BSc (OT) (B.C.), MSc (OT) (W. Ont.), PhD (W. Ont.) , FCAOT
Professor
Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
T325 – 2211 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5
Office: T-334 Koerner
Tel: 604-714-4107 Fax: 604-822-7624
Profile-Research-Teaching-Memberships-Publications
Research Graduate Student Opportunities
Current Research Graduate Students – Bill currently has 2 MSc students and 2 PhD students.
Future Research Graduate Students – Interested graduate students should forward a copy of their resume/cv, transcripts and research interest areas to Dr. Miller. Visit the Rehabilitation Sciences Research Graduate Programs Website for more information.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the number of moments that take our breath away
- Unknown -
Occupational Profile
After completing 36 missions as a navigator in the RCAF, Bill’s father contracted polio while preparing to return to Canada during the Second World War. He spent the following three years living in the Veteran’s hospital in Vancouver upon return to Canada. Growing up, Bill had numerous opportunities to observe how his father would problem-solve to overcome the mobility barriers he faced on a day to day basis. Although he was never trained, nor did he practice as a professional, his father was the first “occupational therapist (OT)” Bill ever met.
Bill worked as an OT clinically for 3 years in the field of vocational rehabilitation in Windsor and then Sudbury, Ontario. After moving to London, Ontario to pursue his MSc, he worked in a variety of programs at Parkwood Hospital. In particular, he provided OT services to veterans in a geriatric and dementia program. It was during this time that he became interested in working with the older adult population and switched his research area.
Bill claims that his life has no real balance…he take breaks from work by watching his daughter’s participation in sports and other endeavors, and by running, cycling, and playing hockey.
Research Interests and Specialization
As a CIHR New Investigator scholar, Bill is able to dedicate 80% of his time to research. His research interests include epidemiology, determinants and measurement of mobility disability among older adults, including the study balance and ambulation confidence, and assessment of assistive technology (e.g. wheeled mobility devices) used to enable mobility disabled adults (e.g. individuals with lower limb amputation, spinal cord injury, stroke). For more information regarding his research, please visit his research website.
Teaching Interests
Bill currently coordinates a course on clinical reasoning in the professional entry level curriculum of the MOT program. He also provides research mentorship to both professional entry level and MSc and PhD students. This focus has enabled him to integrate his interest and passion for rehabilitation research with his training in epidemiology into his teaching duties.
Activities and Memberships
Editorial Board Member, American Journal of Occupational Therapy
Reviewer, CIHR Post-Doctoral Trainee Award Committee
Reviewer, MSFHR Trainee Award
Member, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Member, BC Association of Occupational Therapists
Member, Canadian Association on Gerontology
Member, Canadian Society of Epidemiologists
Member, Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America
Associate Member, Canadian Stroke Network
Faculty member, International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD)
Associate Member, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UBC
Scientist, Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health
Selected Publications
*links to articles provided when possible*
Mortenson WB, Miller WC. (2008). A review of scales for assessing the risk of developing a pressure ulcer in individuals with SCI. Spinal Cord, 46, 168-175.
Ashe MC, Miller WC, Eng JJ, Noreau L, PACC Research Group. Older Adults, Physical Inactivity in Older Canadians: The Impact of Chronic Disease. Gerontology 2008 Jun 20. [Epub ahead of print]
Hammell KW, Miller WC, Forwell SJ, Forman BE, Jacobsen B. (2009). Fatigue and spinal cord injury: a qualitative analysis. Spinal Cord, 47, 44-49.
Mortenson WB, Miller WC. (2008). The wheelchair procurement process: Perceptions of clients and prescribers. Can J Occup Ther, 75(3), 167-75.
Mortenson WB, Miller WC, Auger C. (2008). Issues for the selection of wheelchair-specific activity and participation outcome measures. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 89(6), 1177-86.
Miller WC, Anton HA, Townson AF. (2008). Measurement properties of the CESD Scale among individuals with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord, 46(4), 287-92.
Anton HA, Miller WC, Townson AF. (2008). Measuring fatigue in persons with spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 89(3), 538-42.
Eng JJ, Teasell R, Miller WC, Wolfe DL, Townson AF, Aubut J, Abramson C, Hsieh JT, Connolly S, Konnyu K and the SCIRE Research Team. (2007). Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Evidence: Methods of the SCIRE Systematic Review. Topics in Spinal Cord Rehabilitation, 13, 1-10.
Asano M, Miller WC, Eng JJ. (2007). Development and psychometric properties of the ambulatory self-confidence questionnaire (ASCQ). Gerontology, 53(6), 373-81.
Mortenson B, Miller WC, Miller-Polgar J. (2007). Measuring wheelchair intervention outcomes: Development of the Wheelchair Outcome Measure (WhOM). Disability and Rehabilitation, 2(5), 275-85.
Bourbonniere MC, Fawcett LM, Miller WC, Garden J, Mortenson WB. (2007). Prevalence and predictors of need for seating intervention and mobility in long-term care. Can J Aging, 26(3), 195-204.
Ashe MC, Eng JJ, Miller WC, Soon J, and the PACC study team. (2007). Disparity between Physical Capacity and Participation in Seniors with Chronic Disease. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(7):1139-46.
Deathe AB, Miller WC. (2005). The “L” test of functional mobility: measurement properties of a modified version of the Timed up and Go test designed for persons with lower limb amputation. Physical Therapy, 85, 626-635.
Mortenson B, Miller WC, Boily J, Desharnais G, Crawford E, Odell L, Elgood B. (2005). Perceptions of power mobility use and safety within residential facilities. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, 142-52.
Miller WC, Deathe AB. A Prospective Study Examining Balance Confidence among Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation. Disability and Rehabilitation. 2004;26:875-881.
Miller WC, Miller F, Trenholm K, Grant D, Goodman K. (2004). Development and preliminary assessment of the measurement properties of the Seating Identification Tool (SIT). Clinical Rehabilitation, 18, 317-25.
