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Introduction. Pro bono physical therapy clinics provide a beneficial service to the community. Studies have identified a positive impact of student volunteerism in pro bono clinics. However, little is known about the immediate and long-term impact on those who serve as student coordinators of such clinics. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore current and past pro bono clinic coordinators' perceptions of the professional and personal impact of serving as leaders of a pro bono physical therapy clinic. Methods. Current and past coordinators were recruited to participate in focus groups and individual interviews, respectively. All interviews were voice recorded, and the 4-step method for analyzing phenomenological data as described by Giorgi was used for data analysis. Results. Nine past coordinators agreed to participate in individual phone interviews, and 2 focus groups were conducted with a total of 8 current student coordinators. Three main themes emerged from the data: Essential Skills and Behaviors, Professional Development, and Personal Development. Discussion and Conclusion. Serving as a pro bono coordinator was an eye-opening multidimensional experience that transformed students on personal and professional levels. The results of this paper provide support for the development of leadership characteristics through participation as a student coordinator of a pro bono clinic. Such characteristics are highly desirable in the physical therapy profession.

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Menstrual function is strongly affected by nutritional status and energy availability in female athletes, and impaired menstrual function can impact bone mineral density. Nutritional interventions have been proposed to mitigate menstrual dysfunction. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the ability of nutritional interventions, directed at improving energy availability, to restore normal menstrual status in female athletes. PubMed, Cinahl, and SportDiscus databases were comprehensively searched. Included studies had to investigate the impact of increasing energy availability in female athletes through a nutritional intervention. The primary outcome measure of interest was menstrual status. Included studies were reviewed for methodological rigor using the American Academy of Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the athletes who completed the interventions in the studies, 0-100% resumed normal menses. For those that improved, the mean length of time for return to menses ranged from 2.63 to 15.6 months. The length of the interventions (3-9 months), mean ages of the participants (17-1-22.6 years), and particular dietary intervention(s) (counseling, education, and nutritional supplementation) varied between the studies. Nutritional interventions may restore normal menses in some female athletes. Educational strategies targeted at improved eating and understanding the energy demands of sport, as well as weekly interaction with athletes should be considered.

Context:Low energy availability has been identified through research as the cornerstone of the female athlete triad, yet reasons for nutritional choices among female collegiate athletes are poorly understood.Objective:To explore the perspectives of female collegiate cross country runners on eating behaviors and attitudes toward health.Design:Phenomenologic qualitative study with individual, semistructured interviews.Methods:Ten collegiate female cross country runners, ages 18–22, participated in the study. All interviews were audiotaped then transcribed. Three researchers independently coded data and developed themes and subthemes before meeting and negotiating findings.Results:The following four themes were identified: health behaviors, nutritional knowledge, internal and external factors, and health attitudes.Conclusions:This study contributes to understanding “the why” behind health behaviors of female collegiate cross country runners. This developmental understanding may assist in interpreting the behavioral causes of low energy availability; thus, both management and prevention of the triad may be aided by this information.