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Geoffrey Colin Williams, M.D., Ph.D.

Geoffrey Colin Williams, M.D., Ph.D.

About Me

Dr. Geoffrey Williams is Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Psychology at URMC. He received his M.D. from Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Williams performed fellowships in Biopsychosocial Medicine and General Internal Medicine prior to receiving his Ph.D. in Health Psychology from ...
Dr. Geoffrey Williams is Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Psychology at URMC. He received his M.D. from Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Williams performed fellowships in Biopsychosocial Medicine and General Internal Medicine prior to receiving his Ph.D. in Health Psychology from URMC. He is currently performing research on health related motivation, tobacco dependence treatment and other difficult to change health behaviors. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, and also in Clinical Lipidology.

Faculty Appointments

Professor Emeritus - Department of Medicine, General Medicine (SMD)

Credentials

Education

PhD | Univ Rochester Sch Med/Dent. Psychology. 1993

MD | Wayne State Univ Sch Medicine. Medicine. 1983

BS | Wayne State University. Chemistry. 1979

Awards

George Engel Award for outstanding Research Contribution to the Theory, Practice and Teaching of Effective Health Care Communica. 2002

Great American Smokeout Award. 2000

Howard A Donnelly Award. 1979

American Chemical Society - Chemistry Award. 1979

Academic Scholarship. 1975 - 1979

Publications

Journal Articles

Correspondence of the NCI Fruit and Vegetable Screener to repeat 24-H recalls and serum carotenoids in behavioral intervention trials.

Greene GW, Resnicow K, Thompson FE, Peterson KE, Hurley TG, Hebert JR, Toobert DJ, Williams GC, Elliot DL, Goldman Sher T, Domas A, Midthune D, Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M, Yaroch AL, Nebeling L

The Journal of nutrition.. 2008 January 138 (1):200S-204S. Epub 1900 01 01.

Use of signal detection methodology to identify subgroups of dietary supplement use in diverse populations.

Davis RE, Resnicow K, Atienza AA, Peterson KE, Domas A, Hunt A, Hurley TG, Yaroch AL, Greene GW, Goldman Sher T, Williams GC, Hebert JR, Nebeling L, Thompson FE, Toobert DJ, Elliot DL, DeFrancesco C, Costello RB

The Journal of nutrition.. 2008 January 138 (1):205S-211S. Epub 1900 01 01.

Accuracy and precision of two short screeners to assess change in fruit and vegetable consumption among diverse populations participating in health promotion intervention trials.

Peterson KE, Hebert JR, Hurley TG, Resnicow K, Thompson FE, Greene GW, Shaikh AR, Yaroch AL, Williams GC, Salkeld J, Toobert DJ, Domas A, Elliot DL, Hardin J, Nebeling L

The Journal of nutrition.. 2008 January 138 (1):218S-225S. Epub 1900 01 01.

Self-determination theory, motivational interviewing, and the treatment of clients with acute suicidal ideation.

Britton PC, Williams GC, Conner KR

Journal of clinical psychology.. 2008 January 64 (1):52-66. Epub 1900 01 01.

Evaluation of a short dietary assessment instrument for percentage energy from fat in an intervention study

Thompson Fe, Midthune D, Williams GC, Yaroch AL, Hurley TG, Resnicow K, Hebert JR, Toobert DJ, Greene GW, et al.

J Nutrition. 2008; 138(1): 193S-199S.

Performance of a short percentage energy from fat tool in measuring change in dietary intervention studies

Williams GC, Hurley TG Thompson FE, Midthune D, Yaroch AL, Resnicow K, Toobert DJ, Greene GW, Peterson KE, et al.

J Nutrition. 2008; 138(1): 212S-217S.

Baseline design elements and sample characteristics for seven sites participating in the Nutrition Working Group of the Behavioral Change Consortium

Yaroch AL, Nebeling L, Thompson FE, Hurley TG, Hebert JR, Toobert DJ, Resnicow K, Greene GW, Williams GC, Elliot DL, Goldman Sher T, Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M, Salkeld J, rossi S, domas A, Mcgregor H, Defrancesco C, Mccarty F, Costello RB, Peterson KE.

J Nutrition. 2008; 138(1): 185S-192S.

Social desirability trait influences on self-reported dietary measures among diverse participants in a multicenter multiple risk factor trial

Hebert JR, Hurley TG, Peterson KE, Resnicow K, Thompson FE, Yaroch AL, Ehlers M, Midthune D, Williams GC, Greene GW, Nebeling L.

J Nutrition. 2008; 138(1): 226S-234S.

Clinician-patient communication about physical activity in an underserved population

Carroll JK; Fiscella K; Meldrum SC; Williams GC; Jean-Pierre P; Morrow GM; Epstein RM.

