Dr. Switzer is the Director of the PhD Program in Clinical and Translational Science and teaches graduate students through the Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE). He has extensive training and experience in qualitative and quantitative measurement and the administration of survey-based investigations. Dr. Switzer has trained and mentored many junior investigators in quantitative and qualitative methods and instructs a core ICRE course focused on Measurement in Clinical Research for the Certificate, MS, and PhD programs in clinical and translational science.
Dr. Switzer is an expert regarding the motives and experiences of individuals who join an adult stem-cell donation registry and volunteer to donate to a stranger. In collaboration with the US-based National Marrow Donor Program, UK-based Anthony Nolan Registry, and German-based DKMS, his research group has become internationally known for its findings about registry members' experience at critical points leading to donation, as well as motivations for joining the registry and factors associated with opting-out after having preliminarily matched a patient in need of a transplant. Dr. Switzer has also investigated the donation experience from the donor perspective. Finally, for more than 20 years, he has developed and evaluated clinical and psychosocial research measures and compiled validated measures for research projects across multiple contexts.
- BA, Psychology, McPherson College, 1985
- MA, Social Psychology, Arizona State University, 1989
- PhD, Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1993
- Postdoctoral Studies in Medical Sociology, University of Pittsburgh, 1996
Education & Training
Switzer GE, Bruce JG, Kiefer DM, Kobusingye H, Abebe KZ, Drexler R, Besser RM, Confer DL, Horowitz MM, King RJ, Shaw BE, Riches M, Hayes-Lattin B, Linenberger M, Bolwell B, Rowley SD, Litzow MR, Pulsipher MA. Health-related quality-of-life comparison of adult related and unrelated HSC donors: An RDSafe study. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2020 Dec;26(12):2365-2371.
Wiener L, Hoag JA, Pelletier W, Shah NN, Shaw BE, Pulsipher MA, Bruce J, Bader P, Willasch AM, Dalissier A, Guilcher G, Anthias C, Confer DL, Sees JA, Logan B, Switzer GE. Transplant center practices for psychosocial assessment and management of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell donors. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2019 Nov;54(11):1780-1788.
- Outstanding Research Project, Regional Research Competition, 1985
- Magna Cum Laude, McPherson College, 1985
- Regents’ Fellow, Arizona State University, 1987-1988
- University Fellow, University of Colorado, 1989-1991
- Associate: Center for Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 1993-present
- Dlin/Fischer Clinical Research Award for significant contributions to research, 1999
- Best Publication Award: Sociology of Mental Health Section, American Sociological Association. Handbook on the Sociology of Mental Health Aheshensel C.S. and J.C. Phelan (Eds.), (1999)., 2001
- Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh Institute for Clinical Research Education, 2018
