Lori A. Karol, MD, professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Children’s Hospital of Colorado; and former Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Assistant Chief of Staff, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, died Saturday, February 26. With Dr. Karol’s passing, we have lost an incredible person, physician, surgeon, and leader whose impact will forever be felt.
Dr. Karol, a native of Detroit, Michigan, completed the integrated premedical/medical program at the University of Michigan—a 6-year program combining undergraduate and medical school studies. She remained a die-hard enthusiastic Michigan fan, always ready to showcase the Maize and Blue wherever and whenever possible. She completed her orthopaedic residency program at Wayne State where she distinguished herself in becoming the chief administrative resident and winning the AOA-Zimmer Resident Research Award given at the American Orthopaedic Association Meeting. Dr. Karol moved on to Dallas for her Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopaedics and Scoliosis at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. Following fellowship, she was recruited to California and was an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Davis, for three years before being recruited to return to TSRH by Dr. Tony Herring, then Chief of Staff, where she practiced for the next 27 years. Dr. Herring writes, “She was a trailblazer in the finest sense of the word. In her straightforward approach to every task, big or small, she did the work and always got the job done without fanfare or glory.”
Dr. Karol was the consummate academic orthopaedic surgeon. She was an exceptionally skilled clinician, a brilliant researcher, and a natural educator.
Dr. Karol started her career at Scottish Rite as a general pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and finished as one. She managed everything from scoliosis to clubfeet to hip dysplasia to limb length discrepancy and performed both nonoperative and operative procedures for all of these conditions. More than her exquisite clinical skills in managing both the straightforward and complex conditions was her ability to “treat a family.” Dr. Karol had a gift connecting with patients and their families that was unparalleled and resulted in the highest patient satisfaction scores each and every month. Her clinical practice positively impacted thousands of children with some of the most challenging conditions, and she guided them through with the skill and humanity few can provide, ultimately leading to a better life for each of them.
Dr. Karol advanced her academic standing at the University of Texas Southwestern where she achieved full professorship in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in a short 12-year period. She was a prolific researcher— publishing over 100 peer-reviewed papers and presenting greater than 200 podium presentations at national and international meetings. The large volume of scientific work is only surpassed by the quality of the work which has influenced the world of medicine and led to improvements in the care of children worldwide. Her seminal works on pulmonary function in early onset scoliosis, gait and function following clubfoot treatment, optimal treatment of hips in children with cerebral palsy, orthotic management of scoliosis, and energy expenditure for children with amputations have changed the field of orthopaedics for the better. Her work has been recognized by the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), winning the Arthur H. Huene Award (2001) and the Best Paper Award (2015); by the International Congress on Early Onset Scoliosis (ICEOS), winning the Behrooz Akbarnia Best Paper Award (2017); and by the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (LLRS), winning Best Paper Award (2018).
In the midst of all of her clinical and academic work, she remained a natural and exceptionally effective educator to medical students, residents, fellows, and all those around her. Whether she was in the clinic, the operating room, the hallway, or at the podium, she was always passing on pearls of wisdom that we all remember and use in our daily lives as orthopaedic surgeons. She could remember diagnoses and patients when cases came up to pass on key points for upcoming challenging treatment decisions for colleagues and former fellows. She was a sought after speaker, having been invited to 41 visiting professorships at leading orthopaedic centers throughout the world where she spoke on a wide array of topics.
Leadership came naturally to Dr. Karol whether it was within her own institution or on the national and international scenes. At Scottish Rite, she was the medical director of the Movement Science Laboratory for over 25 years (a position recently named in her honor), was an Assistant Chief of Staff, and became the first Chief Quality Officer in the hospital’s history. The “firsts” continued as she was the first female President of POSNA in 2016 following a long history of service to the society as the chair of several committees and councils. She was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2021 and was recently inducted into the POSNA Hall of Fame. She was also the first female elected President of the Scoliosis Research Society—a commitment she could not fulfill due to her recent illness. Her leadership skills have always been recognized, and she was recruited several times to become “chief” at children’s hospitals. She finally took that step in 2020 when she was recruited to become Chief of Orthopaedics at Colorado Children’s Hospital.
Above all of the professional achievements, Dr. Karol was an amazing person—elegant and sophisticated, who by her actions, encouraged all around her to be their best self and who invoked a sense of humanity in all of us. Dr. Karol was a great human being who cherished life, loved Jimmy Buffet, was a voracious reader and a master baker, enjoyed gardening, yoga, and a nice glass of wine. She always took the time to get to know you and your family. She was a great conversationalist with a witty sense of humor and she had an infectious personality. She was an inspiration to everyone, including women surgeons and physicians, by her example of leadership and doing it the right way, while balancing her busy professional and personal life.
Finally, and most importantly, Dr. Karol always placed her greatest importance on her family as a devoted wife, seemingly always with Bob, and most impressively, a wonderful mother to three daughters who have achieved so much in their young careers in accounting, nursing, and law. We say goodbye to a colleague, a leader, an icon, a mentor, and a dear friend who leaves a large void in our lives and in this profession but who we will always be remembered for making us a better person and physician.
We will miss you Lori.
D.J.S.
Daniel J. Sucato, MD, MS
Dr. Karol's obituary and details on visitation and service can be found here >