Mission
The mission of the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network (AT-PBRN) is to improve the quality of athletic health care through resource sharing, education, and practice-based research.
The AT-PBRN aims to:
- Engage clinicians with a shared vision to enhance patient care through a community of practice and peer learning.
- Provide life-long learning opportunities for professionals engaged in athletic healthcare.
- Generate, disseminate, and implement practice-based evidence to inform patient care decisions and improve healthcare outcomes.
Meet the AT-PBRN Team
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Dr. Lam is a professor of clinical research within the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at A.T. Still University (ATSU). As the Director of the AT-PBRN, he is responsible for developing and executing its strategic plan, overseeing the daily operations of the AT-PBRN, managing budgetary tasks, promoting the AT-PBRN, and engaging in point-of-care clinical research. His current line of research seeks to understand the overall impact of sport-related lower extremity injuries on patient-oriented outcomes such as health-related quality of life. Prior to becoming a faculty member at ATSU, Dr. Lam completed his doctor of science degree from Boston University with an emphasis on rehabilitation sciences and then completed a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship within the Center of Clinical Outcomes Studies at ATSU with a focus on patient-oriented outcomes research. In addition to his faculty responsibilities, Dr. Lam serves as a vice chair of the Institutional Review Board at ATSU - Mesa campus. He also serves as a member of the Research Committee for the NATA Foundation, a member of the Athletic Training Research Committee of the NATA Foundation, the Chair of the Free Communications Committee for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association, and an editorial board member for the Journal of Athletic Training and Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. For his scholarly contributions and dedication to the athletic training profession, Dr. Lam has received the Service Award from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Clint Thompson Award for Clinical Advancement from the Journal of Athletic Training, and the distinction of Fellow from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
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Dr. Bacon is an associate professor in the Athletic Training programs within the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences as well as a research associate professor in the Department of Basic Science in A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine. Within the AT-PBRN, she serves as the Associate Director of Education, which includes conducting the education and training for athletic trainers across the country, and overseeing the AT-PBRN continuing education platform as well as the cost-free Academic Electronic Medical Record (AEMR). Dr. Bacon earned her bachelor of science degree in athletic training from Boston University, followed by a master of science in education degree in athletic training from Old Dominion University. She also earned her doctor of philosophy degree in human movement science with a focus in athletic training curriculum and instruction from Old Dominion University, where she investigated the effectiveness of educational techniques to aid athletic trainers in learning the fundamentals of evidence-based practice. Dr. Bacon also completed a post-doctoral research fellowship within the Center for Clinical Outcome Studies at ATSU, which focused on patient-oriented outcomes and athletic training educational research. Dr. Bacon’s research agenda focuses on understanding health care professionals' practice patterns and how educational outcomes can enhance clinical practice. For more than 10 years, Dr. Bacon and colleagues have investigated patient care documentation behaviors of athletic trainers, which led to the development of the AEMR.
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Dr. Anderson is a Tenured Professor and Clinical Education Coordinator in the ATSU Athletic Training programs. He is an instructor for the Orthopaedic Track courses in the online Doctor of Athletic Training program and teaches the Advanced Clinical Practice course series in the residential post-professional master’s program. Dr. Anderson also advises masters thesis projects and doctoral applied research projects in both programs. As the residential program Clinical Education Coordinator, Dr. Anderson oversees all aspects of clinical education, including establishing and maintaining graduate assistantships, coordinating affiliated clinical sites and preceptors, and providing clinical mentoring to AT program students. Dr Anderson holds Level 1 Functional Movement Screen™ and Selective Functional Movement Screen certifications, and is an accredited Graston Technique™ clinician. He has extensive experience and training in therapeutic exercise prescription, fundamental movement patterns, and manual therapy techniques.
Prior to coming to ATSU, Dr. Anderson worked full-time clinically for 10 years as an athletic trainer in the collegiate, high school, and clinical settings. He currently practices part-time at Park University in Gilbert Arizona, where he specializes in post-surgical rehabilitations. Dr. Anderson's research interests include the assessment and correction of fundamental movement patterns, the development of clinical reasoning skills and advanced clinical practice, and post-professional clinical education. Dr. Anderson is the Chair of the CAATE Standards Committee, and a member of the CAATE Review Committee, the NATA Post-Professional Education Committee, and is the AT-PBRN EMR manager. Dr. Anderson has been recognized as the Arizona School of Health Sciences Educator of the Year (2016), Distinguished Service of the Year (2019), and Scholar of the Year (2021). He was named a Distinguished Educator by the RMATA in 2019, and received the NATA Service Award in 2018.
