Patrick Sexton, EdD, LAT, ATC currently serves as a Professor and as the Director of Athletic Training Education at Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN. He began his career as an undergraduate athletic training student at the then Mankato State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education/Athletic Training (1985). Following graduation Sexton moved to Tucson AZ where he earned his Master of Science in Athletics Training and Exercise Science (1986) from the University of Arizona. Since that time Sexton served as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Wyoming (1986-88) primarily working with the Cowboy football and basketball teams. It was at Wyoming where he also obtained his first teaching experience.
In 1988 Sexton accepted a position as a clinical instructor and probationary faculty member at the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse. By the time he left LaCrosse in 1993 he was the Head Athletic Trainer, the Director of Athletic Training Education, and the President of the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association. LaCrosse also brought significant clinical experiences with both collegiate and professional athletes. Sexton then accepted the Position of Head Athletic Trainer/Assistant Professor at his alma mater, which was renamed Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) in 1993. While at MSU he began work on his doctorate at the University of Minnesota and took on additional responsibility as Director of Athletic Training Education. The following year (1998) he relinquished the Head Athletic Trainer position but remained as an associate athletic trainer until 2003. Sexton was also an adjunct faculty member of the California University of Pennsylvania and is an adjunct clinical faculty for the University of Minnesota Family Practice Residency Program.
Sexton completed his Doctor of Education in Educational Policy and Administration at the University of Minnesota in 2001. He has taught virtually every course and content area contained within an athletic training program including prevention and care of athletic injuries, medical aspects of athletic injury, pathology, pharmacology, general medical conditions, upper and lower body orthopaedic injury assessment, rehabilitation, athletic testing and conditioning, strength training and conditioning, human anatomy, human physiology, first aid and CPR, and organization and administration. He is active on the state, district, and national level, and has served as a member of the Joint Review Committee on Athletic Training Education (JRC-AT) and as the vice-chair of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) i.e. the committee on accreditation for athletic training educational programs and is currently a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Professional Education Committee (PEC) and the PEC’s Clinical Instructor Educator task committee. Dr. Sexton most recently served as an Athletic Training Director/Vice-President and President of the Board of Certification (BOC) for the Athletic Trainer. He has been a frequent speaker at state, district, and national meetings and has authored or co-authored journal articles in the Athletic Training Education Journal (ATEJ), the Journal of Athletic Training(JAT) and Athletic Therapy Today(ATT) as well as a textbook chapter in General Medical Conditions in Athletes. Dr. Sexton also serves as a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Athletic Training, the Athletic Training Education Journal, Athletic Training and Sports Health Care, was an Associate Editor and is a reviewer for Athletic Therapy Today, now called the International Journal of Athletic Training and Therapy. 
Dr. Sexton received the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association (GLATA) Outstanding Educator Award (2008), the GLATA Distinguished Service Award (2003), the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Athletic Trainer Service Award (2007), and multiple Minnesota Athletic Trainers’ Association (MATA) Athletic Trainer Recognition awards. In 2010 Dr. Sexton received the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s (NATA) Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, the Minnesota Athletic Trainers’ Association Larry “Stosh” Neumann Distinguished Service Award in 2013, the Minnesota Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2014, and the 2015 NATA Sayers “Bud” Miller Distinguished Educator Award, and is a 2016 inductee into the NATA Hall of Fame.
Dr. Sexton has a daughter, Taylor, and together they enjoy water activities, exercise, biking, softball, skating, volleyball, skiing, and playing in the yard. Sexton is an avid exercise enthusiast enjoying strength training, cycling, skiing, and a variety of aerobic conditioning activities.
