Advancing Research Quality: Hudson College Professor Named Reviewer of the Year

Tabitha Garwe, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, has been named Reviewer of the Year by the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. The award recognizes her thoughtful, detailed and comprehensive reviews and their contribution to the journal’s quality.

In notifying Garwe of the honor, the journal praised her dedication and the feedback she provides to authors. She was invited to celebrate the recognition at the journal’s Editorial Board Meeting on Sept. 17, 2026, in Dallas.

Peer reviewers play an essential role in strengthening scientific research. By carefully evaluating study methods, analyses and conclusions, they help ensure that published findings provide a sound foundation for future research and clinical practice. Garwe brings more than 20 years of experience in clinical epidemiology to that work, with particular expertise in trauma, surgery and critical care.

An OU faculty member since 2010, Garwe has built a career connecting public health methods with questions that matter to patients and clinicians. Her independent research focuses on geriatric trauma triage and outcomes, examining issues related to the care of older adults with traumatic injuries. She has contributed to more than 40 publications in trauma and surgical outcomes as both an independent researcher and a collaborator.

Before joining OU, Garwe spent nine years as lead epidemiologist and State Trauma Registrar in the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Emergency Systems Division. Today, she also holds an adjunct appointment in OU’s Department of Surgery, where she serves as director of surgical outcomes, and supports clinical and translational research through a leadership role in biostatistics, epidemiology and research design.

At the Hudson College, Garwe brings that experience into the classroom through courses including Principles of Epidemiology, Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods and Methods in Clinical Epidemiology. She developed the latter to help students apply advanced analytical methods to clinical research, including approaches used to evaluate treatment effects and develop risk scores.

Her Reviewer of the Year recognition reflects the expertise Hudson College faculty contribute to the broader scientific community—and the shared commitment to strengthening research that can inform better care.