Karen Moss Glaser, 65, of Mt. Airy, a senior associate dean for academic affairs at Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College, died Nov. 12 at Einstein Medical Center of injuries she suffered when she was struck earlier that day by an SUV near the Mt. Airy station of the Chestnut Hill East Regional rail line.
Dr. Glaser, who had been at Jefferson for 30 years, held dual appointments as associate professor in the departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Family and Community Medicine. She developed the behavioral curriculum for family medicine residency and clerkships, and served as the university's affirmative action officer from 1994 to 2013.
At Jefferson, she studied how doctors behaved toward their patients and if patients' perception of doctors' empathy influenced clinical outcomes. She had co-written and published research papers on that topic.
She was a graduate of Cornell University and received a master's degree in education and a doctoral degree in educational psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
An active sportswoman, she hiked, rode horses, played recreational softball and had been a rower in graduate school. She also played the guitar.
She was active in Cornell alumni affairs, recruiting and interviewing prospective students.
Dr. Glaser is survived by her husband, Richard Glaser; a daughter, Lena; stepsons Simon and Zachary; her mother, Ruth Futterman Moss; a sister, and four grandchildren.
A funeral was held Nov. 16 at the Joseph Levine & Sons Memorial Chapel in Trevose, with interment in Montefiore Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Kevin Pearce Fund, which aids families of those with traumatic brain injuries, at www.kevinpearce.com. – WF
