Physician Liaison
Dr. Karen Warburton grew up in Chapel Hill, N.C., and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia, then earned her medical degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Afterward, she went to the University of Pennsylvania, where she completed her residency and chief medical residency, followed by fellowships in nephrology and kidney and pancreas transplantation.
During her 17 years at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Warburton served as Associate Program Director for both the Internal Medicine Residency and Nephrology Fellowship Training Programs. In those roles, she developed an interest and expertise in the assessment and remediation of struggling learners. She has developed and chaired successful coaching programs for medical trainees at both Penn and UVA. In 2016, Dr. Warburton returned to UVA as an associate professor of medicine in the division of transplant nephrology. In addition to her clinical role as a nephrologist specializing in kidney and pancreas transplantation at UVA, Dr. Warburton is the Director of the Clinician Wellness Program and Director of Graduate Medical Education Advancement. In these roles, she works with faculty and trainees to promote personal and professional wellbeing, find meaning in their work as a means of reducing burnout and promoting and maintaining engagement, and foster effective interpersonal communication by increasing self-awareness and promoting emotional intelligence skills. She provides clinical assessment and counseling for stress, substance use, anxiety, and depression, focusing on these issues among physicians.