Dr. John Thomas Wei, M.D., M.S.
Dr. Wei's research work involves Urologic Health Services Research and has been recognized by the American Foundation for Urologic Diseases and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Michigan. Other areas of current research include early detection of prostate cancer, pelvic floor disorders including urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy, evaluation of clinical practice guidelines, quality of life for patients with urologic conditions, racial disparity in prostate cancer, cost-effectiveness and evaluating the utility of PSA screening. He is the site investigator the NIH funded Early Detection Research Network Clinical Epidemiology and Validation Laboratory. Dr. Wei is a lead investigator for the Michigan Cancer Consortium's current initiative on prostate cancer, which evaluated patients' knowledge and understanding of prostate cancer, treatment options, side effects and quality of life issues and developed a decision aid for early stage prostate cancer. He is also the co PI for the NIH funded University of Michigan Pelvic Floor Disorders Network Data Coordinating Center which conducts clinical trials for pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence. Dr. Wei and colleagues expanded the popular Prostate Cancer Index to include items for assessing irritative and hormonal symptoms, now referred to as the Expanded Prostate cancer Index Composite (EPIC).
Dr. Wei teaching activities include working with residents and fellows on developing and implementing clinical research projects. He is also the Associate Director of the NIH funded Clinical Research Training Program (Dr. James Montie, PI). This training grant was initially awarded for the period spanning July 2000 through June 2005 and was recently refunded by the NIH. The goal is to produce investigators with the necessary technical skills so that he/she can initiate an independent research program in clinical urologic research and will have 2 aims:
- to encourage clinical urologists with an interest in research to consider a career in Clinical Research
- to provide outstanding training in the necessary clinical research skills for a future career in academic Urology
