Karen Orjuela, M.D., Mscr, Faan
About Karen Orjuela, M.D., Mscr, Faan
Karen Orjuela, M.D., Mscr, Faan, is an Assistant Professor and Vascular Neurologist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where she also serves as Co-Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. With a background in health equity and extensive experience in neurology, she has held various positions in academic and clinical settings across the United States and Colombia.
Work at University of Colorado
Karen Orjuela, M.D., Mscr, Faan, currently serves as an Assistant Professor, Vascular Neurologist, and Neurohospitalist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She has held the position since 2016, accumulating eight years of experience in Denver. In addition to her clinical roles, she has been the Co-Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Neurology since 2021. Previously, she worked as the Program Director for the Neurohospitalist Fellowship from 2021 to 2023 and served as the Associate Program Director for the same fellowship from 2018 to 2021.
Education and Expertise
Karen Orjuela completed her Doctor of Medicine (MD) at Universidad Nacional de Colombia from 1999 to 2005. She pursued her residency in Neurology at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in 2008. Furthering her education, she attended Loyola University Chicago, where she completed her training as a Neurologist and Vascular Neurologist between 2011 and 2016. She also earned a Master's degree in Medical Clinical Sciences from the Medical University of South Carolina from 2016 to 2019. Currently, she is pursuing an Executive MBA at Yale School of Management, expected to complete in 2024.
Professional Background
Karen Orjuela has a diverse professional background in neurology. She began her career as a Researcher at Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC) from 2006 to 2007. She then worked as a General Physician at Clinica de Marly SA from 2007 to 2010. Following her residency, she completed a Vascular Neurology Fellowship at Loyola University Chicago from 2015 to 2016. She has also served as the Neurohospitalist Section Chair for the American Academy of Neurology from 2021 to 2023.
Focus on Health Equity
Karen Orjuela has a strong focus on health equity in her professional endeavors. She is involved in the #HealthEquityinMotion initiative, which aims to address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. Additionally, she serves as a Pozen-Commonwealth Fellow in Health Equity Leadership at Yale School of Management, reflecting her commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the healthcare system.