Journal of American Board of Family Medicine. 2008; 21(2): 118-27.

Self-Determination in Medical Education: Encouraging Medical Educators and Physicians to be more like Blues Artists and Poets.

Patrick, H., Williams, G.C.

Unpublished manuscript University of Rochester. 2008; .

Computer-assisted intervention improves patient-centered diabetes care by increasing autonomy support.

Williams GC, Lynch M, Glasgow RE

Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.. 2007 November 26 (6):728-734. Epub 1900 01 01.

Validating the theoretical structure of the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ) across three different health behaviors.

Levesque CS, Williams GC, Elliot D, Pickering MA, Bodenhamer B, Finley PJ

Health education research.. 2007 October 22 (5):691-702. Epub 11/30/2006.

A qualitative study of a nutrition working group.

Greene GW, Nebeling LC, Greaney ML, Lindsay AC, Hardwick CK, Toobert DJ, Resnicow K, Williams GC, Elliot DL, Goldman Sher T, McGregor HA, Domas A, DeFrancesco CA, Peterson KE

Health promotion practice.. 2007 July 8 (3):299-306. Epub 05/23/2007.

Introducing equating methodologies to compare test scores from two different self-regulation scales

Masse LC, Allen D, Wilson M, Williams GC.

Health Education Research. 2007; 21(Supp 1): i110-i120.

Integrative nonpharmacologic behavioral interventions for the management of cancer-related fatigue.

Mustian KM, Morrow GR, Carroll JK, Figueroa-Moseley CD, Jean-Pierre P, Williams GC

The oncologist.. 2007 12 Suppl 1 :52-67. Epub 1900 01 01.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among patients receiving clozapine.

Lamberti JS, Olson D, Crilly JF, Olivares T, Williams GC, Tu X, Tang W, Wiener K, Dvorin S, Dietz MB

The American journal of psychiatry.. 2006 July 163 (7):1273-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Testing a self-determination theory intervention for motivating tobacco cessation: supporting autonomy and competence in a clinical trial.

Williams GC, McGregor HA, Sharp D, Levesque C, Kouides RW, Ryan RM, Deci EL

Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.. 2006 January 25 (1):91-101. Epub 1900 01 01.

Validation of the Important Other Climate Questionnaire

Williams, G.C.; Lynch, M.; McGregor, H.; Ryan, R.M.; Sharp, D.S.; Deci, E.L.

Families, Systems & Health. 2006; 24(2): 179-194.

A Self-determination Multiple Risk Intervention Trial to Improve Smokers Health

Williams, G.C.; McGregor, H.A.; Sharp, D.S.; Kouides, R.; Levesque, C.S.; Ryan, R.M.; Deci, E.L.

Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2006; 21(12): 1288-94.

Emergency physicians' fear of malpractice in evaluating patients with possible acute cardiac ischemia.

Katz DA, Williams GC, Brown RL, Aufderheide TP, Bogner M, Rahko PS, Selker HP

Annals of emergency medicine.. 2005 December 46 (6):525-33. Epub 07/14/2005.

Measuring tobacco dependence treatment outcomes: a perspective from the behavior change consortium.

Williams GC, McGregor H, Borrelli B, Jordan PJ, Strecher VJ

Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.. 2005 April 29 Suppl :11-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Physical activity staging distribution: establishing a heuristic using multiple studies.

Nigg C, Hellsten L, Norman G, Braun L, Breger R, Burbank P, Coday M, Elliot D, Garber C, Greaney M, Keteyian S, Lees F, Matthews C, Moe E, Resnick B, Riebe D, Rossi J, Toobert D, Wang T, Welk G, Williams G

Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.. 2005 April 29 Suppl :35-45. Epub 1900 01 01.

Promoting glycemic control through diabetes self-management: Evaluating a patient activation intervention

Williams, GC; McGregor, HA; Zeldman, A; Freedman, ZR; Elder, D; and Deci, EL.

Patient Education & Counseling. 2005; 56(1): 28-34.

Variation in perceived competence, glycemic control, and patient satisfaction: Relationship to autonomy support from physicians

Williams, GC; McGregor, HA; King, D; Nelson, CC; and Glasgow, RE.

Patient Education & Counseling. 2005; 57(1): 39-45.

Evidence-based behavior change curriculum for the Ambulatory Clerkship: The Double Helix

Williams, GC; Markakis, KM; Ossip-Klein, D; McIntosh, S; Tripler, S; Grady-Weliky, T.

Health Education. 2005; 105(2): 145-153.

Its time practitioners help families clear the air of second hand smoke

Williams, GC.

Families, Systems & Health. 2005; 23(1): 25-29.

Second hand smoke (SHS) deserves more than second hand attention: Modifying the 5 As to reduce exposure

Williams, GC; Williams, SA; Korn, RJ.

