Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

Aaron Thompson MD, MPH, FRCPC

Research Interests

Occupational Disease

Worker’s Compensation

Toxicology

Education & Training History

Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (FRCPC), Occupational Medicine 2009

Master of Public Health (MPH), Harvard School of Public Health 2006

Medical Doctorate (MD), University of Ottawa 2003

Honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc), University of Toronto 1999

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

CHL5004 – Introduction to Public Health Sciences – Course Co-Director – 2013-2016

CHL5905H – Clinical Studies in Occupational Health – Course Co-Director 2011-present

CHL5912H – Industrial Toxicology – Lecturer 2011-present

CHL5920H – Advanced Occupational Hygiene – Lecturer 2011-present

Professional Summary & Appointments

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Director, Occupational Medicine Residency Program, University of Toronto

Staff Physician, Division of Occupational Medicine, St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto

Chief Medical Officer, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

Research Grants

Gignac, Monique A.M. Collaborator(s): Gignac, M.A.M (PI), Jetha, A., Van Eerd, D., Saunders, R., Smith, P., Tompa, E., Irvin, E., MacDermid, J., Breslin, C., Franche, R-L., Thompson, A., Beaton, D. Accommodating and Communicating about Episodic Disabilities (ACED): A Partnership to Deliver Workplace Tools and Resources to Sustain the Employment of People with Chronic, Episodic Conditions. Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)-Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Joint Initiative. Partnership Grants – Healthy and Productive Work. 895-2018-4001. PI:  Shaw, W. 2,330,224 CAD. [Grants]

Eger T, Dickey J, Godwin A, Oliver M, Thompson A, House R. Evaluation of personal protective equipment as a control strategy to reduce foot-transmitted vibration. Ontario Ministry of Labour. 49,861 CAD. [Grants]

Holness DL, Thompson A, House R. Development of Workplace Prescription to facilitate return to work for workers with hand-arm vibration syndrome. AHSC AFP Innovation Fund, 4,700.00 CAD [Grants]

Holness DL, Thompson A. Development of a Workplace Prescription to facilitate return to work for workers with occupational skin disease. AHSC AFP Innovation Fund, 4,850.00 CAD [Grants]

House R, Holness DL, Thompson A. Education to increase to use of ISO approved anti-vibration gloves for patients with HAVS and their co-workers. AHSC AFP Innovation Fund, 4,900.00 CAD [Grants].

