Jason Peeler, PhD, Certified Athletic Therapist

Dr. Peeler is a gross anatomist and Certified Athletic Therapist – CAT(C), who specializes in teaching musculoskeletal (MSK) anatomy and clinical concepts related to MSK medicine and rehabilitation. Since 2011, he has served as the medical program’s pre-clerkship course director for MSK medicine, being the first non-physician to hold such a position at the university. He also teaches across a broad spectrum of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate health science programs, including medicine, physical therapy, biomedical engineering, and kinesiology. His teaching contributions have resulted in more than 35 teaching award nominations over the past decade, as well as a University Merit Award for Teaching (2012), a Best Med I Course Award (2017), a Med I Award for Teaching Innovation (2020) and most recently the 2021 Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching – presented to a UM educator who has demonstrated continued teaching excellence and who has made ongoing and significant contributions to advancing teaching and learning at both UM and at the national/international level.

In support of his musculoskeletal research, Dr. Peeler holds appointment in the College of Rehabilitative Sciences and the Faculty of Kinesiology, and works as a research affiliate with the Manitoba Centre on Aging and the Children’s Hospital Research Institute. These collaborations have allowed him to undertake studies designed to examine the role that exercise plays in the management and progression of pathologies of the knee such as ACL rupture and knee osteoarthritis. As an educational scholar, his research is focused on exploring how curricular design and different teaching and learning activities (TLAs) influence academic performance and student’s perceptions of learning across the health sciences. He is also a co-author of the internationally recognized Sobotta - Clinical Atlas of Human Anatomy textbook. To date, Dr. Peeler has served as a research mentor for four PhD students, 19 master’s students and 17 undergraduate students.

Dr. Peeler also possesses a wealth of musculoskeletal injury assessment and rehabilitation experience from working as a Certified Athletic Therapist in high performance sport. He previously worked as the head therapist for varsity sport at the University of Saskatchewan, served as a director of sports medicine and science services within the Canadian Olympic Association, and has been selected to serve as a member of Canadian medical teams for the Commonwealth Games (1998, 2010), Pan American Games (1999, 2007), World Student University Games (2001) and Canada Winter Games (1995, 2007). 

Education

• PhD (human anatomy and cell science), University of Manitoba (2005)

  Master of Science (kinesiology and recreation management), University of Manitoba (1995)

  Athletic therapy certification – Certified Athletic Therapist CAT(C), Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (1992)

  Bachelor of Physical Education (athletic therapy), University of Manitoba (1990)

Awards

• University of Manitoba Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Suanderson Award for Excellence in Teaching (2021)
• Max Rady College of Medicine Med I Award for Teaching Innovation (2020)
• Max Rady College of Medicine Med I Best Course Award: Musculoskeletal (2018)
• UM Merit Award for Teaching (2012)
• United States Bone and Joint Initiative Research Fellow (2012)
• UM Centre on Aging Research Fellowship Award (2010)

Google Scholar profile

Visit Jason Peeler's Google Scholar profile for a complete listing.

Jason Peeler's profile