Tavinder K. Ark, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Data Science Institute of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). She earned her PhD in Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methodology from the University of British Columbia, with a focus on Generalizability Theory and Structural Equation Modeling under Dr. Bruno D. Zumbo. Her BSc and MSc in Psychology from McMaster University centered on diagnostic accuracy and bias in medical education. Dr. Ark’s career includes roles as a research associate at NYU School of Medicine, data analytic director at the Human Early Learning Partnership, and senior data scientist at Population Data BC. Her expertise spans data infrastructure development, large-scale data analysis, and computational methods like machine learning and natural language processing. Her research focuses on medical education innovation: studying communication skills, professional identity formation, and clinical competence. She explores AI collaboration in medical training, data visualization for curriculum evaluation, and residency transition via initiatives like Night-onCall. Methodologically, she specializes in psychometrics, latent profile analysis, and advanced statistical modeling (SEM, multilevel modeling). Her work addresses societal challenges through interdisciplinary projects linking social-emotional well-being to health outcomes and educational success. She advocates for equitable medical education through bias mitigation and curriculum design that supports both learners and educators. Dr. Ark collaborates widely, contributing to multi-institution studies on evidence-based medicine, resident well-being programs (REACH), and telehealth adaptation during the pandemic. Her recent focus includes leveraging simulation labs to study implicit bias impacts and refining assessment tools like the CCSAT and CCSE.
