Karen Gren Scholer’s professional title reflects simultaneous lofty achievement and enormous responsibility: U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. When she took office in March 2018, she became the first new federal district judge in over ten years for all of the Northern District, an area covering 100 counties – with Dallas and Tarrant the most populous. Mirroring the arduous road traveled to attain her position, Judge Scholer received unanimous U.S. Senate confirmation, as she was nominated to the federal bench by both a Democratic (Barack Obama) and Republican (Donald Trump) president.

Judge Scholer’s name and “trailblazer” have been tightly linked for years now. She was the first Asian American elected official in the City of Dallas when elected as a state district judge and the first Asian American federal district judge to serve in the entire Fifth Circuit – all the more impressive when considering that, as of six years ago, Asian American women comprised only four percent of all women sitting judges.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Rice University before matriculating at Cornell Law School. What followed would be a series of prestigious placements (attaining the title of partner) in various highly touted law firms, where she concentrated on complex tort and business litigation.

Beyond the courtroom, Judge Scholer is particularly enthusiastic about her participation on the UT Southwestern Medical Center’s President’s Advisory Board – the group advising President Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., plus the institution’s leadership, on numerous opportunities to advance its mission – and, more specifically, its Patient Services Committee.

Recently, Judge Scholer took time away from her busy docket to discuss how excited she is to be “an integral part of UT Southwestern and an in-depth volunteer with an organization that I admire so much,” she said. “Trust me: when I was invited to join UT Southwestern, I didn’t blink. My reaction was quite simply: ‘Heck yeah.’”

Describe your own medical and family experience(s) with UT Southwestern and describe the aspects of your satisfaction with the care you and your family have received from them.

It all started with R. Ellwood Jones, M.D., decades ago. It should surprise no one who knows me that I conduct extensive research in practically everything I do. So, in researching who I should entrust with my health, I asked medical doctors who they themselves use or would want as their family’s doctor. Their recommendations led me to Dr. Jones: a doctor’s doctor. It was such a privilege to have Dr. Jones as my doctor that I actually looked forward to my annual checkups. He took extraordinary care of me and my family, hand-selecting the best medical specialists for us. Upon his retirement, Dr. Jones told me he strongly recommended that I continue with Steven Leach, M.D., an internal medicine specialist he had very high regard for. And once again, Dr. Jones selected the best for me. Dr. Leach is superb and has now been the primary care physician for me and my husband, Gunnar, for over a dozen years. Under the supervision of these two wonderful internists, Gunnar and I, along with our family and friends, have experienced outstanding care from many other UT Southwestern specialists such as Dr. Jaime Almandoz, M.D. (endocrinology/medical weight management), Eric Shellhorn, PNMHP-BC (psychiatry), George Thorne., M.D. (ophthalmology), Jeremy Bartley, M.D. (ophthalmology, cornea disease, cataract surgery), and Mack Mitchell, M.D. (gastroenterology), to name just a few.

What are the overall aspects of UT Southwestern that inspire your high regard, and admiration, for the institution as a whole?

There is UT Southwestern’s world-class research and innovations, all focused on addressing societal health issues through better treatments, cures, and prevention. Also, its renowned medical school, which provides the phenomenal education, training, and hiring of the finest health care providers and faculty to serve the needs of patients. And, finally, its careful, yet bold, significant initiatives and investments. All this, and more, are under its fantastic visionary and hardworking leadership.

How do you feel your extensive judicial experience increases your awareness of the needs UT Southwestern addresses in the greater community?

By far, the most difficult responsibility I have as a United States district judge is to sentence defendants who have either pled or been found guilty. At bottom, sentencing is a lonely process that keeps me up at night and weighs on me heavily. Over the past seven years, I have sentenced hundreds of defendants. And what I know now that I did not fully comprehend before is the extent to which mental health and/or substance abuse issues are involved in the lives of the vast majority of people facing prison. Under construction is the Texas Behavioral Health Center at UT Southwestern, a 200-bed adult facility with a 96-bed pediatric wing. It will be the first state-owned mental health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and it will be staffed by UT Southwestern medical professionals. This development will elevate UT Southwestern to among the largest psychiatry programs in the country. Treatment is provided by medical specialists who have expertise in all types of mental health illnesses, social dysfunction, and substance abuse. But UT Southwestern leadership knows that there is much more that can and will be accomplished.

What have you learned from your time on the President’s Advisory Board?

When asked to join the President’s Advisory Board, I didn’t hesitate. This was a privilege I wanted to accept. And I am very glad I did. I have learned that UT Southwestern is indeed true to its mission of “promoting health and a healthy society that enables achievement of full human potential.” At every meeting of the Advisory Board, I am provided with insight through detailed reports and presentations on what lies behind the making of, and what it takes to run, one of the finest academic medical centers in the world. I leave every meeting shaking my head impressed, stunned actually, on what I’ve learned.

What is most stimulating and inspiring about being part of the Patient Services Committee, and what is it about the mission of that Committee that you feel caters best to your skills and experience?

The Patient Services Committee is perfect for me. For the most part, my life has been dedicated to serving our community – as reflected in the profession I have chosen, thousands of hours of volunteer work, and mentoring countless others. And this Committee is all about service. We are specifically charged with the responsibility to provide recommendations and feedback to both the President and the Advisory Board on the patient experience, as well as any opportunity we see for enhancement of the scope and quality of UT Southwestern clinical services. In other words, we are the eyes and ears to ensure things are done right today and give input where it can be done even better tomorrow.

• Dr. Leach holds the Irene Wadel and Robert Atha, Jr. Professorship of Internal Medicine, in Honor of John W. Burnside, M.D.
• Dr. Mitchell holds the Nancy S. and Jeremy L. Halbreich Professorship in Gastroenterology.
• Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Charles Cameron Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science.