Kirsten Eom, PhD, Appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Administration
The University of Texas at San Antonio School of Public Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Kirsten Y. Eom, PhD, MPH, as an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Administration.
Eom is a distinguished health services researcher dedicated to improving cancer care delivery and advancing health access through rigorous policy evaluation and applied research. Her work focuses on understanding how individual, community, and system-level factors influence access to care, the quality of treatment, and outcomes for individuals diagnosed with cancer and their families. She earned her PhD in Health Services Research and Policy from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and her Master of Public Health from Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School. Before joining the UT San Antonio School of Public Health, Eom completed postdoctoral training at Case Western Reserve University and served as a Program Officer at the National Cancer Institute.
Eom’s research portfolio integrates quantitative and qualitative methods, drawing on large-scale data sources such as cancer registries, administrative claims, and electronic health records to examine disparities in cancer screening and care. She has led evaluations of hospital- and community-based breast and cervical cancer screening programs for Hispanic and low-income women and investigated colorectal cancer screening patterns among Medicaid enrollees. Furthermore, her policy-focused research analyzes the effects of health insurance design and major legislation—including the Affordable Care Act—on cancer diagnosis and treatment.
In her new role, Eom will continue her vital work bridging the gap between research and practice. She is committed to mentoring the next generation of health policy researchers and equipping them with the skills to evaluate and strengthen the healthcare delivery system.