Irish-Clardy selected as ‘phenomenal’ woman

Dr. Katherine Irish-Clardy has been selected as a 2011 Phenomenal Woman by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Irish-Clardy, the chief medical officer at Sparks Health System in Fort Smith, is one of 29 women statewide receiving this distinction as a part of the school’s annual Women’s History Month celebration.

A full-time faculty member of the UAMS Area Health Education Center in Fort Smith, Irish Clardy practices both general medicine and obstetrics to provide care for people of all ages.

Irish-Clardy also serves as the chief of Quality Improvement and Patient-Centered Medical Home Coordinator for the UAMS Area Health Education Center in Fort Smith.

Raised in Costa Rica, Irish-Clardy moved to the United States for her last year of high school and received her undergraduate degree from Russell Sage College in Troy, N.Y. She returned to Costa Rica to obtain her doctorate of medicine from the University of Costa Rica Medical School.

Award recipients were nominated by UAMS employees, who were asked to write a one-page essay describing why a co-worker is phenomenal. Those making nominations were asked to consider women who made a significant contribution to UAMS, her family or community; or overcame adversity; or demonstrated UAMS core values of integrity, respect, teamwork, creativity or excellence.