For Dr. Karen Elmore, working as a nurse fulfilled a dream since childhood. In high school, she fell in love with the profession when she helped a campus nurse as a member of the Future Nurses Club. Later, a tour of the former St. Paul University Hospital before its opening foreshadowed her destiny.

“I really thought then I would work there one day, and I did,” she says. “I can’t remember even wanting to pursue any other career.”

For 35 years, Dr. Elmore has worked in nursing for the UT System. She first worked at UTMB Health’s John Sealy Hospital in Galveston while in nursing school, then Parkland Memorial Hospital, later St. Paul and, finally, William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. Her first job at St. Paul was in the Emergency Department, then Women’s Service, which led to her current role as Interim Director of Women’s Services at UT Southwestern. She cannot imagine doing anything else.

“I liked the idea of helping people, and I was very interested in the human condition and the illnesses and disease processes that we were able to treat,” she says. “This interest evolved into caring relationships with patients and helping them through hospitalizations. After being in the field this long, I continue to have a passion for helping nurses to grow in their roles and improving the care for our patients.”

Along the way, Dr. Elmore has combined her dedication to nursing with her love of learning. While working, she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. Then in 2017, she completed a doctorate in nursing from Texas Christian University.

One of her most memorable experiences at UT Southwestern was opening and managing the Kidney and Liver Transplant Unit. In 2019, she was named Interim Director for Women’s Services. The work continues to be satisfying.

“No two days are the same, and there is always something to improve or learn,” she says. “I enjoy taking care of the staff and helping them to be their best at taking care of our patients.”

With more than five decades in nursing, she has cherished memories. “I still have vivid memories of the patients I have cared for,” Dr. Elmore adds.