Positions
Assistant Professor
- Organization:
- West Virginia University School of Medicine
- Department:
- Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry
- Classification:
- Faculty
Publications
2024
Bernat DJ, McNally K, Ostendorf AP, Wojnaroski M, Hamner T, Stephan CT, Cass J. Establishing a psychosocial screening program in a high-Vol. pediatric epilepsy clinic using the PedsQL—Epilepsy module. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology 2024. DOI: 10.1037/cpp0000522
2022
Bernat DJ, Albert D, Cass J. Case Study: Neuropsychological and Electroencephalogram Findings in Suspected Panayiotopoulos Syndrome. J Pediatr Neuropsychol 2022. DOI: 10.1007/s40817-022-00136-y
Davis AS, Bernat DJ, Shetter MD. Neuropsychological Considerations of Adolescents and Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder for School Psychologists. In: Viezel KD, Wilczynski SM, Davis AS. (eds), Postsecondary Transition for College- or Career-Bound Autistic Students 2022. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-93947-2_3
About Donald Bernat
Dr. D.J. Bernat joined WVU Medicine in 2022 after completing a two-year fellowship in Pediatric Neuropsychology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to this, he completed an internship at the Fraser Child and Family Center in Minneapolis. He earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology with a focus in Neuropsychology from Ball State University and also completed a specialist degree in School Psychology at The College of Saint Rose. Dr. Bernat earned his ABPP Board Certification in Clinical Neuropsychology in 2025.
Dr. Bernat specializes in evaluation of epilepsy patients, including those being considered for neurosurgery. He serves as a member of the multidisciplinary Neuromuscular, Cerebral Palsy, and Myelomeningocele clinics, and was recently appointed the Associate Director of the Pediatric Neuropsychology Fellowship at WVU Medicine as well as frequently supervising and teaching additional trainees such as interns, fellows, and medical students. His research interests include neuropsychological outcomes in pediatric epilepsy surgery, multidisciplinary care for patients with complex medical conditions, transition planning for patients transitioning from pediatric to adult care, and the relationship between autism and neurological conditions such as epilepsy and cerebral palsy. In 2023, Dr. Bernat was invited to contribute to the updated Specific Learning Disabilities Evaluation and Eligibility Guidance document by the West Virginia Department of Education. He serves as a member of the Neuropsychology Spina Bifida Work Group, a national organization of neuropsychologists who specialize in research and clinical care for patients with Spina Bifida and related disorders.