Hi! I'm Mitch Barnhart
Education
My education has given me the foundational tools to advance my clinical practice and continually improve patient outcomes.
Doctor of Athletic Training
June 2020-June 2023
I graduated with my DAT in June 2023. While in the DAT program, I gained significant knowledge and skills in data analysis, rehabilitation programming, injury evaluation, concussion diagnosis and rehabilitation, and orthopedic imaging and labs.
M.S. Athletic Training
July 2018-June 2020
I graduated from A.T. Still University in June of 2020. While there I made significant knowledge gains in the areas of functional movement screening, concussion management, and quality improvement, just to name a few.
B.S. Athletic Training
August 2014- May 2018
While at Castleton University I received my professional education in Athletic Training. I made the Deans list six out of the eight semesters that I attended Castleton.
Work Experience
Phoenix Country Day School
September 2020- Present
I am currently working as the athletic trainer for PCDS as the sole athletic trainer. I provide care to approximately 225 high school athletes and 260 middle school athletes across 11 Varsity, 3 Junior varsity, and 30 Middle school teams. In addition to my athletic training responsibilities, I teach three classes at PCDS; Medical Research, Human Anatomy & Physiology, and Intro to Sports Medicine.
Queen Creek Unified School District
September 2018-June 2020
I worked as the assigned Athletic Trainer for Newell Barney Junior High and Queen Creek Junior High. I provided care for approximately 800 student-athletes on my own. I also occasionally was assigned to work at Queen Creek High School with Wrestling, Football, Basketball, and Soccer.
Certifications & Identifiers
Advanced Skills
Manual Therapies
Trained in John Barnes technique myofascial release, Positional release therapy, Massage, Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, and Joint mobilizations.
Rehabilitation
Trained in vestibular and occulomotor rehabilitation for concussion, rehabilitative exercise, and preventative programming.
Functional Assessment
Trained in breathing assessment, functional movement assessment (FMS), selective functional movement assessment (SFMA), and functional rehabilitation.
Teaching Experience
Phoenix Country Day School
While at PCDS I have taught several classes including Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Research, and Sports Medicine.
Research Experience
Doctoral Applied Research Project
The Ability of Vestibular and Oculomotor Screenings to Predict Recovery in Patients Following Concussion: A Systematic Review of the Literature
May 2021 - March 2023
My research project was a systematic review that examined the ability of vestibular and oculomotor screening tools to predict recovery in patients following concussion. Our findings were that there may be a relationship, but due to the varying methods of the studies, we couldn't conduct a meta-analysis to give a definitive answer.
Masters Thesis
The Impact of Delayed Reporting and Delayed Presentation to Concussion Specialty Clinics of Concussion on Recovery Time
May 2019-May 2020
My master's thesis encompassed a systematic review on delayed reporting of concussion which found that patients who delayed reporting a concussion had on average a 5.4 day longer recovery than persons who immediately reported a suspected concussion.
Senior Thesis
Does the symptom score predict the cognitive score post-concussion diagnosis using the SAC
Fall 2017
Conducted a retrospective records analysis to determine if symptom severity predicted performance on the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) in patients following concussion.
Independent Research Project
The Effects of Fatigue on Cognitive Ability in D-III Lacrosse Players
Spring 2016 - Spring 2017
Conducted an individual research project at Castleton University across two years with the mens lacrosse team on cognitive ability and fatigue.
Leadership & Volunteer Experience
Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers Association
Annual Clinical Symposium Volunteer (Audio/Visual Portion)
March 2022-Present
I Serve the RMATA as the go-to person for recording and live streaming capabilities. I successfully secured monies after my first year serving to purchase equipment for the association to record and live-stream the main hall lectures for the annual clinical symposia.
The planned first ACS to be recorded and live-streamed is the Denver 2023 meeting.
The RMATA is a regional association comprising the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
Arizona Athletic Trainers Association
Meetings & Events Committee (Audio/Visual Portion)
November 2021-Present
I serve the AZATA as the go-to person for recording and live-streaming capabilities. I successfully secured monies after my first year serving to purchase equipment to record all sessions for the Arizona annual meeting.
November 2021-Present
I serve the AZATA as the go-to person for recording and live-streaming capabilities. I successfully secured monies after my first year serving to purchase equipment to record all sessions for the Arizona annual meeting.
Personal Projects
ATFreeCEU.com
A website dedicated to quickly accessing free continuing education courses for athletic trainers. This project grew out of frustration in December 2019 around the sentiment from classmates and other athletic trainers that maintaining our certification was cost-prohibitive. Additionally, I found that the BOC search tool was filled with providers who do not adequately complete their postings which clog the system with courses that obscure that they have fees.
Undergraduate Clinical Experience
Middlebury College, NCAA Division III
Winter sports (Winter 2017-2018)
M/W Basketball, M/W Ice Hockey, M/W Squash & Swimming
Castleton University, NCAA Division III
Football (August - November 2017)
Women’s Rugby (August - November 2016)
Otter Valley Union High School
Winter Sports (November 2016 - February 2017)
M/W Basketball & Wrestling
Green Mountain College (Closed 2018)
Spring Sports (March-May 2016)
M/W Lacrosse & Track