Doctor: Karen Gersch

Specialty: Cardiothoracic surgery, robotics and minimally invasive surgery

College: Meredith College (Raleigh, North Carolina); 

Med School: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University (Greenville, North Carolina)

Residencies: Creighton University Medical Center (Omaha, Nebraska), general surgery residency; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), cardiothoracic surgery residency; Eastern Carolina Cardiovascular Institute (Greenville, North Carolina), robotics and minimally invasive surgery fellowship

Professional place of practice: Northeast Georgia Health System — The Georgia Heart Institute

Family: Jack Clark (husband) and 10 year old twins - Avery Clark and Kelson Clark

Years in Chateau: Since April 2023

What influenced you to choose to be a doctor? Always wanted to help others get better and medicine and health always appealed to me.  I was always impressed with the doctors I saw when I was younger and I wanted to be like them.

What made you choose your specialty? Selected orthopedic surgery because it really aligned with my personal outlook.  I want to help people get better by doing something about it. 

Advice for aspiring doctors: Always do good. You have a gift that not all people have. You are directly responsible for saving a life. This is a huge responsibility. Always think about what you are doing. Always do what is right. Ask for help when you need it, offer help when you can, be thankful for your gift, and always remember that the human that you are treating is someone very special.

Fun fact: Karen is a marathon runner. She rides her Peloton and still runs. She also plays golf.