Amy Karon, DVM, MPH, MA
SUMMARY: Doctoral-level medical and health writer, editor, and communications consultant with 16 years of experience. Skills include audience analysis and segmentation, message development and testing, publication planning, technical and general writing, creating slides, tables, and figures, literature review, developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading, and project management. Therapeutic areas include oncology, infectious diseases, hematology, rheumatology, GI and hepatology, dermatology, psychiatry, cardiology, diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome. Extensive experience with Endnote and the Microsoft Office 365 suite.
EDUCATION
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Sept 2002-May 2007)
- Internships: CDC Epidemiology Elective, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Summer Scholars Program
- Coursework (high-level topics): public health, small and large animal medicine and surgery, herd management, exotic animal medicine, laboratory animal medicine
- Awards for academic excellence: 2003, 2007
- GPA: 3.6
Master of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Sept 2005-Aug 2006)
- Thesis: Human multidrug-resistant Salmonella Newport infections in Wisconsin, 2003-2005
- GPA: 3.9
- Epidemiology internships: CDC, Wisconsin Department of Public Health; aided outbreak investigations leading to two abstracts presented at 56th annual EIS Conference
Master of arts, Journalism, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Sept 2011-May 2012)
- Coursework: health journalism, investigative journalism, daily reporting, data analysis, creative nonfiction
- Internships: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
- GPA: 4.0
BA Anthropology, Bryn Mawr College (1995-1998) Magna cum laude
- Concentration: Environmental science
- Thesis: Natural resource use in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
EDITING AND WRITING EXPERIENCE
Scientific Publications
- Amin A, Kartashov A, Ngai W, Steele K, Rosenthal N. Effectiveness, safety, and costs of thromboprophylaxis with enoxaparin or unfractionated heparin in inpatients with obesity. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2023;10:1163684. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1163684 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Fink DA, Kilday D, Cao Z, et al. Trends in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity during delivery-related hospitalizations in the United States, 2008 to 2021. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(6):e2317641. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.17641 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Robinson K, Schott LL, Matthews T, et al. Assessment of healthcare resource utilization by anticoagulant heparinoid dosage level in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2022;28:10760296221137848. doi:10.1177/10760296221137848 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Gillessen S, Bossi A, Davis ID, et al. Management of patients with advanced prostate cancer. Part I: intermediate- /high-risk and locally advanced disease, biochemical relapse, and side effects of hormonal treatment: Report of the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference 2022. Eur Urol. 2023;83(3):267-293. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2022.11.002 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Gillessen S, Armstrong A, Attard G, et al. Management of patients with advanced prostate cancer: Report from the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference 2021. Eur Urol. 2022;82(1):115-141. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2022.04.002 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Robinson K, Schott LL, Matthews T, Tyagi M, Ajmani VB, Sacco N, Cao Z. Assessment of healthcare resource utilization by anticoagulant heparinoid dosage level in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2022;28:10760296221137848. doi: 10.1177/10760296221137848 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Gillessen S, Attard G, Beer TM, et al. Management of patients with advanced prostate cancer: report of the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference 2019. Eur Urol. 2020;77(4):508-547. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2020.01.012(Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Shore, N. Diagnosis and management of checkpoint inhibitor side effects in patients with bladder cancer: the urologist’s perspective. Bladder Cancer. 2020;6(4):425-433. (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Shore ND, Kapoor DA, Goldfischer ER, et al. Preserving independent urology: LUGPA’s first decade. Rev Urol. 2019; 21(2-3): 102-108. (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Ross JR, Franga DL. Rotational thrombectomy of prosthetic hemodialysis arteriovenous grafts: 29 cases. VEIN Magazine. Winter 2014. http://pubs.royle.com/publication/?i=197866&p=72 (Acknowledged as medical writer)
- Karon AE, Hanni KD, Mohle-Boetani JC, Beretti RA, Hill VR, Arrowood M, Johnston SP, Xiao L, Vugia DJ. Giardiasis outbreak at a camp after installation of a slow-sand filtration water treatment system. Epidemiol Infect. 2011;139(5):713-717. doi: 10.1017/S0950268810001573
