PhD, Central Michigan University
James Gerhart, Ph.D. conducts research on the evaluation and treatment of pain, anger and traumatic stress in the context of life threatening illnesses. This includes working with family, medical providers and organizational systems to address the psychosocial needs of medically ill patients. Much of this work centers on enhancing provider knowledge, communication and resilience to support symptom management and patient preferences for care. This includes developing supportive care training, and programming to enhance resilience and reduce burnout in providers working in end-of-life care.
James Gerhart, Ph.D. conducts evaluation and treatment of stress and trauma in patients with cancer and chronic pain. He has a special interest in understanding how anger and traumatic stress is understood, expressed and managed between patients and their medical providers. Dr. Gerhart conducts research on how stress exacerbates pain and influences patients’ preferences for medical care. In addition to working with patients directly, he teaches communication to students and studies how mindfulness and stress management can improve communication skills and resilience among medical providers. He completed his doctoral degree at Central Michigan University, and his residency at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. He completed a two year postdoctoral fellowship at Rush University Medical Center with an emphasis on traumatic stress and health psychology. He joined the Rush faculty in 2013.
Phi Kappa Phi, 2005
Phi Beta Kappa, 2006
Central Michigan University Doctoral Research Fellowship, 2006