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Karen Hessel, MD
My specialties:
- Obstetrics
- Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN)
Professional interests:
- Infertility
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Complex and high risk pregnancy
- Adolescents
- Women's Health
- Obesity medicine
- Virtual visits
I am a board-certified obstetrics/gynecology physician with professional interests in infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, complex/high risk pregnancy, adolescents, health and wellness and women of weight. I offer face-to-face virtual visits for a variety of health services and conditions.
I am passionate about: improvement. I always try to learn from things around me and look at everything critically.
If I was not a doctor, I would be a: stay at home mom, massage therapist or yoga instructor.
I became a doctor because: pregnancy is an amazing time in women's lives when they are deeply motivated to be healthy and open to new beginnings. I seriously considered becoming a midwife; however, with more exploration, I found that I wanted to have the autonomy and complexity associated with being a doctor.
Something I have learned from my patients is: to listen and to be humble. Some of the best parenting tips I have ever gotten have come from my patients.
One of the challenges of this career that I enjoy is: listening carefully to patients to find ways that I can help them live their lives to the fullest.
My biggest health challenge is: to not eat the whole box of Girl Scout cookies!
Credentials
- MD
Board-certified specialties
- Obstetrics
- Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN)
Personal interests
- Family activities
- Outdoors
- Yoga
Educational institutions
- The University of Arizona College of Medicine
Memberships
- American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- American Medical Association
- American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology
- American Society of Bariatric Physicians
- Minnesota Medical Association
Residencies
- Forbes Family Practice Residency Program, Monroeville, PA
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities Integrated Residency
Years of experience
- 26
Hospital affiliations
- Abbott Northwestern Hospital
- The Mother Baby Center at Abbott Northwestern and Children's Minnesota
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Major health plans we accept
- Allina Health | Aetna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
- HealthPartners
- Medica
- PreferredOne
- SelectCare/LaborCare
- UCare
- UnitedHealthcare
Other health plans we accept
- Medicaid/Medicare
- Aetna
- America's PPO
- First Health/Coventry
- CIGNA
- Humana
- Hennepin Health (formerly Metropolitan Health Plan)
- PrimeWest
- South Country Health Alliance
- United Behavioral Health
- Wisconsin Physician Services (WPS)