Katherine Pavlik is an Assistant Professor in the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at the University of Kentucky, where she is excited to share her expertise and passion for the PA profession with the next generation of healthcare providers. Born and raised in Lexington, KY, she is happy to return to her hometown to give back to the community that helped shape her journey.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Denison University in 2009 before going on to complete her Master of Physician Assistant Practice (MPAP) at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) in 2013. Her clinical career began in emergency medicine, where she worked from 2013 to 2015 in three different emergency departments in the greater Los Angeles area. She transitioned to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills working in plastic and reconstructive surgery and hand surgery for a year before transferring to Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Institute in Santa Monica. During her ten year tenure at Cedars-Sinai, she gained extensive experience as a surgical first assistant, rounding in the hospital, supporting clinical operations, and taking trauma call. A key highlight of her career at Cedars-Sinai was her involvement in the development and enhancement of their MAKO-plasty robotic-assisted arthroplasty program. The program became one of the strongest of its kind in the country, and it continues to serve as a model of innovation and excellence in orthopedic surgery.

She is deeply passionate about advancing the PA profession, advocating for high-quality patient care, and promoting the value of physician assistants in clinical practice. She is a proud member of the Pi Alpha Physician Assistant National Honor Society, reflecting her commitment to excellence in both education and patient care. She is proficient in medical Spanish, a skill that has proven invaluable in providing culturally competent care to her patients and she looks forward utilizing this skill with her students.

At the University of Kentucky, Katherine is dedicated to fostering a learning environment that encourages intellectual curiosity, compassion, and professional development. Her goal is to prepare future PAs for the complexities of modern healthcare while instilling in them a strong sense of advocacy for patients and the profession.