Michael Gerg

Dr. Michael J. Gerg, DOT, OTR/L, CHT, CEES, CWCE is the Program Director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Harcum College. He is a Board Certified Hand Therapist, Work Capacity Evaluator, and Ergonomics Evaluation Specialist and a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University School of Liberal Arts and the Temple University School of Allied Health Professions. In the past, Dr. Gerg has worked for Magee Rehabilitation, Temple University Hospital, and Valley Health in Winchester, Virginia where he helped to build a successful industrial wellness and ergonomic consulting practice. After beginning his career in mental health, he has gained extensive clinical practice experience in a variety of adult physical disability settings including outpatient hand therapy, acute care, acute rehabilitation, long-term care, and outpatient rehabilitation. He has had full-time academic appointments at Harcum College and Temple University and has been an adjunct faculty member at Shenandoah University in the Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Training programs. His special interests include hand therapy, ergonomic worksite evaluation, legal expert consulting, industrial wellness, injury prevention research and training (primarily back injuries in healthcare workers), and functional capacity evaluation (FCE). His research interests include ergonomics, community access for persons with disabilities, and industrial wellness. He has published research on the ergonomics of text messaging as well as a book chapter on carpal tunnel syndrome.

Dr. Gerg continues to be involved in clinical hand therapy practice in the Philadelphia metropolitan region and successfully owns and operates a small ergonomic consulting and legal expert practice, WorkWell Associates, LLC. Some of his previous and current clients include the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Trex, Inc., Toray Plastics, Kraft Foods, and the Philadelphia Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Philaposh). He has worked extensively with injured and disabled workers of various levels of ability to assist them in pursuing a means of earning a living that is also meaningful and fulfilling. He previously served as the Chairperson of the Work and Industry Special Interest Section of the American Occupational Therapy Association. When not working, he finds biking, hiking, traveling, and freelance travel writing fulfilling.