Karyn Springer, MD, respected physician, administrator, and leader, is named the Assistant Dean for Intermountain Population Health Clinical Learning in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine (SFESOM) at University of Utah, as of October 1, 2022.
The appointment is part of a joint focus between Intermountain Healthcare and University of Utah Health on the Population Health Scholars Initiative. In this role, Dr. Springer will serve as liaison with SFESOM leadership on planning and decision-making for the Population Health Scholars Initiative; facilitate educational experiences for students in Intermountain Healthcare facilities and provider groups; and maintain avenues of communication between Intermountain Healthcare and U of U Health leadership to focus on the growth and enhancement of the two organizations’ current relationship and the development of new initiatives between the partners.
“We are proud to have Dr. Springer leading the first ever educational program focused on training the next generation of physicians in population health,” says Lydia Jumonville, CEO and Interim President at Intermountain Healthcare. “This is one of many steps Intermountain plans to make to help our system and our nation move toward helping keep people and the communities in which they live healthy.”
Dr. Springer currently practices at the Intermountain North Orem Clinic, where she has been since 2002, and serves as the Senior Medical Director for Graduate Medical Education Strategy for Intermountain Healthcare. She chairs the Intermountain Utah Medical Group Board and sits on the Intermountain Healthcare Region Board, the Board of Directors of Castell Accountable Care, and the Executive Development Program Alumni Board. Springer graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 1998.
“I am impressed with Dr. Springer’s insights and significant accomplishments in the areas of value-based care and population health,” says Michael L. Good, MD, CEO of University of Utah Health and Executive Dean of the SFESOM. “I am confident she will positively contribute to the success of both of our institutions and to excellence in our missions, especially in the area of clinical experiences that lead to world-class medical education.”
Dr. Springer is excited to participate actively in shaping the scholars’ experiences and enthusiasm around population health. “The program reflects the strong collaborative relationship between Intermountain and University of Utah in training future physicians who will serve our communities by providing high-quality, team-based care,” Springer says. “This is truly an innovative way to get upstream in improving the health of our communities.”
The Population Health Scholars Program aims to improve health care delivery for the entire population. The program represents a partnership between Intermountain and U of U Health that seeks to broaden the traditional medical school experience. Eleven students were selected to participate in the first cohort, with a goal of 15 students in the program’s third year. Population health scholars receive a broader view of health care as they undergo rigorous academic training from the U and real-world application from both institutions. Scholars receive specialized training in preventive care and population health concepts that focus on keeping populations as healthy as possible, rather than just treating people when they are sick.
Sara Lamb, Vice Dean of Education at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, oversees ongoing reform of medical school curriculum. “Dr. Springer will help us achieve this exciting leap forward for Intermountain, U of U Health, our students, and perhaps most importantly, the communities we serve,” Lamb says. “We’re going to see rural and other underserved communities receive greater access to the care they need. These physicians will influence health care policy and how we decide where to deploy resources. They will also create better outcomes and lower costs in communities where inequities have historically existed.”