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
• Director of the Rehabilitation Research Centre from 2012 to 2024
• Research Committee of the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic, 2012-2020

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Research

Doug's work as a rehabilitation scientist is centered on preventing disability and improving the lives of people with physical and mental health conditions. He achieves this by evaluating clinical and public health interventions, identifying key factors influencing recovery and work disability, and developing practical assessment tools. 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.

2025 Outstanding Presentation (Specialty Group) Award at World Physiotherapy Congress from the International Federation of Physiotherapists working in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (IFPTOHE), Tokyo, Japan.

2024 Gold Award of Oral Presentation at Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Conference. So BCL, Lee E, Gross DP, et al.

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 

PTHER 572 - Basic Concepts in Evidence-Based Practice

An introduction to basic concepts of evidence-based physiotherapy practice, with emphasis on searching, appraising, and applying scientific evidence to inform clinical decision-making. Students will consider different sources of knowledge, the logic and methods of analytical research, the purposes and practices of Interpretive and clinical research, and attitudes and skills for conducting practitioner-led clinical research.

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Browse more courses taught by Doug Gross

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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