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Dr. McLeod is a Professor of Athletic Training and the John P. Wood, D.O., Endowed Chair for Sports Medicine at A.T. Still University. She was founding director of the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network from 2009-2016. She currently serves as a research scientist within the AT-PBRN, offering her expertise in the pediatric athlete with respect to sport-related concussion. Her current work is investigating the short- and long-term effects of pediatric sports concussion as well as recovery following concussion on traditional concussion assessments and health-related quality of life. Dr. McLeod also has research interests in the measurement properties of concussion assessment tools and educational interventions to improve concussion awareness. Dr. McLeod was a contributing author for the NATA Position Statement on the Management of Sport-Related Concussion, the lead author on the NATA Position Statement on the Prevention of Pediatric Overuse Injuries, and a consultant and contributing author on the Appropriate Medical Coverage for Secondary School-Aged Athletes and Appropriate Medical Care Standards. Dr. McLeod serves on numerous editorial boards, and publishes frequently in the athletic training and sports medicine journals and is a Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
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Dr. Sauers is a tenured Full Professor and Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at A.T Still University. Dr. Sauers serves as the Associate Director of the AT-PBRN and was responsible for envisioning the development of the AT-PBRN. As a research scientist within the AT-PBRN, he offers his expertise in shoulder injuries and overhead athletes. He was the lead investigator in the design and development of a region-specific patient self-report scale for throwing athletes, the Functional Arm Scale for Throwers (FAST). Dr. Sauers is also interested in studying the practice characteristics of athletic trainers, including the types of diagnoses treated, rehabilitation services provided, and economic analyses of care. He has served as the first active member and then president of the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists (ASSET) that was not dual-credentialed and as a commissioner and the vice president of the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Dr. Sauers is the associate editor for Clinical Outcomes for the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation and an editorial board member for the Journal of Athletic Training and the Athletic Training Education Journal. He has previously served as the chair of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Post-Professional Education Committee and as a member of the NATA Education Council Executive Committee. Dr. Sauers has received the President’s Award from the Arizona Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Distinguished Educator Award from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association, and has been recognized for his dedication to the athletic training profession with the distinction as a Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
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Dr. Alison Snyder Valier is a Professor in the Athletic Training Program and Assistant Director of Research Support at A.T. Still University. Dr. Valier is a scientist within the AT-PBRN and focuses her interests on outcomes and surveillance research. Dr. Valier is a Co-Principal Investigator on ongoing studies, including research related to clinical practice patterns, impact of sport-related injury on HRQOL in adolescent athletes, and measurement properties and interpretation of patient-reported outcomes instruments. She has co-authored several peer review manuscripts on the topics of healthcare outcomes, injury epidemiology, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice, all of which are synergistic with the mission of the AT-PBRN. Further, Dr. Valier teaches courses in patient-oriented outcomes and healthcare quality improvement and patient safety to Post-Professional athletic training students and doctoral level healthcare professionals. Dr. Valier has served the profession in different roles including being a member of the NATA's Outcomes Advisor Panel, NATA Foundation Research Committee Member, NATA Foundation Pronouncements Committee member and Chair, NATA Research Agenda Task Force Member, NATA Disablement Models Working Group member and content expert, and Co-Guest Editor for the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation's Special Issue on Clinical Outcomes. She has also served the Arizona Athletic Trainers’ Association as the Co-Chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee.
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Dr. Bliven is a professor and the director of clinical anatomy in the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at A.T. Still University (ATSU). In this role, she is involved in all aspects of development and delivery of gross anatomy to health sciences and dental students. Previously, Dr. Bliven taught in ATSU’s Kinesiology (formerly human movement) and Athletic Training programs, as well in Indiana State University’s Athletic Training Department. Dr. Bliven’s research focuses primarily on understanding and improving shoulder function and health, specifically shoulder stability and muscle recruitment, adaptations in the throwing shoulder, and promoting patient-reported outcomes in throwing athletes. Dr. Bliven also studies the use of diagnostic ultrasound in musculoskeletal conditions and education in anatomy. In addition to her faculty responsibilities, Dr. Bliven serves as the director of the Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory and vice chair of the Institutional Review Board at ATSU-Mesa campus. She is the editor-in-chief for the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation (JSR) and serves on the BOC Exam Development Committee and American Association for Anatomy’s Scientific Affairs Committee. Dr. Bliven received her bachelor’s degree in biology and physical education from Denison University in Granville, Ohio; master’s degree in kinesiology from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.; and doctoral degree in kinesiology with an athletic training emphasis from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa.
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Dr. Marshall is an Assistant Professor of Athletic Training at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. As a Research Scientist for the ATPBRN, she is responsible for providing support and expertise for investigations related to patient outcomes and injury characteristics. Her current research is focused on characterizing athletic training practice and determining the impact of lower extremity sport-related injuries (ankle sprains in particular) on patient and clinician outcomes. Dr. Marshall received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Lynchburg College, both her Master’s of Education in Athletic Training and PhD in Sports Medicine from the University of Virginia, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in practice-based research at A.T. Still University. She currently serves as an athletic trainer and Research Coordinator for USA Swimming’s National Team, a member of the Pronouncements Committee for the NATA Foundation, a member of the Analytics & Outcomes Committee for the NATA Council on Practice Advancement, a member of the North Carolina Athletic Trainers' Association Public Relations Committee, an American Heart Association CPR Instructor and a member of a number of Departmental and Institutional committees at Appalachian State University.
R. Curtis Bay, PhD
Principle Biostatistician, AT-PBRN
Dr. Bay is a Professor of Biostatistics in the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at A.T. Still University. He serves as the Principal Biostatistician in the AT-PBRN and is responsible for oversight of all research methodologies and analyses of projects in the AT-PBRN, including this project. His roles include managing the project database and performing statistical analysis of the de-identified aggregated data provided by Ripple Group. Dr. Bay is a Co-investigator on ongoing studies, including the development and implementation of an EMR system, a study on sport-related musculoskeletal injury on HRQOL in adolescent athletes, and a study of outcomes in patients seen in a special needs dental clinic. He is also the principal scientist involved with the cost-effectiveness analyses.