Families, Systems & Health. 2005; 23(3): 266-277.

The value of diagnostic information to patients with chest pain suggestive of coronary artery disease.

Mushlin AI, Kern LM, Paris M, Lambert DR, Williams G

Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making.. 2005 25 (2):149-57. Epub 1900 01 01.

Testing a self-determination theory process model for promoting glycemic control through diabetes self-management.

Williams GC, McGregor HA, Zeldman A, Freedman ZR, Deci EL

Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.. 2004 January 23 (1):58-66. Epub 1900 01 01.

Physician autonomy, paternalism, and professionalism: Finding our voice amid conflicting duties

Williams, GC; and Quill, TE.

Virtual Mentor. 2004; .

Health care practitioners' motivation for tobacco-dependence counseling.

Williams GC, Levesque C, Zeldman A, Wright S, Deci EL

Health education research.. 2003 October 18 (5):538-53. Epub 1900 01 01.

Actualizing Gadow's moral framework for nursing through research.

Minicucci DS, Schmitt MH, Dombeck MT, Williams GC

Nursing philosophy : an international journal for healthcare professionals.. 2003 July 4 (2):92-103. Epub 1900 01 01.

Reconciling humanistic ideals and scientific clinical practice

Sheldon, KM; Joiner, T; Pettit, J; and Williams, G.

Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice. 2003; : 302-315.

The integration of self-determination principles and scientifically-informed treatments is the next tier

Sheldon, KM; Joiner, T; Pettit, J; and Williams, G.

Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice. 2003; : 318-319.

You can pay me now, or you can pay me later

Williams, GC.

Virtual Mentor. 2003; .

Response to Connelly. First at the Gates of Fire: can there be any survivors?

Williams GC

Health education research.. 2002 December 17 (6):700-3; author reply 704-5. Epub 1900 01 01.

Self-determination, smoking, diet and health.

Williams GC, Minicucci DS, Kouides RW, Levesque CS, Chirkov VI, Ryan RM, Deci EL

Health education research.. 2002 October 17 (5):512-21. Epub 1900 01 01.

Patient-centered diabetes self-management education.

Williams GC, Zeldman A

Current diabetes reports.. 2002 April 2 (2):145-52. Epub 1900 01 01.

Facilitating autonomous motivation for smoking cessation.

Williams GC, Gagné M, Ryan RM, Deci EL

Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.. 2002 January 21 (1):40-50. Epub 1900 01 01.

Activating patients for smoking cessation through physician autonomy support.

Williams GC, Deci EL

Medical care.. 2001 August 39 (8):813-23. Epub 1900 01 01.

Why do physicians vary so widely in their referral rates?

Franks P, Williams GC, Zwanziger J, Mooney C, Sorbero M

Journal of general internal medicine.. 2000 March 15 (3):163-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Risk aversion and costs: a comparison of family physicians and general internists.

Fiscella K, Franks P, Zwanziger J, Mooney C, Sorbero M, Williams GC

The Journal of family practice.. 2000 January 49 (1):12-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Research on relationship-centered care and health-care outcomes from the Rochester Biopsychosocial Program: A self-determination theory integration

Williams, GC; Frankel, RM; Campbell, TL; and Deci, EL.

Families, Systems & Health. 2000; : 79-90.

Extrinsic life goals and health risk behaviors in adolescents

Williams, GC; Cox, EM; Hedberg, VA,; and Deci, EL.

Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 2000; : 1756-1771.

Presenting the facts about smoking to adolescents: effects of an autonomy-supportive style.

Williams GC, Cox EM, Kouides R, Deci EL

Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.. 1999 September 153 (9):959-64. Epub 1900 01 01.

The importance of self-determination theory for medical education.

Williams GC, Saizow RB, Ryan RM

Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.. 1999 September 74 (9):992-5. Epub 1900 01 01.

Supporting autonomy to motivate patients with diabetes for glucose control.

Williams GC, Freedman ZR, Deci EL

Diabetes care.. 1998 October 21 (10):1644-51. Epub 1900 01 01.

The importance of supporting autonomy in medical education.

Williams GC, Deci EL

Annals of internal medicine.. 1998 August 15129 (4):303-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Autonomous regulation and adherence to long-term medical regimens in adult outpatients

Williams, GC; Rodin, GC; Ryan, RM; Grolnick, WS; and Deci, EL.

Health Paychology. 1998; 17(3): 269-276.

Motivation underlying career choice for internal medicine and surgery

Williams, GC; Saizow, RD; Ross, L; Deci, EL.

Social Science & Medicine. 1997; 45(11): 1705-1713.

Longitudinal clinics for medical students.

