CHS Instructor Wins 2026 AUPHA Doctoral Essay Contest

By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Katherine Woods, an instructor in Clinical Leadership and Management (CLM) in the College of Health Sciences, has been awarded first place in the 2026 Doctoral Essay Contest hosted by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.

Woods, who is pursuing her Doctor of Health Administration at the Medical University of South Carolina, earned the top honor for research examining the adoption of artificial intelligence-assisted provider documentation in ambulatory family medicine settings.

Her work combines utilization data and provider perspectives to better understand the human, technical and organizational factors shaping how AI tools are integrated into everyday care. The paper also explores how these findings can inform higher education as academic programs adapt to prepare future healthcare leaders for an evolving, technology-driven landscape.

“I was genuinely thrilled,” Woods said of learning she had won. “Research takes time and heart, and having my work recognized in such a meaningful way is truly an honor.”

Originally from Pineville, Woods now lives in Lexington and has taught at the University of Kentucky since January 2022. She said her passion for teaching was shaped by her undergraduate experience at Eastern Kentucky University, where faculty mentorship inspired her to contribute to higher education as an adjunct instructor.

In addition to her academic role designing and delivering course curricula in CLM, Woods serves as an IT Project Management Office Delivery Manager at Nordic Global Consulting, where she provides strategic oversight for large-scale IT initiatives Bon Secours Mercy Health and Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Her previous experience includes leadership roles with the Kentucky Health Information Management Association and the Bluegrass Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, as well as consulting work for HealthTech Solutions, underscoring a career centered on project management, health informatics, and healthcare operations. Woods holds a Master of Science in Health Informatics from Northern Kentucky University and a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from Eastern Kentucky University.

Woods said she is particularly grateful for the training she received in qualitative research methods in her current doctoral studies at MUSC, which helped inform her award-winning work, and emphasized the importance of incorporating provider perspectives as AI continues to expand in healthcare delivery.

“As AI becomes more embedded in care delivery, it is essential that provider voices guide how these tools evolve,” she said.

The annual AUPHA contest recognizes outstanding doctoral student scholarship in health administration. Woods and other winners are expected to be recognized at the 2026 AUPHA Annual Meeting in June, where they will also present their work.

Woods said she plans to continue contributing to healthcare innovation through practice and research, with a focus on improving health information technology, care delivery and policy. She also plans to continue teaching and mentoring future healthcare leaders, with the long‑term goal of expanding her role in academia. 

“Teaching in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky has been such a wonderful experience,” Woods said. “Being in the classroom with our students is truly one of the highlights of my week.”