Dr. Karen Young

Karen Young received her M.D. at University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock, AK in 1988 and completed her pediatric residency at the University of South Florida, Tampa General Hospital, in Tampa, FL in 1991. Over the past 10 years at Arkansas Children's Hospital, Dr. Young has been a member of the A.C.H. team for children at risk, working in the field of child abuse and neglect. She has also worked extensively in the general pediatric clinics; the faculty clinics, where she has cared for the children and grandchildren of A.C.H. and U.A.M.S. staff and employees; the emergency department, and the after-hours clinic, in addition to ward-attending duties on the team 3 inpatient service. She became interested in helping overweight children when she noticed the growing problem in the general pediatric clinics in 1999.

As the principal investigator for the Healthy Tomorrows grant awarded to Arkansas Children's Hospital, Dr. Young opened the doors to the pediatric fitness clinic in March 2001. This five-year grant, awarded jointly by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics, enabled A.C.H. to begin a comprehensive pediatric obesity center, serving children and adolescents ages 2 through 21 throughout Arkansas and the surrounding states.

Dr. Young has numerous publications, including first authorship of one of the first continuing medical education programs on pediatric overweight in the country. She has also developed the first pediatric and family medicine residency elective in pediatric overweight in the country. She has several ongoing research projects and directs the Fitness Collaborative Research Group. Dr. Young has made numerous national presentations. She educates physicians all over Arkansas in how to identify and treat overweight pediatric patients.