Karen Smith, M.D., M.Ed., is the medical director of Global Services and School Telehealth at Children’s National Hospital. Dr. Smith is an associate professor of pediatrics at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and she is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric hospital medicine.
Her career began as an army nurse at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This experience inspired her to attend medical school at The George Washington University School of Medicine. After graduation she completed her pediatric residency at Children’s National Hospital and was recruited to be one of the founding members of their Hospital Medicine division. She is a Master Teacher and obtained her master’s in education from The George Washington University where she was awarded the Nadler Leadership Award. Throughout her career she has held several leadership positions, including chief medical officer at The HSC Pediatric Center; chair of the District of Columbia Children with Special Healthcare Needs Advisory Board; and chief of Hospital Medicine and president of the medical staff at Children’s National Hospital. In honor of her contributions to hospital medicine she was awarded the 2020 Excellence Award in Clinical Leadership by the Society of Hospital Medicine.