Ross Wilkie

Biography

Ross qualified as a physiotherapist in 1992 from the Queens’ College, Glasgow and completed a post-graduate diploma in Biomechanics at Strathclyde University in 1994. Ross completed his PhD in Epidemiology in 2006 and was awarded a RCUK post-doctoral fellowship to continue with his research investigating the impact of osteoarthritis. In 2016, Ross became Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Epidemiology allowing him to continue with his research and lead the public health syllabus within the Keele medical undergraduate degree.

Ross is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (52502) and Health Professions Council (PH44669)

Research and scholarship

Ross’ research investigates the burden of musculoskeletal conditions at an individual and population level. He has an international reputation in measuring and identifying targets to reduce the impact of osteoarthritis, particularly with regards to physical activity, healthy ageing, social participation and work disability in middle and old age.

Currently Ross is the chief investigator for the PRELIM study (funded by Versus Arthritis and involves collaboration between Keele, Oxford and Southampton Universities and patient and public representatives) which aims to describe the impact of musculoskeletal conditions in primary care consulters and the general population and establish if routinely collected electronic health records can be used to describe the impact of musculoskeletal conditions at a population level. Ross supervises a further three research projects; osteoarthritis and mortality (2 students), osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease (2 students) and healthy work life expectancy (1 student). In June 2019, Ross received an EULAR Health Professionals in Rheumatology Award in in recognition of his work on osteoarthritis and mortality.

Teaching

Ross leads the public health teaching programme in the Keele MBChB course; this includes teaching on research methods, evidence-based healthcare, health promotion, health protection and improving health services with a core aim of developing students’ ability to improve population health and clinical care. He also co-leads a year 3 module on global health. Ross is a member of the Faculty of Public Health Educators in Medical Schools group. Ross contributes to the development of the Keele MBChB programme and is one of the leads for the Scholarship programme. Ross also teaches on the Masters modules in SAHP.

Ross was the Chair of the Research Institute for Primary Care and health Sciences Teaching and education committee which monitored and co-ordinated the teaching activities of its members.

Further information

Dr Wilkie received an EULAR Research award in 2019 for his work on osteoarthritis and mortality

Dr Wilkie’s current external responsibilities include:

• Member, European League Against Rheumatism Health Professionals in Rheumatology Scientific committee
• Member, of EULAR task force on recommendations for Imaging for low back pain
• Member, of Faculty of Public Health, Public Health Educators in Medical Schools

Previous committee membership includes:

• British Society for Rheumatology Heberden Committee
• British Health Professionals in Rheumatology
• Editorial board member for Arthritis Care and Research