelle enjoys her free time by participating in a variety of sports, listening to music and spending time with friends.