Saizow RB, Williams G, Duffy FD

Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.. 1996 May 71 (5):546-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Motivational predictors of weight loss & weight loss maintenance

Williams, GC; Grow, VM; Freedman, Z; Ryan, RM; and Deci, EL.

Journal of Personality & Social Psychology. 1996; : 115-126.

Need satisfaction and the self-regulation of learning

Deci, EL; Ryan, RM; and Williams, GC.

Learning & Individual Differences. 1996; 8(3): 165-183.

Internalization of biopsychosocial values by medical students: A test of self-determination theory

Williams, GC; and Deci, EL.

Journal of Personality & Social Psychology. 1996; 70(4): 767-779.

Medical students' motivation for internal medicine.

Williams GC, Wiener MW, Markakis KM, Reeve J, Deci EL

Journal of general internal medicine.. 1994 June 9 (6):327-33. Epub 1900 01 01.

Primary care of patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. The physician's perspective.

Epstein RM, Christie M, Frankel R, Rousseau S, Shields C, Williams G, Suchman AL

Archives of family medicine.. 1993 February 2 (2):159-67. Epub 1900 01 01.

"The facts concerning the recent carnival of smoking in Connecticut" and elsewhere.

Williams GC, Quill TE, Deci EL, Ryan RM

Annals of internal medicine.. 1991 July 1115 (1):59-63. Epub 1900 01 01.

A Self-Determination Process Model of Physical Activity Adoption in the Cotnext of a Randomized Controlled Trial Psychology of Sport & Exercise

Fortier, M.S.; Sweet, S.; OSullivan, T.L.; Williams, G.C.

Psychology of Sport & Exercise. .

Carroll, J.; Fiscella, K.; Epstein, R.; Jean-Pierre, P.,; Figueroa-Moseley, C.; Williams, G. ; Mustian, K.; Morrow, G.R.

Physical activity interventions targeting underserved

College women: History of Childhood abuse and its relationship to smoking

Figueroa-Moseley, C.; Abramson, J.M.; Williams, G.

Violence Against Women. .

Facilitating Health Behavior Change and its Maintenance: Interventions Based on Self-Determination Theory

Ryan RM; Patrick H; Deci EL; Williams GC.

EJHP. .

Books

Self-Determination Theory Process Models for Health Behavior Change: Application (2008)

Authors: Fortier MS, Williams GC, Sweet SN, Patrick H

Publisher: Under Review 2008

Self-Determination Theory in the Clinic: Motivating Physical and Mental Health (2003)

Authors: Sheldon, K; Williams, G; and Joiner, T

Publisher: Yale University Press, New Haven, CT 2003

The Biopsychosocial Approach: Past, Present, Future (2003)

Authors: Williams, GC

Publisher: University of Rochester Press, Rochester, NY 2003

The Science of the Art of Medicine: Research on the Biopsychosocial Model of Hea (2003)

Authors: Williams, GC; Frankel, RM; Campbell, TL; and Deci, EL

Publisher: unknown 2003

Clinical Practice and the Biopsychosocial Approach (2003)

Authors: Epstein, RM; Morse, DS; Williams, GC; LeRoux, P; Suchman, AL; and Quill, TE

Publisher: unknown 2003

Handbook of Self-Determination Research (2002)

Chapter: Improving patients health through supporting the autonomy of patients and providers

Authors: Williams, GC

Publisher: University of Rochester Press, Rochester, New York 2002

Primary Care (1999)

Chapter: Patients with alcohol problems in primary care: Understanding their resistance and motivating change

Authors: Botelho, RJ; Skinner, HAS; Williams, GC; Wilson, D

Publisher: WB Saunders, New York, NY 1999

Partnerships in Healthcare: Transforming Relational Process (1998)

Chapter: Building Healthcare Partnerships by Supporting Autonomy: Promoting Maintained Behavior Change and Positive Healthcare Outcomes

Authors: Williams, GC; Deci, EL; Ryan, RM

Publisher: University of Rochester Press, Rochester, New York 1998

Standards document on medical interviewing and psychosocial medicine (1992)

Authors: Levinson, W; Kaplan, C; Williams, GC; Clark, W; Lipkin, M Jr; and Williamson, P

Publisher: American Academy on Physician and Patient, Rochester, New York 1992

Locations

2613 W Henrietta Rd
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(585) 279-4999 Get Directions

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(585) 530-2050 Get Directions
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2400 S Clinton Ave, Bldg G, 1st Floor
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(585) 341-7700 Get Directions
Strong Memorial Hospital

601 Elmwood Ave, AC-5
Rochester, NY 14642-0001

(585) 275-7424 Get Directions
Wilmot Cancer Institute

601 Elmwood Ave
Rochester, NY 14642-0001

(585) 275-5823 Get Directions