Contact Information

Biography

Dr. Erica Beidler arrived at Duquesne University in July 2016 and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Athletic Training. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from Mercyhurst University (2011), and her Master of Education degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in athletic training and sports medicine at the University of Virginia (2012). Dr. Beidler completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Kinesiology with concentrations in athletic training, sport psychology, and personality psychology at Michigan State University (2016). Dr. Beidler is a licensed athletic trainer through the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, and a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association, and the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society.

Education

  • Ph.D., Kinesiology, Michigan State University, 2016
  • M.Ed., Kinesiology, University of Virginia, 2012
  • B.S., Athletic Training, Mercyhurst University, 2011

Research Interests or Expertise

The overarching objective of Dr. Beidler’s research agenda is to improve the concussion injury experience to promote favorable patient- and clinician-oriented outcomes. She seeks to establish innovative approaches that leverage personal sensing technology in smartphones and wearable devices to passively and objectively measure daily life patterns following concussion, with the goal of informing targeted treatment strategies. Additionally, Dr. Beidler is actively engaged in curating resources to aid athletic trainers in developing evidence-informed concussion policies and procedures tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of the communities they serve. She has published numerous articles in sports medicine, brain injury, and psychology-related journals and has funding from the NIH New Hampshire IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, and the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society to support her work. Furthermore, Dr. Beidler serves as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training and the Research Expert for the Pennsylvania Department of Health Brain Injury Advisory Board.

Dr. Beidler is the founder and Co-Director of the Sport & Injury Psychology (SIP) Research Lab at Duquesne University. Her lab serves undergraduate and graduate students on campus who are pursuing a career in a health-related field and interested in gaining experience conducting research with human subjects in the areas of concussion and/or sport specialization.

  • Concussion
  • Person-Centered Card
  • Mental Health & Wellness
  • Healthcare Policies & Procedures

School

About

  • ATHT 540/L Foundations of AT: Risk Assessment and Injury Prevention
  • ATHT 515/L Neurotrauma Assessment & Management
  • ATHT 606 Patient-Centered Care & Behavioral Health
  • ATHT 560/L Applied Therapeutic Interventions
  • ATHT 500 Research & Evidence Integration I
  • ATHT 510 Research & Evidence Integration II
  • ATHT 610 Research & Evidence Integration III
  • HLTS 404 Directed Research
Beidler E, Kofler J, Turnbull J. From sidelines to courtrooms: Dissecting the social, forensic, and clinical care complexities of concussion and CTE. Duquesne University Annual Forensic Science and Law Symposium. Pittsburgh, PA; October 2025.

Beidler E, Donahue CC, Resch JE, Kelshaw PM. Sleep quality, mental health, and diagnosed concussion history in collegiate athletes. World Federation of Athletic Training & Therapy World Congress Meeting. Dublin, Ireland; October 2025.

Beidler E, Kelshaw PM. The spectrum of concussion prevention. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Annual Conference and Symposia. Orlando, FL; June 2025.

Beidler E, Bretzin AC, Eagle S, Schmitt AJ. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy beliefs and long-term concussion consequence perceptions in parents of pediatric athletes. Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Society Annual Meeting. Columbus, OH; January 2025.

Beidler E, Bretzin AC, Schmitt AJ, Albrecht T, DiSanti J, Gass A, Crivelli C, Kontos AP. Emotional brain injury perceptions and concussion assessment outcomes in pediatric patients. UPMC Targeted Rehabilitation and Evidence-based Active Treatments (TREAT) Sport-related Concussion Conference. Pittsburgh, PA; April 2024.

Beidler E, Bretzin AC, Schmitt AJ. Youth athlete concussion-related anxiety perceptions. Sport Neuropsychology Society Concussion Symposium. Denver, Colorado; May 2023.

Beidler E, Delmonte A, Bretzin A, Anderson M, Schmitt A. Parents’ emotions and perceptions of the long-term implications of concussion in youth contact sports. 6th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport. Amsterdam, Netherlands; October 2022. 
  • International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training (Associate Editor)
  • Pennsylvania Department of Health Brain Injury Advisory Board (Research Expert)
  • National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research & Education Foundation
    • Student Writing Award Committee - Member
    • Faculty Mentorship Program - Professional Mentor
  • Certified Athletic Trainer (BOC#20000006410)
  • Licensed Athletic Trainer, State of Pennsylvania (#RT006417)
  • National Provider Identifier (#1588198824)
Dr. Erica Beidler, associate professor of athletic training in the John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences, co-led the professional workshop The Spectrum of Concussion Prevention at the 13th WFATT World Congress, where she also presented the poster Sleep Quality, Mental Health, and Diagnosed Concussion History in Collegiate Athletes.

Beidler E, Teel E, Schmitt AJ, Muccio G, Holmes JH, Bretzin AC. Anxiety-related concussion perceptions of parents of youth athletes. Journal of Athletic Training. 2025;60(8):560-568-771. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0579.23

Beidler E, Bowman TG, Walton SR, Liniger MR, Decker MN, Wallace J, Vela L, Hibbler T, Breedlove KM, Larson MJ, Munce TA, Pappadis MR, Sunchild J, Ahonen S, Didehbani N, Cifu DX, Resch JE, Kelshaw PM. More than skin deep: Patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance in collegiate athletics and concussion management. Journal of Athletic Training. 2024;59(7):762-771. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0320.23

Beidler E, Bretzin AC, Schmitt AJ, Phelps AL. Factors associated with parent and youth athlete concussion knowledge. Journal of Safety Research. 2022;80:190-197. doi:10.1016/J.JSR.2021.12.002

Beidler E, Welch Bacon C, Hattrup N, Powers C, Saitz L, Valovich McLeod T. Going beyond the state law: Investigating high school sport-related concussion protocols. Journal of Athletic Training. 2022;57(1):32-43. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0505.20

Beidler E, Wallace J, Alghwiri A, O’Connor S. Collegiate athletes’ concussion awareness, understanding, and reporting behaviors in different countries with varying concussion publicity. Journal of Athletic Training. 2021;56(1):77-84. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0575.19 

Beidler E, Bogar K, Wallace J, McAllister-Deitrick J, Anderson M, Schatz P. The burden of unsubstantiated messaging: Collegiate student-athletes chronic traumatic encephalopathy mechanism beliefs. Brain Injury. Published online September 9, 2021. doi:10.1080/02699052.2021. 1972146

Beidler E, Eagle S, Wallace J, Anderson M, Schmitt A, O’Connor S, Kontos A. Anxiety-related concussion perceptions of collegiate athletes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. Published online June 25, 2021. doi:10.1016/J.JSAMS.2021.06.011