Doug Gross, PhD, BScPT

Area of Study / Keywords

Work Disability Prevention Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Workers' Compensation Return to Work

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About

Credentials

• Diploma in Work Disability Prevention Research - University of Sherbrooke - 2009 
• PhD - Physical Therapy - University of Alberta - 2003
• BSc - Physical Therapy - University of Alberta - 1997

Background

• Licensed to practice physiotherapy since 1997
• Worked clinically in both private practice and occupational rehabilitation centres
• Completed graduate studies and started work in the UofA's PT department in 2003
• Interim PT department chair from July 2014 to June 2016
• Director of the Rehabilitation Research Centre since 2012

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Research

Doug is a rehabilitation scientist whose scholarship focuses on preventing work disability in people with physical and mental health conditions. This includes evaluating the effectiveness of clinical and public health interventions, investigating determinants of work disability and return to work, as well as developing and testing outcome measures and clinical assessment strategies. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and contributed to funded research projects totaling over $30 million, including projects funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Alberta Labour and Immigration, WorkSafeBC, and various Workers’ Compensation Boards. He is a Killam Laureate, McCalla Professor, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation.

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Teaching

University of Alberta Courses:

PTHER 572 - Basic Concepts in Evidence-Based Practice

Dr. Gross is not currently accepting graduate students.

2023 Best Oral Presentation at PREMUS Congress in Bengaluru, India

2022 Innovative Teaching Award (Rehabilitation Science) from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine

2020-2022 McCalla Professorship

2018 'Great Supervisor' Award from University of Alberta's Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

2017 Award for Research Excellence at the Safe, Healthy, and Productive Workplaces Conference: Learning from Research and Practice. Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability. June 1-3, 2017, Vancouver, British Columbia.

2014 Liberty Mutual Work Disability Award

2002 Killam Memorial Scholarship 

Started: 2024-07-01

The Rehabilitation Research Centre (RRC) of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (FRM) was established in 1989 to support and undertake health-related research in the rehabilitation disciplines.

See: https://www.ualberta.ca/rehabilitation/research/institutes-and-centres/rehabilitation-research-centre/index.html

RRC Website

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Started: 2020-07-01

The Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation is an international forum for the publication of peer-reviewed original papers on the rehabilitation, reintegration, and prevention of disability in workers. See: https://www.springer.com/journal/10926

Journal website

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Doug’s scholarship focuses on rehabilitation strategies for preventing disability in people with physical and mental health disorders. This includes investigating the effectiveness of clinical and public health interventions, work disability prevention initiatives, and development and testing of outcome measures and clinical assessment strategies. 

Katelyn Brehon, Gagan Nagra, Maxi Miciak, Riikka Niemeläinen, Douglas P. Gross

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2024 December; 10.1007/s10926-023-10165-9

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Brandon Krebs, Andrew Nataraj, Erin McCabe, Shannon Clark, Zahin Sufiyan, Shelby S. Yamamoto, Osmar Zaïane, Douglas P. Gross

European Spine Journal. 2023 February; 10.1007/s00586-023-07552-4

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Katelyn Brehon, Riikka Niemeläinen, Mark Hall, Geoff P Bostick, Cary A Brown, Marguerite Wieler, Douglas P Gross

JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies. 2022 September; 10.2196/39883

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