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Jerry C. Parker, PhD
Associate Dean for Research; Co-Director, Operations, Integration, and Evaluation, MU-ICTS Dr. Parker received his training in the field of psychology with a Master’s degree from Xavier University and a PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Dr. Parker is currently Associate Dean for Research and Clinical Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He also is the PI and Director, Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC), and he oversees an extensive research program in the area of arthritis rehabilitation. Prior to his current roles, Dr. Parker was Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital; he also has served as Director, Behavioral Health at the HSTMVH which involved administration of a comprehensive behavioral health program, including inpatient psychiatry, addictions treatment, day treatment, outpatient psychiatry, homelessness program, and a network of clinics across the state of Missouri. In these practitioner and behavioral health administrator roles, Dr. Parker developed a keen sensitivity to the challenges involved in the delivery of health care services and the implementation of evidence-based practices; he also has a deep understanding of the need for clinical and translational research in these areas. At the national level, Dr. Parker has served on the NIH National Advisory Board for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and was a member of the NIH Consensus Panel on Traumatic Brain Injury. He also has served on national peer review panels for NIH, the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, VA, and the Arthritis Foundation. In these various arenas, Dr. Parker has demonstrated strong administrative, clinical, and academic leadership.
Dr. Parker’s research has focused on clinical problems and on the translation of clinical research into improved health outcomes. Early in his career, his efforts were devoted to problems associated with behavioral health, but he also was the PI on a multidisciplinary neuropsychological VA Merit Award that examined cognitive outcomes following carotid endarterectomy. In the early 1980s, Dr. Parker launched a research program in the area of psychological adaptation to rheumatoid arthritis (RA); this program, which has been funded by NIH, NIDRR and the Arthritis Foundation, has involved extensive multidisciplinary collaboration with rheumatologists, physiatrists, nurses, and other health professionals. Dr. Parker’s work has resulted in a series of randomized clinical trials examining various self-management interventions for persons with RA and the development (with Dr. Karen Smarr) of a state-of-the-art, online self-management program that can be accessed by internet users worldwide. Dr. Parker’s academic and administrative leadership led to his current role as PI and Director of MARRTC, which involves arthritis-related projects in aerobic fitness, online self-management programs, workplace adaptation, support systems for juvenile arthritis, musculoskeletal problems of seasonal and migrant farm workers, and strategies for use of mass media for improving health communication. Dr. Parker has maintained continuous research funding since 1979, and his program has involved extensive multidisciplinary collaboration and a focus on clinical and translational research. In 1990, Dr. Parker received the Merit Award from the Arthritis Health Professions Association in recognition of “outstanding clinical scholarship in rheumatology.”
Dr. Parker has a deep and long-standing commitment to training; he was the founder and first Training Director for the Missouri Health Sciences Psychology Internship Consortium, and he has continued to supervise trainees, interns, and residents to the present time. In 1991, Dr. Parker (PI), along with other colleagues from MU, received the first of a series of Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Awards from the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research for a novel program entitled Research Enrichment Program (REP) for Physiatrists; this program was designed to provide extended research mentoring for senior residents and junior faculty in the field of physiatry from across the country. The REP operated for 14 years and provided research mentoring for 110 early-career physiatrists. The core REP research curriculum has been adopted as a model for research training in numerous PM&R departments across the country. Currently, Dr. Parker is the PI and Director, Health Activity Rehabilitation Research Training Center, which is a 5-year advanced research training grant from NIDDR. In multiple arenas, Dr. Parker has demonstrated his deep commitment to the mentoring process, and he possesses the necessary skills to serve as Co-PI for Operations, Integration, and Evaluation for the MU-ICTS.
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Associate Dean for Research; Co-Director, Operations, Integration, and Evaluation, MU-ICTS Dr. Parker received his training in the field of psychology with a Master’s degree from Xavier University and a PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Dr. Parker is currently Associate Dean for Research and Clinical Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He also is the PI and Director, Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC), and he oversees an extensive research program in the area of arthritis rehabilitation. Prior to his current roles, Dr. Parker was Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital; he also has served as Director, Behavioral Health at the HSTMVH which involved administration of a comprehensive behavioral health program, including inpatient psychiatry, addictions treatment, day treatment, outpatient psychiatry, homelessness program, and a network of clinics across the state of Missouri. In these practitioner and behavioral health administrator roles, Dr. Parker developed a keen sensitivity to the challenges involved in the delivery of health care services and the implementation of evidence-based practices; he also has a deep understanding of the need for clinical and translational research in these areas. At the national level, Dr. Parker has served on the NIH National Advisory Board for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and was a member of the NIH Consensus Panel on Traumatic Brain Injury. He also has served on national peer review panels for NIH, the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, VA, and the Arthritis Foundation. In these various arenas, Dr. Parker has demonstrated strong administrative, clinical, and academic leadership.
Dr. Parker’s research has focused on clinical problems and on the translation of clinical research into improved health outcomes. Early in his career, his efforts were devoted to problems associated with behavioral health, but he also was the PI on a multidisciplinary neuropsychological VA Merit Award that examined cognitive outcomes following carotid endarterectomy. In the early 1980s, Dr. Parker launched a research program in the area of psychological adaptation to rheumatoid arthritis (RA); this program, which has been funded by NIH, NIDRR and the Arthritis Foundation, has involved extensive multidisciplinary collaboration with rheumatologists, physiatrists, nurses, and other health professionals. Dr. Parker’s work has resulted in a series of randomized clinical trials examining various self-management interventions for persons with RA and the development (with Dr. Karen Smarr) of a state-of-the-art, online self-management program that can be accessed by internet users worldwide. Dr. Parker’s academic and administrative leadership led to his current role as PI and Director of MARRTC, which involves arthritis-related projects in aerobic fitness, online self-management programs, workplace adaptation, support systems for juvenile arthritis, musculoskeletal problems of seasonal and migrant farm workers, and strategies for use of mass media for improving health communication. Dr. Parker has maintained continuous research funding since 1979, and his program has involved extensive multidisciplinary collaboration and a focus on clinical and translational research. In 1990, Dr. Parker received the Merit Award from the Arthritis Health Professions Association in recognition of “outstanding clinical scholarship in rheumatology.”
Dr. Parker has a deep and long-standing commitment to training; he was the founder and first Training Director for the Missouri Health Sciences Psychology Internship Consortium, and he has continued to supervise trainees, interns, and residents to the present time. In 1991, Dr. Parker (PI), along with other colleagues from MU, received the first of a series of Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Awards from the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research for a novel program entitled Research Enrichment Program (REP) for Physiatrists; this program was designed to provide extended research mentoring for senior residents and junior faculty in the field of physiatry from across the country. The REP operated for 14 years and provided research mentoring for 110 early-career physiatrists. The core REP research curriculum has been adopted as a model for research training in numerous PM&R departments across the country. Currently, Dr. Parker is the PI and Director, Health Activity Rehabilitation Research Training Center, which is a 5-year advanced research training grant from NIDDR. In multiple arenas, Dr. Parker has demonstrated his deep commitment to the mentoring process, and he possesses the necessary skills to serve as Co-PI for Operations, Integration, and Evaluation for the MU-ICTS.
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