Representative Publications

1. Gignac, M.A.M (PI), Jetha, A., Van Eerd, D., Saunders, R., Smith, P., Tompa, E., Irvin, E., MacDermid, J., Breslin, C., Franche, R-L., Thompson, A., Beaton, D., Shaw, W. Disclosure, privacy and workplace accommodation of episodic disabilities: Organizational perspectives on disability communication-support processes to sustain employment. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2020 Feb 1. Manuscript #JOOR-D-19-00183. Impact Factor 2.242.
2. Lari S, Thompson A, Spilchuk V, Afanasyeva M, Holness DL. Patient-centred care in an occupational medicine clinic. Occupational Medicine. 2019 Aug 1;69(6):441-444. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqz092. Impact Factor 1.472 (Trainee publication, Dr. Shaima Lari, Fellow).
3. Spilchuk V, Thompson A. A Case of Chronic Arsenic Poisoning from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 2019 Apr;191(15):424. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.181176. Impact Factor 6.8 (Trainee publication, Occupational Medicine Resident, PGY5).
4. Thompson A, Bayley M, Bain D, Chechulin Y. An Evidence-Based Care Model for Workers with Concussion. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. 2019 Feb 27. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/headtraumarehab/Abstract/publishahead/An_Evidence_Based_Care_Model_for_Workers_With.99434.aspx. Impact Factor 3.4.
5. Poole CJM, Bovenzi M, Nilsson T, Lawson IJ, House R, Thompson A, Youakim S. International consensus criteria for diagnosing and staging hand–arm
   vibration syndrome. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. 2019 Jan(92):117–127. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00420-018-1359-7.
6. Kraut A, Thompson A, Martin S, Siu S. Practice patterns of occupational medicine physicians in Canada. Arch Environ Occup Health. 2017 Apr 13:1-5.
7. Zhong J, Trevisi L, Urch B, Lin X, Speck M, Coull BA, Liss G, Thompson A, Wu S, Wilson A, Koutrakis P, Silverman F, Gold DR, Baccarelli AA. B-vitamin Supplementation Mitigates Effects of Fine Particles on Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction and Inflammation: A Pilot Human Intervention Trial. Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 3;7:45322.
8. Handford M, Lepine K, Boccia K, Ruddick F, Alyeksyeyeva D, Thompson A, Holness DL, Switzer-McIntyre S. Hand-arm vibration syndrome: Workers’ experience with functional impairment and disability. J Hand Ther. 2017 Mar 20 (Trainee publication, Midori Handford, Occupational Therapy Student, University of Toronto).
9. Fralick M, Thomspson A, Mourad O. Lead toxicity from glazed ceramic cookware. CMAJ. 2016 Oct 17. (Published ahead of print). Co-Principal Author.
10. Thompson A, Bain D, Theriault ME. Pre–Post Evaluation of an Integrated Return to Work Planning Program in Workers’ Compensation Assessment Clinics. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM). 2016 Feb;58(2):215-8.
11. Leduc M, House R, Egar T, Thompson A, Holness L. Health and safety training and prevention of hand-arm vibration syndrome through education. Occupational Ergonomics. 2016;13(1):45-51.
12. Kales S, Thompson A. A young woman concerned about mercury. Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 2016;188(2):133-4.
13. Bodley T, Nurmohamed S, Holness DL, House R, Thompson AMS. Health-care barriers for workers with HAVS in Ontario, Canada. Occ Med (Lond). 2015;65(2):154-6 (Trainee publication, Thomas Bodley, Medical Student, University of Toronto).
14. Nurmohamed S, Bodley T, Thompson A, Holness L. Health Care Utilization Characteristics in Patch Test Patients. Dermatitis. 2014;25(5):268-272 (Trainee publication, Sabrina Nurmohamed, Medical Student, University of Toronto).
15. Eger T, Thompson A, Leduc M, Krajnak K, Groggins K, Goodwin A, House R. Vibration induced white-feet: Overview and field study of vibration exposure and reported symptoms in workers. Work. 2013;47(1):101-110.
16. Thompson A, Turcot A, Youakim S, House R. Compensation of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome in Canada. International Journal of Social Security and Workers Compensation. 2012;3(1):21-28.
17. House R, Jiang D, Thompson A, Eger T, Krajnak K, Sauve J, Schweigert M. Vasospasm in the feet in workers assessed for HAVS. Occup Med (Lond). 2011;61:115-120.
18. Thompson A, Zanobetti A, Silverman F, Schwartz J, Coull B, Urch B, Speck M, Brook J, Manno M, Gold DR. Baseline Repeated-Measures from Controlled Human Exposure Studies: Associations between Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Systemic Inflammatory Biomarkers (IL-6, Fibrinogen). Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Jan;118(1):120-4.
19. Thompson AMS, House R, Krajnak K, Eger T. Vibration white foot: a case report. Occup Med (Lond). 2010;60:572-574.
20. Thompson A, House R, Manno M. The sensitivity and specificity of thermometry and plethysmography in the assessment of hand-arm vibration syndrome. Occup Med (Lond). 2008;58:181-186.
21. Thompson A. The consequences of underreporting workers’ compensation claims. CMAJ. 2007 Jan 30;176(3):343-344.
22. Thompson A, House R, Manno M. Assessment of the hand–arm vibration syndrome: thermometry, plethysmography and the Stockholm Workshop Scale. Occup Med (Lond). 2007;57:512-517.
23. Thompson A, House R. Hand–arm vibration syndrome with concomitant arterial thrombosis in the hands. Occup Med (Lond). 2006;56:317-321.
24. Thompson A, Wills M, House R. Rounded atelectasis in an asbestos exposed worker. Occup Med (Lond). 2004;54(7):494-496.