Ken Zafren, MD FAAEM FACEP FAWM

Clinical Focus

• Emergency Medicine

Administrative Appointments

• EMS Medical Director, State of Alaska , (2001– present )
• Associate Medical Director, Himalayan Rescue Association , (1993– present )
• Vice President, International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine , (2001– present )
• Medical Director, Denali National Park Mountaineering Rangers , (1997– 2001 )
• Medical Director, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group , (1994– present )
• Medical Director, Lake Clark National Park , (1997– present )
• Board of Directors, Wilderness Medical Society , (1999– 2006 )
• Board of Directors, Wilderness Medical Society , (1991– 1996 )

Honors and Awards

• Education Award of the Wilderness Medical Society, Wilderness Medical Society (2003)
• Service Award of the Wilderness Medical Society, Wilderness Medical Society (2004)
• Hero of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians (2008)

Professional Education

• Presbyterian/St. Luke'S Hosp (1986) CO
• Board Certification: Emergency Medicine, American Board of Emergency Medicine (1995)
• Kern Medical Center (1994) CA
• University of Washington School of Medicine (1984) WA
• BA, New College / USF Mathematics (1975)
• MD, University of Washington Medicine (1984)

Community & International Work

• Himalayan Rescue Association, Nepal More »
• State of Alaska - EMS Medical Director, Alaska More »

Industry Relationships

Stanford is committed to ethical and transparent interactions with our industry partners. It is our policy to disclose payments of $5,000 or more, equity valued at $5,000 or more in a publicly traded company, or any equity in a privately held company, to physicians and scientists employed by Stanford University from companies or other commercial entities with which they interact as part of their professional activities. 

• Consulting: Joanne R. Werner Inc. PS, Law Offices of Robert Gould, Van Siclen, Stocks and Firkins PS Inc.

Research Interests

High altitude medicine, AMS, HACE, HAPE, cold injuries, including hypothermia and frostbite, emergency medical services, wilderness medicine, mountain rescue, thrombosis, international medicine, travel medicine, emergency medicine, resuscitation

Publications

• The use of extrication devices in crevasse accidents: official statement of the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine and the Terrestrial Rescue Commission of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue intended for physicians, paramedics, and mountain rescuers. Winterberger E,  Jacomet H, Zafren K, Ruffinen GZ, Jelk B.  Wilderness Environ Med.  2008; 19 (2): 108-10
• Acetazolamide fails to decrease pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude in partially acclimatized humans. Basnyat B,  Hargrove J, Holck PS, Srivastav S, Alekh K, Ghimire LV, Pandey K, Griffiths A, Shankar R, Kaul K, Paudyal A, Stasiuk D, Basnyat R, Davis C, Southard A, Robinson C, Shandley T, Johnson DW, Zafren K, Williams S, Weiss EA, Farrar JJ, Swenson ER.  High Alt Med Biol.  2008; 9 (3): 209-16
• When searches become futile. Fortini A,  Zafren K, Sharp F, Shimanski C.  Wilderness Environ Med.  2008; 19 (1): 73
• A reference correction. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2007; 18 (4): 323
• Lightning injuries: prevention and on-site treatment in mountains and remote areas. Official guidelines of the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine and the Medical Commission of the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (ICAR and UIAA MEDCOM). Zafren K,  Durrer B, Herry JP, Brugger H.  Resuscitation.  2005; 65 (3): 369-72
• Guidelines for the management of head injuries in remote and rural Alaska. Sacco F,  Zafren K, Brown K, Cohen T, Coopes BJ, Godersky J, Hudson D, Hyams S, Ingraham D, Levy M, Ma W, Martinez P, Montano W, Mithun J, O'Malley J, O'Neill K, Powers D, Smith L.  Alaska Med.  2004 Jul-Sep; 46 (3): 58-62
• Thrombotic complications at altitude. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2004; 15 (2): 155
• Management of blunt trauma victims with significant hemoperitoneum with normal examination. Zafren K,  Am J Emerg Med.  2003; 21 (6): 513
• Clinical images. Wound care in the wilderness. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2001; 12 (3): 201-3
• How useful is on-mountain sonography? Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2001; 12 (4): 230-1
• Effect of insurance on admission for head injury. Zafren K,  Am J Emerg Med.  2001; 19 (5): 460
• Poison oak dermatitis. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2001; 12 (1): 39-40
• Warnings in the wilderness. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2001; 12 (2): 129-33
• Clinical images. Immersion injury. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2000; 11 (4): 269-71
• Unusual presentation of a fracture and possible early compartment syndrome. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  2000; 11 (3): 199-200
• Presentation of the case. Lighting injuries. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  1999; 10 (4): 253-5
• Images. Chilblains (pernio). Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  1999; 10 (1): 25-6
• Images. Prognostic indicators in frostbite. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  1999; 10 (2): 115-6
• Images. Erythema nodosum. Zafren K,  Kercher E.  Wilderness Environ Med.  1999; 10 (3): 171-3
• Trends in the workload of the two high altitude aid posts in the Nepal Himalayas. Basnyat B,  Savard GK, Zafren K.  J Travel Med.  1999; 6 (4): 217-22
• Images. Brown recluse spider bite (necrotic arachnidism). Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  1998; 9 (4): 211-2
• Tragedy on Ptarmigan Peak. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  1998; 9 (3): 188-90
• Gamow bag for high-altitude cerebral oedema. Zafren K,  Lancet.  1998; 352 (9124): 325-6
• Migratory pain in appendicitis. Zafren K,  Am J Emerg Med.  1998; 16 (4): 437-8
• Telemedicine revisited. Zafren K,  Ann Emerg Med.  1998; 31 (6): 790-1
• Hyponatremia in a cold environment. Zafren K,  Wilderness Environ Med.  1998; 9 (1): 54-5
• Re: Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Events during Travel. Zafren K,  J Travel Med.  1997; 4 (3): 152
• High-altitude medicine. Zafren K,  Honigman B.  Emerg Med Clin North Am.  1997; 15 (1): 191-222
• Treatment of high-altitude pulmonary edema by bed rest and supplemental oxygen. Zafren K,  Reeves JT, Schoene R.  Wilderness Environ Med.  1996; 7 (2): 127-32
• Warning! Long Commute. Zafren K,  Science.  1996; 272 (5269): 1726a
• Outcome assessments and air ambulance services. Zafren K,  Lancet.  1996; 347 (9018): 1843
• Alternative training in emergency medicine. Zafren K,  Am J Emerg Med.  1993; 11 (1): 97-8
• Open and closed peritoneal lavage. Zafren K,  Purcell T.  Ann Emerg Med.  1992; 21 (10): 1298
• Base deficit as a diagnostic test for abdominal injury. Zafren K,  Purcell T.  Ann Emerg Med.  1992; 21 (11): 1406-7
• More on tetracycline and ticks. Zafren K,  N Engl J Med.  1983; 308 (7): 403-4