Dr. Karen Krok joined Penn State College of Medicine in 2013. Her research interests include post-liver-transplant outcomes, focusing on patients transplanted for hepatitis C; the cardiovascular complications of patients after a liver transplant; pulmonary complications of liver disease; and outcomes of heart-liver transplants in the congenital heart disease population.

Dr. Krok is the site PI for a multicenter trial, Pulmonary Vascular Complications of Liver Disease 3 Study Group, which assesses the pulmonary complications and hormonal changes in patients with pulmonary hypertension and hepatopulmonary syndrome. She has successfully recruited for and been the site PI for several multi-site and pharmaceutical clinical trials. 

As the congenital heart disease population is aging, there is more evidence of liver disease associated with the Fontan circulation. Dr. Krok has served on an international multi-specialty group that developed recommendations about how to follow these patients clinically.

Dr. Karen Krok is a board-certified transplant hepatologist, focused on the diagnosis of and care for patients with cirrhosis and liver cancer. She is the medical director for both the liver transplant program and the live donor liver transplant program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Krok also sees patients who need screening for colon cancer.

Dr. Karen Krok was director for the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center from 2016 to 2019. After assuming her vice chair role in the Department of Medicine, she assumed the role of assistant director of the fellowship.

She hs a strong passion for medical education. She previously served on the education council for the Internal Medicine Residency at Hershey Medical Center from 2018 to 2019 and was a JEMS mentor for residents from 2014 to 2018. She is also a member of the Internal Medicine Residency clinical competency committee.

Dr. Krok has spoken at numerous local, national and international meetings.

Fellow, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, 2018 (member, 2006 to present; member, Surgery and Liver Transplantation Committee, 2007 to 2009; member, Public Policy Committee, 2010 to 2013; member, Conflict of Interest Committee, 2015 to 2018)

Member, Pennsylvania Society of Medicine, 2015 to present (treasurer, 2018; secretary, 2019)

Member, American Society of Transplantation, 2010 to present

Board-certified in transplant hepatology, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2008 to present

Board-certified in gastroenterology and hepatology, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2007 to present

Member, American College of Gastroenterology, 2005 to present

Board-certified in internal medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2004 to present

Member, American Gastroenterological Association, 2004 to present