Karen R. Studer, MD, MBA, MPH, FACPM, was elected to ABPM’s Board of Directors at its January 2022 meeting. She will represent the specialty of Public Health and General Preventive Medicine.
Dr. Studer is the Program Director for the Preventive Medicine Residency and an Assistant Professor at the Schools of Public Health and Medicine at Loma Linda University in California. She is also an attending physician at SAC Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center where she began a women’s lifestyle medicine clinic. Dr. Studer has served on the Public Health and General Preventive Medicine exam item-writing subcommittee since 2016.
Dr. Studer graciously answered a few of our questions to help us get to know her a little better!
Why did you get into medicine and how did you come to choose the specialty of Public Health and General Preventive Medicine?
Health and wellness has always interested me and I thought about attending medical school while in college — until I took physics. Then I promptly dropped physics and decided to become a junior high school teacher. Although I still enjoyed teaching, I felt a stronger calling towards health. I then researched more into the field of public health and decided to obtain my MPH in health education and promotion. As I was looking at public health job opportunities, I came across the position of public health officer, and thought that it would be a great fit; but, I needed an MD. I re-enrolled in physics with a growth mindset and was accepted into medical school. I was lucky enough to read about the specialty of Public Health and General Preventive Medicine as a first-year medical student. I read about Dr. Dysinger and his amazing career and reached out to his son, Dr. Wayne Dysinger, who was the Chair of Preventive Medicine at my school, Loma Linda University Health. He introduced me to the American College of Preventive Medicine and their national conference. I saw many others with the combination of degrees “MD, MPH” and knew I had found my people! Although I did not become a health officer, I am honored to work with our local health officers and train future health officers as a program director. I continue to teach medical students and residents and love to spread the word about our unique specialty.
What do you think the value of board certification is?
Board certification ensures the integrity of the field to certify that a physician has the fundamental knowledge that our field agrees we should possess. It is the cornerstone of any specialty.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time on the ABPM’s Board of Directors?
I am looking forward to assisting in the goals and mission of the Board. In addition, I hope to increase the recognition of our specialty in medical schools and to the public. Medical students represent the future of preventive medicine, and all medical students should be aware that it is an option to pursue as a residency. Too often, medical students and residents in other specialties learn about our field after they have started on a different path.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I have a lot of different hobbies and interests, but I am very diligent about scheduling in a
work out 4-5 times per week, even when traveling. I also love spending time with my 7-year-old nephew, nature, traveling and photography. I have two rescue cats and an Italian greyhound and listen to over 40 audiobooks per year.
Any other information you’d like to share about yourself with ABPM Diplomates?
It’s such an honor to be chosen to serve on the Board and I’m grateful to my mentors and colleagues for their support. I am looking forward to learning more from the other Board members and to serve our Diplomates. I am also especially grateful to have trained and currently work at Loma Linda University Health, an institution that is dedicated to prevention and lifestyle medicine and who supports the field by having a department, a medical school presence in all four years, and a funded residency program.