About Dr. Jason E. Cook, DPT, PhD, PCS
Dr. Jason E. Cook is a physical therapist, educator, and researcher dedicated to integrating technology with human-centered care.
🧠His Journey
Dr. Cook began his academic journey at Drake University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He went on to receive both his Master of Science and Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees from Des Moines University. Motivated by a passion to better understand the lived experience of patients, he earned a PhD from Nova Southeastern University, with a research focus on evaluating pain, distress, comfort, and well-being in individuals with cerebral palsy using phenomenological and mixed-methods designs.
He currently serves as a core faculty member in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Tufts University School of Medicine, where he teaches and conducts research in pediatric and neurologic physical therapy. In addition to his academic role, Dr. Cook continues to practice clinically at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, specializing in pediatric care.
🌱 His Work
Dr. Cook’s work centers on enhancing the quality of life for individuals with complex neuromotor impairments. He is particularly focused on embedding empathy within care delivery and developing innovative educational tools to train the next generation of healthcare professionals.
As a board-certified pediatric clinical specialist, Dr. Cook served two terms on the board of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy as the Director of Membership, Communications, and PR.
He now leads the development of the Qualitative Research Toolkit, a growing resource for faculty and researchers aiming to apply rigorous qualitative and mixed-methods approaches within physical therapy and health science education.
đź” His Vision
Dr. Cook is the founder of the Existence Initiative, a project that bridges the gap between lived experience and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. His vision is to create scalable, ethically grounded tools that improve communication, empathy, and decision-making in clinical and educational settings. Working alongside experts across disciplines, Dr. Cook is laying the foundation for AI solutions that serve human learning and care without sacrificing nuance, integrity, or emotional truth.
🤝 Why It Matters
At the heart of Dr. Cook’s work is a deep commitment to humanizing healthcare through research and design. He believes that technology can and should be built from the ground up using qualitative insights that reflect the real experiences of individuals and families. Through the Existence Initiative, he is striving to construct a new model for interdisciplinary collaboration—one that centers lived experience and upholds the highest standards of methodological rigor.
For more information about Dr. Cook’s work and the Existence Initiative, please visit existenceinitiative.org.