Dr. Barnes is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences and College of Pharmacy (BSc Zoology, 1985; PharmD 2005; pharmacy specialty residency in internal medicine 2006).

He earned a certificate as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at UT in 1984 and completed his paramedic (EMT-P) training in 1990 while employed by the City of Austin. He served as an Associate Professor on the faculty of Austin Community College in the Emergency Medical Services Professions program from 1991-2001

Dr. Barnes most recently served as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio from 2006-2009. He also held appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Health Professions, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the South Texas Veterans Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital.

His teaching assignments include coordination of the Pharmacotherapy Lab series and Clinical Skills courses. In addition he precepts pharmacist-interns and residents on Internal Medicine clerkships at University Medical Center--Brackenridge.