UIW School of Professional Studies to offer New Courses in Healthcare and Artificial Intelligence
New Courses to Challenge Professionals to Rethink Decision Making
SAN ANTONIO - August 4, 2025 - This fall, the University of the Incarnate Word School of Professional Studies (UIW SPS) will launch “Cognitive Bias and Applied Decision Making in Healthcare” and “Cognitive Bias and Applied Decision Making in Artificial Intelligence,” two new continuing education courses designed to help professionals recognize and respond to the hidden forces shaping clinical decisions and system outcomes.
“Every day, well-trained healthcare professionals make critical decisions under pressure,” says creator and instructor of the courses, Dr. Alan Xenakis MD. “But despite their expertise, cognitive biases—deeply rooted mental shortcuts—can subtly distort diagnostic reasoning, treatment planning, and policy design. These biases don’t just live in our minds; they’re embedded in electronic medical records, protocols, AI tools, and institutional systems.”
Known affectionately by his students as “Doc X MD,” Dr. Alan Xenakis brings over 35 years of interdisciplinary teaching and research experience to the classroom. With dual doctorates in medicine and science, and advanced public health training from Harvard, Dr. Xenakis is a leading authority on the neuroscience of human behavior, cognitive bias, and decision science in healthcare and policy. He developed these courses alongside his wife, Dr. Audra Xenakis. Dr. Audra Renee Smith Xenakis, RN, DNP, is a nationally recognized nurse executive, educator, and researcher. With over 25 years of healthcare leadership, Dr. Xenakis is widely cited for her research on cognitive bias and suspension of disbelief in clinical simulation.
In the healthcare course, students will use interactive diagnostics, case studies, and a leadership capstone project. Students will walk away with actionable strategies to strengthen patient safety, avoid litigation, and drive institutional change.
In the artificial intelligence course, participants will examine real-world case studies across various industries such as healthcare, finance, criminal justice, and hiring, while gaining insights into the ethical and legal challenges posed by biased AI systems and learn to apply tools and techniques to promote fairness and accountability.
“I am excited that SPS will be offering these one-of-a-kind courses,” says Mozelle Breeding, manager of Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) for the UIW School of Professional Studies. “SPS is setting a higher standard for professional and continuing education for institutions of higher education.”
The SPS Office of Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) provides learning opportunities to students and the community with courses that offer valuable career training, certifications and preparation for professional tests.
The UIW School of Professional Studies (SPS) offers certificates, associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees 100% online. Benefits for students include free undergraduate textbooks, no academic fees, accelerated courses and reduced tuition rates. SPS courses are taught by scholar practitioner faculty with real-world experience.
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About UIW
With over 140 years of tradition, the University of the Incarnate Word is committed to educational excellence in a context of faith in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. UIW programs constitute a liberal education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical consequences of our ideas and actions. Founded in 1881, UIW is the largest Catholic university in the state and the fourth largest private university in Texas. UIW students can choose from degrees offered at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. The University is committed to graduating students with the lowest amount of debt load possible and to help them secure a career that lifts their lives, their families and their communities. With a beautiful main campus in the heart of San Antonio, in 2019, UIW purchased a 10-acre landmark property at 4119 Broadway which increased the footprint of the UIW Broadway Campus by 20%. The building is now known as Founders Hall. UIW has locations throughout San Antonio, two campuses in Mexico and a European Study Center in Strasbourg, France. UIW is a leader in international education, with over 146 “sister schools” in 45 countries and it is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution. The University is a member of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference and is proud to have 25 teams representing 15 different sports. UIW is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.