Catherine Michelson Named Karp Family Professor in Pediatrics

Catherine (Kate) Distler Michelson, MD, MMSc, has been named the Karp Family Professor in Pediatrics. Established in 2013 by Stephen R. Karp (CAS’63), Jill E. Karp and the Karp Family Foundation, the professorship supports a distinguished BUSM faculty member who organizes education and research programs between the BUSM Department of Pediatrics and the clinicians at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The Karps and the Karp Family Foundation are generous philanthropists and major contributors to the Campaign for Boston University. A BU Trustee, Mr. Karp is founder, chairman and chief executive officer of New England Development, a leading developer of shopping centers and mixed-use development. In addition to his involvement with BU, he chairs the Boston Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees, and is a trustee and past chair of Children’s Hospital Trust, among other organizations.

Michelson, who joined BUSM as an instructor in Pediatrics in July 2013 and was promoted to assistant professor in September 2016, serves as an attending hospitalist for inpatient pediatrics at Boston Medical Center.

She received her MD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education from Harvard Medical School. She completed her pediatric residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program, where she was Chief Resident at BMC from 2013-14. She then stayed on as an Associate Program Director and was named Program Director in July 2016. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Board of Pediatrics and Association of Pediatric Program Directors.

Michelson’s research applies qualitative methods to educational research, resident assessment, program evaluation, and advocacy training. She has led national workshops and serves on the editorial boards of the journals Pediatrics and Teaching and Learning in Medicine.