- Truelove SA, Chitnis AS, Heffernan RT, Karon AE, Haupt TE, Davis JP. Comparison of patients hospitalized with pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection during the first two pandemic waves in Wisconsin. J Infect Dis. 2011;203(6):828-837. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiq117
- Wendel AM, Johnson DH, Sharapov U, et al. Multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection associated with consumption of packaged spinach, August-September 2006: the Wisconsin investigation. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;48(8):1079-1086. doi:10.1086/597399 (Acknowledged as contributing epidemiologist)
- Increase in Coccidioidomycosis — California, 2000-2007. MMWR. 2009;58:105-109. (lead author)
- Karon AE, Archer JR, Sotir MJ, Monson TA, Kazmierczak JJ. Human multidrug-resistant Salmonella Newport infections, Wisconsin, 2003–2005. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007;13(11):1777-1780. doi: 10.3201/eid1311.061138
White Papers
- For non-profit organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device companies
- Serve as primary writer and editor
- Meet with experts to gather insights and advise on target messages
- Conduct literature review to frame content
- Write and edit executive summary, body, tables, figures, references
- Selected topics: Hepatitis C virus infection, advanced prostate cancer (castration-resistant and metastatic hormone-naïve), bladder cancer, HIV disease
Educational Materials (Non-Promotional)
- Types: Continuing education, public health literacy
- Meet with key opinion leaders to garner insights and plan development and launch
- Research, writer, and revise content
- Formats: articles, handouts, slides, brochures, video scripts, website content, social media campaigns
- Audiences: physicians, physician extenders, nurses, patients, caregivers, general public
- Example topics: Cardiovascular sequelae of antiretroviral HIV therapies, POEMS syndrome, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, Waldenström macroglobulinemia/lymphocytic lymphoma, advanced prostate cancer, plasma cell neoplasms, DVT/pulmonary embolism, psoriatic arthritis, Lyme disease
Needs Assessments and Grant Proposals
- For clinical education programs and patient advocacy organizations
- Selected topics: risk scores in heart failure, HR+ breast cancer, percutaneous cardiac intervention, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, hepatitis C virus infection, solid organ transplantation, autism, prostate cancer
Health Reporting
- Wrote more than 900 features and news articles on healthcare and clinical and scientific research
- Attended these meetings: Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference, American College of Rheumatology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, American Diabetes Association, IDWeek, Digestive Diseases Week, European Lung Cancer Conference, American Dermatology Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, World Dermatology Congress, Society for Investigative Dermatology, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Pediatric Association, American Headache Society, Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Large Urology Group Practice Association, Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Medical and health writer and editor, self-employed, 2012-present
- Hours per week: 40
- See “Editing and Writing Experience” section for details on skills and duties performed
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, July 2009-July 2010
- Hours per week: 40
- Created statewide epidemiology training exercise on responding to foodborne disease outbreaks
- Conducted surveillance on H1N1 (swine flu) cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Wisconsin
- Investigated outbreak of legionellosis in patients with cancer associated with a wall fountain
- Analyzed and presented poster on Google Flu Trends for syndromic disease surveillance
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 2007-July 2009
- Assignment: Infectious Diseases Branch, California Department of Public Health
- Supervisors: Dr. Edward Weiss (CDC) and Dr. Duc Vugia (CDPH)
- Hours per week: 45
- Analyzed and wrote MMWR article on coccidioidomycosis in California
- Investigated outbreaks of giardiasis, isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis with HIV co-infection, nontuberculous mycobacteria, and Guillain-Barré syndrome secondary to campylobacteriosis
- Assessed molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis cases in California during 2005-2007
- Researched and wrote fact sheet on hand, foot, and mouth disease that was translated into 24 languages
HONORS, AWARDS, PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS, AND VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
- National Finalist, Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, 2012 and 2013
- Academic Excellence Awards, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, 2003 and 2007
- McPherson Award for community service and academic excellence, Bryn Mawr College, 1998
- McCormack award for ethnographic research, Bryn Mawr College, 1998
- Member, American Medical Writers Association, 2012-present
- Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), certified 2023
- Platelet donor, American Red Cross, 2000-present
- Volunteer writer and communications strategist, Portland Insight Meditation Center, 2023-present