Kristina Karlic, DPM: NYCPM Class of 2007

It’s not often that an alumna comes full circle here at NYCPM, but such is the case with Kristina Karlic ’07, DPM.  First as a student, and now as a clinical instructor, Dr. Karlic has shown she has what it takes to be one of the finest podiatrists to come out of NYCPM. 

Born in Queens and raised in Plainview, NY (on Long Island), Dr. Karlic was interested in medicine from an early age.  After graduating in just three years from Cornell University in 2002, she decided to take a year off before applying to medical school.  Spending the first part of her time off in the picturesque Alps of northern Italy, Dr. Karlic then headed back home to take a position as a medical assistant at Children’s Medical Group, a pediatrician’s office on Long Island.   

Her interest in podiatric medicine was sparked as she started to see patients  who needed podiatric intervention at the practice.  Her interest grew as she had many conversations with doctors there who promoted the field of podiaty over other specialties because of its family-friendly nature, flexibility and great lifestyle.    

Her decision to pursue podiatry was solidified after she shadowed a podiatrist in Plainview.  She was especially taken with how diverse his patients were, how varied the cases were, and how people were able to get immediate relief from their pain.

Wanting to stay close to her family on Long Island, Dr. Karlic decided to look into NYCPM for her medical training, and ended up visiting during an Open House.  After noticing how friendly the envorinment was and how nice the people were, Dr. Karlic decided  NYCPM was the only school she would apply to.      

After being admitted, Dr. Karlic went on to establish herself as a higly-motivated student leader.  She became Treasurer of the Practice Management Club, joined the Sports Medicine Club and became a recitation leader for biochemistry.  Her awards were many.  Dr. Karlic made the Dean’s List four years in a row, and was the recipient of the ABPS Michael Stone Award and the Walter Green Memorial Award.  She was also the recipient of numerous scholarships, including the J.T. Tai Scholarhship, NYCPM Scholarship, and APMA Scholarship.   

When asked how her education and training at NYCPM prepared her for her residency, Dr. Karlic said that she felt very prepared,  mainly because of the level of training she received at the Foot Center of New York.  She noted that the clinic really helped her relate to patients and gave her a great foundation to learn everything she needed for her residency. 

While intitially interested in sports medicine, the time Dr. Karlic spent in the Foot Center exposed her to the great need diabetic patients have for podiatrists, which would eventually sway her interest in the direction of diabetic wound care and limb salvage. 

After graduating in 2007, Dr. Karlic went on to a residency program at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park, NY.  There she received training in all aspects of podiatric care, including reconstructive surgery of the forefoot and rearfoot, with extensive training in internal and external fixation.  Dr. Karlic noted a special appreciation for the residency director, Dr. Caprioli, because of his warmth and enthusiasm.  She said that he really epitomized the kind of podiatrist she wanted to be.  She said that he made the clinic very important, as well as the didactic component, which she really appreciated.  She was also grateful for the weekly journal club meetings, as well as being able to shadow his wife in the sports medicine clinic at Fordham University.  Dr. Caprioli also had a wound care center where residents worked with diabetics.  Her three year-residency at LIJ culminated in her becoming chief resident her final year.  All in all, Dr. Karlic felt that she would succeed in whichever area she chose because of how comprehensive her residency program was.    

Upon completing her residency, Dr. Karlic accepted a position in the private practice of Lauren Schwartz, DPM, in Floral Park, NY.  While grateful for the opportunity to finally start practicing, her real desire was to return to her Alma Mater to teach and mentor students so that she could give back and serve as an educator to new students in the field. 

Then, about a year after inquiring about possible job opportunities at NYCPM, Dr. Karlic received a call from Lisa Lee, Associate Dean of Admissions & Student Services, about an opening for a full-time clinical instructor.  Needless to say, she got the job and has been working as a clinical instructor for 3rd-and 4th-years since June 2011.  She currently teaches podiatric surgery to sophomores, a surgical lab rotation to juniors, as well as surgery to the NYCPM residents at Metropolitan and Lincoln Hospitals.

So far, her time at NYCPM has been very rewarding.  Dr. Karlic loves working with students and serving as a role model for them.  Working for NYCPM also gives her opportunities like lecturing at conferences, which she said she might not have found elsewhere.  When asked for her final thoughts on what it takes to succeed as a podiatrist, Dr. Karlic said that if you work hard and ignore distractions, podiatry is a very rewarding field to work in.