When most people think of athletic trainers, they picture sports fields, sidelines, and injured athletes. But for Nicole DiAmico ’25, M’26, her clinical placement took her inside the production lines of Bell & Evans, a chicken processing company located just a short drive from LVC’s campus.

At Bell & Evans, DiAmico focused on injury evaluation and ergonomic assessment—two crucial responsibilities in a setting where employees spend hours performing repetitive tasks.

“The industrial setting moves at a slower pace than traditional athletic environments, but it’s just as important,” she said. “These team members come to work and move all day, so we’re in their corner in case anything goes awry. We also focus heavily on ergonomic assessments, which helps prevent injuries by breaking down the worker’s movements.”

DiAmico’s minor in Applied Spanish for Healthcare Professionals proved especially valuable during her clinical placement. Many Bell & Evans employees spoke Spanish, and DiAmico served as a translator between team members, her clinical preceptor, and the company’s safety manager.

“There was one instance when a team member was trying to explain an injury to their bilingual supervisor, but the message still wasn’t clear. I was able to step in and help accurately describe what the employee was feeling to ensure proper care,” said DiAmico.

“Understanding Spanish is so valuable in today’s society,” she added. “I have encountered it so many more times than I could have imagined.”

One of DiAmico’s most rewarding experiences at Bell & Evans came when she was invited to weigh in on a new production line being developed. Her clinical preceptor asked her to assess the setup and suggest ergonomic changes to help prevent potential injuries before the new process launched.

“It was fascinating to see not just how a new product is made, but how athletic trainers can contribute behind the scenes to protect workers,” she said.

As DiAmico enters the final year of her master’s degree, she reflects on how this experience has shaped her perspective on athletic training.

“At Bell & Evans, we were able to slow things down and take a deep dive into the daily movements of each worker,” she said. “By analyzing these motions, we could identify the root causes of injuries. While athletes and factory employees perform very different tasks, this experience taught me to take a step back, break down movements, and make meaningful changes to help prevent injuries in any environment.”