Christopher Ruser, MD

he/him/his

Professor of Medicine (General Medicine)

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Appointments

General Internal Medicine

Primary

Additional Titles

Chief of Primary Care, Primary Care, VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Co-Chair, National PACT Directive Revision Committee, Office of VHA Primary Care

Co-Chair, National PACT Optimization Sub-Council, Office of VHA Primary Care

Founder and Director, West Haven VA's Multi-disciplinary Weight Management Program, VACT MOVE Director

Contact Info

203.464.7428

General Internal Medicine

11-ACSL 950 Campbell Avenue

West Haven , CT 06516

United States

About

Titles

Professor of Medicine (General Medicine)

Positions outside Yale

Chief of Primary Care, Primary Care, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; Co-Chair, National PACT Directive Revision Committee, Office of VHA Primary Care; Co-Chair, National PACT Optimization Sub-Council, Office of VHA Primary Care; Founder and Director, West Haven VA's Multi-disciplinary Weight Management Program, VACT MOVE Director

Biography

Dr. Ruser received his MD from Cornell University Medical School and then completed internal medicine residency at Yale. He served as a front-line clinician educator based at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System's West Haven campus where he developed an academic interest in clinical obesity management and leadership. From 2010 to 2020, Dr. Ruser served as the Chief of Primary Care for VACT where he sought to evolve the primary care system towards the medical home model with a focus on robust access to care, team-based care, and excellence in quality outcomes. Dr. Ruser now serves as the Associate Chief of Medicine for VACT.

Last Updated on February 01, 2024.

Appointments

General Internal Medicine
Professor
Primary
General Internal Medicine

Education & Training

Resident: Yale University (2001)

Intern: Yale University (2000)

MD: Cornell University Medical College (1998)

BA: Cornell University (1994)

Research

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Christopher Ruser's published research.

Joseph Lucien Goulet, PhD, MS
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View 6 Common Publications
Robin Masheb, PhD
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View 5 Common Publications
Robert Kerns, PhD
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Eugenia Buta, PhD
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View 3 Common Publications
Juliette Fromm Spelman, MD, BS
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Lori Bastian, MD, MPH
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View 3 Common Publications

Publications

2026

Weight and Eating Quality-of-Life (WE-QOL): Further Validation of a Brief Patient-Reported Outcome Measure in US Military Veterans
Masheb R, Snow J, Buta E, Raffa S, Lawless M, Ruser C, Resnick S. Weight and Eating Quality-of-Life (WE-QOL): Further Validation of a Brief Patient-Reported Outcome Measure in US Military Veterans. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2026, 1-3. PMID: 42225878, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-026-10541-0.
Commentaries, Editorials and Letters

2025

Randomized Controlled Trial of Weight Management Versus Weight Management With Concurrent Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy for Binge‐Eating Disorder in US Veterans With High Weight
Masheb R, Buta E, Snow J, Munro L, Lawless M, Abel E, McWain N, Marsh A, Cary A, Grilo C, Raffa S, Ruser C. Randomized Controlled Trial of Weight Management Versus Weight Management With Concurrent Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy for Binge‐Eating Disorder in US Veterans With High Weight. International Journal Of Eating Disorders 2025, 58: 1777-1792. PMID: 40485646, DOI: 10.1002/eat.24476.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Impact of the Kidney Score Platform on Communication About and Patients’ Engagement With Chronic Kidney Disease Health: Pre–Post Intervention Study
Tuot D, Crowley S, Katz L, Leung J, Alcantara-Cadillo D, Ruser C, Talbot-Montgomery E, Vassalotti J. Impact of the Kidney Score Platform on Communication About and Patients’ Engagement With Chronic Kidney Disease Health: Pre–Post Intervention Study. JMIR Formative Research 2025, 9: e56855. PMID: 40300154, PMCID: PMC12054969, DOI: 10.2196/56855.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords

2024

Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening via Mailed Fecal Immunochemical Testing in a Veterans Affairs Health System.
Xu J, Kravetz J, Spelman J, Roy K, Lilly V, Cosentino D, Ruser C. Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening via Mailed Fecal Immunochemical Testing in a Veterans Affairs Health System. Federal Practitioner 2024, 41: s39-s42. PMID: 39411394, PMCID: PMC11473113, DOI: 10.12788/fp.0496.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

