Matt Mills
Matt Mills
Program Director: Pre-Professional Athletic Training / Assistant Professor of Athletic Training
- Doctor of Education, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 2024
- Master of Arts, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C., 2014
- Bachelor of Science, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Conn., 2011
Matt Mills, EdD, ATC, CHSE, specializes in interprofessional education, simulation, and athletic training education, utilizing advanced educational technologies to enhance student learning. Mills teaches courses in orthopedic assessment and treatment of the upper extremity and the head, neck, and spine, integrating evidence-based practices with hands-on learning. His research focuses on simulation's impact on self-efficacy and anxiety in health care students, with numerous publications and presentations at local, regional, and national conferences. He is actively involved in professional service, including roles with the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), Eastern Athletic Trainers Association, NATA Research and Education Foundation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.
Research Interests
- Healthcare Simulation
- Educational Technology
- Concussion Evaluation and Treatment
- Critical Thinking
- Interprofessional Education
Courses Taught
- Introduction to Athletic Training
- Musculoskeletal Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Upper Extremity
- Musculoskeletal Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Head, Neck, and Spine
- Therapeutic Interventions
- Clinical Practicum
- Healthcare Seminar I
Certifications and Memberships
- Certified Athletic Trainer
- Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator
- Performance Enhancement Specialist
- NATA Master Preceptor Level 1
- CAATE Site Visitor
- EATA Educator Summit Planning Committee (2024-2028)
- EATA Long Term Planning Task Force (2025-2028)
- CAATE Peer Review Committee Member (2023-2026)
- D1 Representative on Professional Responsibilities in Athletic Training (2023-2028)
- EATA Moyer Award Committee Chair (2020-2025)
- Former Associate Athletic Trainer and Director of the Post-Graduate Athletic Training Program at Stanford University
- Former D1 Representative on FWATA College and University Athletic Trainer’s Committee
- Former California Athletic Trainers Association Legislative Action Team Member
Selected Works
Presentations
- Mills, M., Barrett, J. (2025, June 25). Building a Winning Culture: Addressing the Labor Challenges in Athletic Training [Conference Session]: 76th National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, Orlando, FL, United States
- Mills, M. (2025, June 6). Navigating Legal and Ethical Considerations to Guide Complex Decision Making [Conference Session]: Athletic Trainers of Massachusetts Symposium, Boston, MA, United States
- Mills, M., (2025, January 11). Evaluation and Management of Low-Back Pain; An Evidence-Guided Approach [Conference Session]: 77th EATA Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Mills, M., Schlabach, G., Cohen, D., (2024, June 26). Using CIRCA and LERPS to Guide Good and Right Decision-Making [Conference Session]: 75th National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, New Orleans, LA, United States
- Mills, M. (2024, January 6). Lessons from Silicon Valley: Human-Centered Design for Athletic Training QI [Conference Session]: 76th EATA Annual Conference, Ledyard, CT, United States
- Mills, M. (2024, January 5). Using Learning Outcomes to Guide Simulation Mode Choices [Featured Presentation]: 76th EATA Annual Conference Educator Summit, Ledyard, CT, United States
- Mills, M. (2023, June 23). When Nonspecific Low Back Pain Goes Sideways: Fibromyalgia in the College Student Athlete [Conference Session]: 74th National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Mills, M (2023, May 23). Evidence-Based Concussion Assessment and Return to Life: An Update [Conference Session]: Rhode Island Athletic Trainers’ Association Annual Symposium, Providence, RI, United States
- Mills, M. (2022, November 5). Use of an Unfolding Case Study to Facilitate Interprofessional Collaboration in Athletic Training and Athletic Counseling Students [Conference Session]: Athletic Training Educators Conference, Virtual
- Mills, M. (2022, October 20). Using an Unfolding Case Study to Facilitate Interprofessional Collaboration [Conference Session]: Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions Annual Conference, Long Beach, CA, United States
Publications
- Mills, M., (2024). Business Structure for Athletic Training: What Makes Sense for You? Sports Medicine Legal Digest, 7(4) 6-7.
- Mills, M., Ferdig, R. & Gandolfi, E. (2023). The Utility of Asynchronous Low-Fidelity Simulation for Student Self-Efficacy and Anxiety: A Preliminary Analysis. In E. Langran (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 569-573). New Orleans, LA, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved April 10, 2023 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/221911/
- Mills, M. Winston, B (2021). Administering Interactive Simulations to Supplement Traditional Clinical Placements in C Ford. K Garza (Eds.) Updating and Innovating Health Professions Education: Post-Pandemic Perspectives. IGI Global
- Mills, M., Frank, B., Goto, S., Blackburn, T., Cates, S., Clark, M., ... & Padua, D. (2015). Effect of restricted hip flexor muscle length on hip extensor muscle activity and lower extremity biomechanics in college‐aged female soccer players. International journal of sports physical therapy, 10(7), 946.
