Testimonial: Karen Roos

Dr. Karen Roos has been the Editor-in-Chief for Seminars in Neurology since 2002. During her 13 years, she has created the standard for an outstanding clinical neurologic review journal. Through her work on Seminars, she has educated countless neurologists and neurologists-in-training worldwide; for this, the neurology community owes her a huge debt of gratitude!

Dr. Roos attended the University of Pittsburgh for her Bachelors in Science degree, graduating summa cum laude. To attain her Medical Doctorate, she attended Drexel University School of Medicine, where she was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine and then her residency in Neurology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She trained in electroencephalography and evoked potentials under Soo Ik Lee, MD, at the University of Virginia. She came to Indiana University in 1985, rising to the rank of Professor of Neurology in 1995. In 2001, she became the first Endowed Professor in the Department of Neurology. She is currently the John and Nancy Nelson Professor of Neurology and Professor of Neurological Surgery at Indiana University.

Her honors are too numerous to list, but include being chosen the Outstanding Professor in Clinical Medicine three times by the Indiana University School of Medicine, the Drexel University College of Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award, and being chosen for many consecutive years to Best Doctors in America, US News and World Report “Top Doctors,” and America's Top Doctors. In addition, she has had multiple visiting and distinguished professorships. She served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Neurology, and has taken part on many committees and subcommittees to enhance neurologic education through the Academy. She has edited five textbooks, and served as guest editor and associate editor for Seminars, Continuum, Neurological Therapeutics: Principles and Practices, and the Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences; she has more than 200 publications. She has served as a course director for the American Academy of Neurology's “Neurology Update,” “Emergency Neurology,” “Pearls and Pitfalls in Emergency Neurology,” and “Infections of the Nervous System.”

During her tenure as Editor-in-Chief for Seminars, Dr. Roos has educated the neurologic community on a great many subjects, including epilepsy, spinal disorders, autonomic nervous system, neurologic consultation, neuroimmunotherapy, neurologic outpatient procedures, neurologic complications of cancer, sleep disorders, disorders of neuromuscular transmission, myasthenia gravis, acute stroke management and recovery, tropical neurology, peripheral neuropathies, genetics of common neurologic diseases, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, psychogenic disorders, headache, stroke prevention, neurologic issues in pregnancy, neuro-ophthalmology, movement disorders, dementia, neurologic consultation in the intensive care unit, neuroimaging, multiple sclerosis and demyelinating disorders, neuro-otology, psychiatry for neurologists, neurogenetics, myelopathies and neurologic pearls, just to name a few! Her work has ensured that Seminars is eminently readable, and has broad appeal both nationally and internationally for clinicians and students at all levels of training and expertise.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Roos to get her thoughts at the end of her tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Seminars. I asked her why she chose to be editor in the first place: She stated that for the first 3 years of working on Seminars, she co-edited the journal with her husband, Bob Pascuzzi, currently Chair of Neurology at Indiana University. But she took on the job solo subsequently, “because I'm more detail-oriented. I loved to get lost in the writing, and equally loved getting lost in the editing. Hours would pass, and I wouldn't even look up!” Clearly, this is someone who loves her work! Dr. Roos set out to “provide a journal that was really useful to the practicing neurologist, but also included the progress we were making, introducing the research being done in the field.” She wanted a journal that would help the clinician: “When looking at a patient, the doctor could go to the journal and have a resource to help take care of the patient.”

It was important to Dr. Roos to maintain an international appeal: “The international community really welcomes everything we do, particularly in infectious disease. The findings in this field are just as applicable to their population as ours.” I asked her if she had any favorite manuscripts or issues. She said she carries a flash drive with 30 to 40 issues that have “stood the test of time,” and kindly sends a note to the authors to let them know they have made her special list!

Of course, I asked Dr. Roos for advice in my new role as Editor-in-Chief. She said, “You serve your time, and then you pass it on to someone who has their own vision.” I can say quite honestly that I have enormous shoes to fill—Dr. Roos has set the bar extremely high for Seminars in Neurology!

Dr. Roos would like to express specific thanks to several individuals who helped her over the years. These include David Stewart from Thieme, who was “so responsive, and was always there for me.” She also thanks Daniel Schiff from Thieme—“if it concerns you, it concerns him. I wanted the journal to be about us, and how we take care of patients. If it bothered me, it bothered Daniel.”

Dr. Roos also expresses her gratitude for having the opportunity to work with so many neurologists: “They made me proud to be a neurologist, and made me a better teacher and physician.” Karen, we owe you our deepest thanks for doing the same for all of us!