Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD
Accepting New Patients

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD

  • Women's Cardiovascular Disease|
  • Cardiology
Average rating: 5.0
 
Westwood Specialty Care |

About

Dr. Karol Watson is an attending cardiologist and a Professor of Medicine/Cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is Director of the UCLA Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center, the UCLA-Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Health Program, Co-Director of the UCLA Program in Preventive Cardiology, and Director of the UCLA Fellowship Program in Cardiovascular Diseases. Dr. Watson is a principal investigator for several large National Institutes of Health research studies including the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study and the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. She is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the American Heart Association. She is also a Board member of the American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate, and Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Board for Womenheart, the largest national organization for women survivors of heart disease.

Languages

English, Spanish

Education

Medical Board Certification

Cardiovascular Disease, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2004

Fellowship

Cardiology, UCLA School of Medicine, 1997

Residency

Internal Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, 1992

Internship

Internal Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, 1991

Degrees

PhD, UCLA School of Medicine Dept of Physiology, 1998
MD, Harvard Medical School, 1989

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Videos

Love Your Heart. Everyday Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy and Strong

In the News

Queen Latifah Puts Heart Failure Center Stage - U.S. News, Sep 2016

Note: News website links may expire without notice.

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.

Visit our health insurance information page for more details.

Recognitions

  • Super Doctors® Southern California, 2024, 2025

Reviews

Overall Rating:
5.0
64 total ratings | 4 reviews
5.0
May 28, 2025
She is always awesome. Professional, great bedside manner, highly intelligent.
5.0
May 13, 2025
Yearly check in with cardiologist to review lipid data and physical health, adjust meds, review life stressors or adaptations, update prescriptions! Attentive to full life as well as food choices, potential impacts of current world shifts but also changes in physical exercise and social (or not) interactions! Keeping heart and health on track as hit milestone 80!
5.0
May 1, 2025
Really listened to my concerns
5.0
April 14, 2025
Dr. Watson is excellent in taking a medical history. She listens carefully .