Carissa W. Tomas

Carissa W. Tomas, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology & Social Sciences at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). She serves as the Deputy Director of the Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics in the Comprehensive Injury Center and as the Statistical Director for the MCW Public Health and Community PhD program.

Dr. Tomas earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her research bridges neuroscience, epidemiology, and data science to understand the complex dynamics of post-trauma outcomes.

Dr. Tomas specializes in applying complex statistical approaches and machine learning techniques to large-scale datasets. Her research focuses on:

• Understanding mental health outcomes after traumatic injury
• Examining the impact of social and environmental factors on health
• Investigating racial disparities in trauma recovery
• Analyzing geospatial patterns of injury and health outcomes
• Applying advanced data science methods to "big-data" sources across disciplines

Analysis of Dr. Tomas's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on trauma-related mental health outcomes, particularly PTSD and depression. Her work frequently examines how social determinants of health, including racial discrimination and area deprivation, impact recovery trajectories. She employs advanced statistical and machine learning approaches across multiple large datasets and collaborates with major research consortia like ENIGMA. A significant portion of her research focuses on health disparities, particularly examining outcomes in Black American populations and comparing rural versus urban injury patterns in Wisconsin.

Dr. Tomas actively mentors students through her role as Statistical Director for the MCW Public Health and Community PhD program. Her work involves multiple collaborative grants focused on trauma research, injury prevention, and mental health outcomes assessment.

As Deputy Director of the Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics in the Comprehensive Injury Center, Dr. Tomas leads data science initiatives that support trauma research across multiple institutions and datasets.