Kate L. Conover, PhD

Professional Background

Dr. Conover is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is also the Residency Director of Behavioral Science in the Family Medicine Residency at KUMC and provides care through the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, including the Gender Diversity Clinic.

Dr. Conover earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology in 2019. She previously earned a BA in Philosophy at Swarthmore College. She completed a predoctoral internship at KUMC in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a postdoctoral fellowship in Integrated Behavioral Health in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at KUMC. She joined the faculty in 2021.

Dr. Conover provides behavioral health consultations, including assessment, intervention, and care coordination across the range of concerns for patients across the lifespan presenting in Family Medicine. She also provides ongoing psychotherapy. Areas of specialty include trauma-focused care, anxiety-spectrum disorders, issues related to sexual and reproductive health, depression, adolescent mental health, and LGBTQ+ care. She provides gender-affirming pre-surgical assessments for those seeking gender-affirming medical care.

Dr. Conover enjoys teaching and clinical supervision with both medicine and psychology learners. Currently, her primary teaching activities are in her role as Director of Behavioral Science in the KUFM Residency, and with KU medical students during rotations in Family Medicine. Her work in medical education has included the development and delivery of didactics centered on providing skillful gender-affirming care for gender diverse patients. She is motivated to provide direct care to others in LGBTQ+ communities and to work to improve provider and health system capacity to do so skillfully.

• BA, Philosophy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA
• MS, Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
• PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of California San Diego, San Diego , CA
• Internship, Clinical Psychology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Clinical Psychology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Kansas City, KS

• Psychologist License, Missouri State Committee of Psychologists
• Psychologist License, State of Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board

• World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Member, 2024 - Present
• American Psychological Association, Member, 2022 - Present
• Greater Kansas City Psychological Association, Treasurer, 2022 - Present
• Society for Teachers of Family Medicine, Member, 2022 - Present
• Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, Member, 2019 - Present
• Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Member, 2013 - Present

---

Research

Overview

Dr. Conover is broadly interested in factors associated with successful implementation of evidence-based practices in usual care settings, such as primary care ambulatory settings, and factors influencing patients’ access to care. More recently, she’s been interested in questions related to clinical education as informed by her experiences in the Family Medicine Residency and Clerkship.

• Dorsey, Shannon, Kerns, Suzanne., E.U., Trupin, Eric., W, Conover, Kate., L, Berliner, Lucy. 2012. Child Welfare caseworkers as service brokers for youth in foster care: Findings from Project Focus. Child Maltreatment, 17 (1), 22-31
• Dorsey, Shannon, Conover, Kate., L, Cox, Julia., Revillion. 2014. Improving foster parent engagement: Using qualitative methods to guide tailoring of evidence-based engagement strategies. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 43 (6), 877-889
• Dorsey, Shannon, Conover, Kate., L, Cox, Julia., Revillion. 2014. Improving foster parent engagement: Using qualitative methods to guide tailoring of evidence-based engagement strategies. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 43 (6), 877-889
• Aarons, Gregory., A., Conover, Kate., L. , Ehrhart, Mark., G., Torres, Elisa., M., Reeder, Kendal. 2020. Leader–member exchange and organizational climate effects on clinician turnover intentions. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 35 (1), 68-87. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33543606/
• Mustillo, Sarah., A, Dorsey, Shannon, Conover, Kate, Burns, Barbara., J. 2011. Parental depression and child outcomes: The mediating effects of abuse and neglect. . Journal of Marriage and Family, 73 (1), 164-180
• Weersing, V.., Robin, Goger, Pauline, Conover, Kate. 2017. Psychotherapy for children and adolescents: A critical overview
• Alt, Marcus, Rotert, Paul, Conover, Kate, Dashwood, Sarah, Schramm, Andrew., T. 2021. Qualitative investigation of factors impacting pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation and adherence in sexual minority men. Health Expectations, 25 (5), 313-321. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hex.13382