Christopher Louis, clinical associate professor of health law, policy & management, has been awarded the John D. Thompson Prize by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).

The Thompson Prize recognizes mid-career faculty for their leadership and contributions to the field of health administration education through research, teaching, curriculum building, and student mentoring. Louis will accept the award at the AUPHA Annual Meeting on June 22.

Louis joined the School of Public Health in 2015 after nearly a decade working as a health system administrator and consultant. His research interests center around cancer care and Medicaid waiver evaluations. Louis currently has an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant focused on understanding breast cancer screening practices in Appalachia, and he is the Principal Investigator on the evaluation of Arkansas Works, a 1115 waiver project for Medicaid patients in the state of Arkansas.

At SPH, Louis directs the healthcare management certificate and the dual degree programs. He teaches Leadership and Management for Public Health, a core course for first-year MPH students, and Strategic Management of Healthcare Organizations.   

“My greatest interest is in helping students build leadership and teamwork skills throughout their time in the program to prepare them for the workforce,” says Louis. “It is our job as educators to equip students with the skills and confidence that they need to be successful in their careers.”

Louis says that receiving the Thompson Prize has been a humbling experience, especially after the challenges of the last year. “Continuing to be innovative and thoughtful, and keeping students motivated has been a challenge during COVID,” he says. “Being honored with this award has really proven that what we are doing here at SPH is cutting edge.”

What makes SPH stand out among other health administration programs, Louis suggests, is a grounding in the social determinants of health and a primary focus on the community factors that drive the need for healthcare delivery. “Once students understand these drivers, they are able to determine how to build an efficient organization—rather than the other way around,” says Louis. “When they leave our program, students are not only ready to work, but they are able to understand the communities they are working with better.”

Louis says that this community-centered approach is the direction that healthcare is moving, and that winning the Thompson Prize is confirmation of this. “Receiving this award solidifies that our work is leading the field forward,” he says.

Though only one person is selected for the award each year, Louis says that this honor is not his alone. “I have had great mentors, great colleagues, and great students who have done wonderful things in the industry,” he says. “You’re only as good as the whole team, and this award is the result of everybody working together very, very well.”