Artificial Intelligence Integrated Design in Learning Health System Improvement
Alice Kam
KITE
Alice Kam
Appointed as a faculty member at the University of Toronto in December 2021 and as an Assistant Professor in May 2024, I hold an academic appointment at University Health Network and Unity Health.  With a robust background in human-centered co-design in the Interdisciplinary Academic Learning Health System, I am poised to lead artificial intelligence system improvement and compassion initiatives.Â
As a practicing physiatrist and education researcher, I encountered the limits of traditional medical training models in addressing the complexity and relational nature of patient care. My commitment to compassionate, equity-oriented care led me to explore theoretical frameworks that could better integrate system-level understanding into clinical education. Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) offered the analytical and philosophical grounding I was searching for. My current research applies CHAT within participatory design of compassionate care rubrics, and AI-enabled feedback systems. These projects center reflective, relational practice and draw on CHAT to identify systemic barriers and re-design new approaches. I see this work as contributing to the ongoing evolution of fourth-generation activity theory—one that not only critiques existing structures but supports co-design of more humane, just, and contextually responsive educational ecosystems.