2023

Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Weight and Eating Quality of Life (WE-QOL) Scale in US Military Veterans
Masheb R, Snow J, Fenn L, Antoniadis N, Raffa S, Ruser C, Buta E. Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Weight and Eating Quality of Life (WE-QOL) Scale in US Military Veterans. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2023, 38: 2076-2081. PMID: 36973571, PMCID: PMC10361921, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08132-4.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Racial, Ethnic, and Rural Disparities in U.S. Veteran COVID-19 Vaccine Rates
Bernstein E, DeRycke E, Han L, Farmer M, Bastian L, Bean-Mayberry B, Bade B, Brandt C, Crothers K, Skanderson M, Ruser C, Spelman J, Bazan I, Justice A, Rentsch C, Akgün K. Racial, Ethnic, and Rural Disparities in U.S. Veteran COVID-19 Vaccine Rates. AJPM Focus 2023, 2: 100094. PMID: 37362395, PMCID: PMC10038675, DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2023.100094.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

2022

The Effect of Primary Care Visits on Total Patient Care Cost: Evidence From the Veterans Health Administration
Gao J, Moran E, Grimm R, Toporek A, Ruser C. The Effect of Primary Care Visits on Total Patient Care Cost: Evidence From the Veterans Health Administration. Journal Of Primary Care & Community Health 2022, 13: 21501319221141792. PMID: 36564889, PMCID: PMC9793026, DOI: 10.1177/21501319221141792.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords

2021

ICD-10 Coding of Musculoskeletal Conditions in the Veterans Health Administration
Coleman BC, Goulet JL, Higgins DM, Bathulapalli H, Kawecki T, Ruser CB, Bastian LA, Martino S, Piette JD, Edmond SN, Heapy AA. ICD-10 Coding of Musculoskeletal Conditions in the Veterans Health Administration. Pain Medicine 2021, 22: 2597-2603. PMID: 33944953, PMCID: PMC8783617, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnab161.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords

2020

Associations between adverse childhood experiences and weight, weight control behaviors and quality of life in Veterans seeking weight management services
Masheb RM, Sala M, Marsh AG, Snow JL, Kutz AM, Ruser CB. Associations between adverse childhood experiences and weight, weight control behaviors and quality of life in Veterans seeking weight management services. Eating Behaviors 2020, 40: 101461. PMID: 33352386, DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101461.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
The Kidney Score Platform for Patient and Clinician Awareness, Communication, and Management of Kidney Disease: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study
Tuot DS, Crowley ST, Katz LA, Leung J, Alcantara-Cadillo DK, Ruser C, Talbot-Montgomery E, Vassalotti JA. The Kidney Score Platform for Patient and Clinician Awareness, Communication, and Management of Kidney Disease: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Research Protocols 2020, 9: e22024. PMID: 33074162, PMCID: PMC7605977, DOI: 10.2196/22024.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

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ORCID
0000-0001-5439-9959

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

Activities

activity
National VA Obesity Guidelines
2009 - PresentJournal ServiceReviewer
activity
Journal of General Internal Medicine
2006 - PresentJournal ServiceReviewer
activity
Internal Medicine Chief Resident Selection Committee
2013 - PresentCommitteesMember
activity
Ambulatory Education Steering Committee
2010 - PresentCommitteesMember
activity
Intern Selection Committee
2008 - PresentCommitteesMember

View full list of activities

Honors

honor
2021 Coin from Secretary of the VA (Wilke)
03/01/2021National AwardVeteran's Health Administration
Details
honor
Asghar Rastegar Teaching Award
05/15/2005Yale School of Medicine Award
Details
honor
Stephen Shell Memorial House-staff Award
05/20/2001Yale School of Medicine Award
Details
honor
Joan Severino Parisi Prize in Internal Medicine
05/17/1998Other Award
Details

News

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Get In Touch

Contacts

Mobile Phone Number

203.464.7428

Mailing Address

General Internal Medicine

11-ACSL 950 Campbell Avenue

West Haven , CT 06516

United States

Appointments

Additional Titles

Contact Info

Titles

Positions outside Yale

Biography

Appointments

General Internal Medicine

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Joseph Lucien Goulet, PhD, MS

Robin Masheb, PhD

Robert Kerns, PhD

Eugenia Buta, PhD

Juliette Fromm Spelman, MD, BS

Lori Bastian, MD, MPH

Publications

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

ORCID

Activities

National VA Obesity Guidelines

Journal of General Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine Chief Resident Selection Committee

Ambulatory Education Steering Committee

Intern Selection Committee

Honors

2021 Coin from Secretary of the VA (Wilke)

Asghar Rastegar Teaching Award

Stephen Shell Memorial House-staff Award

Joan Severino Parisi Prize in Internal Medicine

News

Review: Evaluation of Impact of Behavioral Weight Management Interventions on Eating Disorder Symptoms

Serving Those Who Served: For Many Yale Physicians, Veteran Care Has Become a Mission

Daniel Federman, Renowned Veteran Care Advocate, to Retire

Randomized Controlled Trial of Weight Management Versus Weight Management With Concurrent Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Binge-Eating Disorder in U.S. Veterans With High Weight

Contacts