Paul Geisler
Dean, School of Sciences & Health Professions
Professor Paul Geisler, EdD, AT Ret. is a native of Lakeville, Massachusetts, and a current resident of Boston. A retired certified athletic trainer for 36 years with clinical and professional experiences in high school, college, clinical, corporate, and private settings, and over two decades directing athletic training education programs at Georgia Southern University and Ithaca College. He has worked as a volunteer athletic trainer for the 1988 McDonald's International Gymnastics Cup in Washington, DC, the 1994 World Cup USA, and the 1996 Games of the XXVI Olympiad, held in Atlanta, Georgia.
His scholarship, pedagogy, and curriculum work has focused on the development and assessment of the clinical thinking processes of novice and experienced clinicians, the development of adaptive expertise, progressive and meaningful curriculum design, competency and capability-based education, and authentic programmatic assessment. He is credited with over 200 national and international publications and presentations concerning clinical and education-based challenges in athletic training practice and the larger health professions fields.
He has been fortunate to share his insight and expertise as the Keynote Speaker of the 2002 Swedish Golf Federation Medical Conference in Stockholm, with sports medicine professionals in Beijing and Chengdu Sport Universities in the People's Republic of China, with clinicians and educators from Athletic Rehabilitation and Therapists, Ireland at IT, Carlowe, with the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy, with the Association of Medical Education Europe, and with the European Board of Medical Assessors.
He has been awarded two manuscript awards from the Journal of Athletic Training and the Athletic Training Education Journal for his scholarly work on critical multiculturalism and the assessment of evidence-informed clinical reasoning. For his significant professional contributions to his field, he has been awarded both the NATA Athletic Training Service and the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Awards.
In 2021, his professional educational accomplishments were recognized by receiving the NATA Executive Council on Education's Sayers "Bud" Miller Distinguished Educator Award, the highest education-based award given by the AT profession. From Ithaca College, his impact and efforts have been recognized in receiving two Dean's Awards for Excellence & Innovation in Teaching, one Dean's Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning, and the all-institution Ithaca College Faculty Excellence Award.
He admits to being an enthusiastic but slow and persistent road cyclist, an avid amateur shutterbug of nature, people, and structure, and an unabashed promoter of equal rights, justice, and authentic democracy for all living beings. He and his life partner and wife of over three decades, Susan, are grateful parents of two amazing sons — Nicholas, a writer living in Los Angeles, California, and Benjamin, a photographer and artist living in Brooklyn, New York.
His previous positions include:
- Tenured Professor & Director, Athletic Training Education, Ithaca College, NY (2005-2021)
- Assistant Professor & Director, Athletic Training Education, Georgia Southern University, GA (1998-2005)
- Athletic Trainer, Georgia Southern University Athletics, Baseball (2000, 2001)
- National Director, HealthSouth Sport Program, Birmingham, AL (1993-1996)
- Athletic Trainer, Orlando Thunder, World League of American Football (1992)
- Athletic Trainer, Trinity Preparatory High School, Winter Park, FL (1991)
- Visiting Lecturer, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1990-1991)
- Athletic Trainer, Durham Academy, Durham, NC (1998-1991)
- Athletic Trainer, National Center for Sports Medicine and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, Arlington, VA (1987-1988)
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Sports Medicine with Honors, Marietta College (OH)
- Master of Arts, Exercise Physiology, UNC-Chapel Hill
- Doctor of Education, Curriculum Studies, Georgia Southern University
License/Certification
- AT, Retired (1987-2023)
Professional Affiliations & Memberships (Past & Current)
- Associate Editor & Pearls of Practice Column Editor, Athletic Training & Sports Healthcare
- Manuscript reviewer, Journal of Athletic Training
- Manuscript reviewer, International Journal of Athletic Training & Therapy
- Manuscript reviewer, Focus on Health Professions Education (New Zealand)
- Editorial Board Member and Manuscript Reviewer, Athletic Training Education Journal
- Volunteer Athletic Trainer, 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and 1994 World Cup
- Member, World Federation of Athletic Training & Therapy
- Founding Chair, NATA EducATionalist Community Cabinet
- Chair, EATA Education Summit
- Member, EATA Research Committee
- Chair, EATA Research Abstract Sub Committee
- Member, NATA Professional Education Committee
- Member, NATA Executive Council on Education
- Member, European Board of Medical Assessors
- Member, Association of Medical Education, Europe
- Adjunct Faculty, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
- Member, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Doctorate Health Sciences Advisory Board
- Member, National Athletic Trainers' Association
Paul Geisler in the News
Dr. Paul Geisler Named Dean of the School of Sciences and Health Professions
In January 2024, Dr. Paul Geisler, formerly Professor of Health Professions Education, Associate Dean of Health Sciences, and Interim Associate Dean of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, accepted a new position as Interim Dean of the School of Sciences and Health Professions. He will become the official Dean following the School’s formal renaming on July 1, 2024.