Dr. Karen A. McGowan, MD, FAAP

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Get to know Pediatrician Dr. Karen A. McGowan, who serves patients in California.

A trusted pediatrician, Dr. McGowan is a part of the team of professionals at San Diego Pediatrics in California.

“I enjoy working with both my patients and their parents. I strive to treat my patients and parents as I would like to have my daughters and myself treated- with respect, intelligence, and a bit of humor” she stated. 

Serving the San Diego area since 1983, the team at San Diego Pediatrics pride themselves in compassionate, quality healthcare. With a focus on preventative care and education, they guide patients and their families from infancy through adolescence offering services ranging from sick care and well visits to behavioral consultations, frenulectomy, and ear piercing.

Academically, Dr. McGowan received her medical undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California, San Diego. She went on to earn her medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine where she graduated with honors. She then completed her internship and residency training at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. 

A Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP), she is board-certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). The mission of the ABP is to advance child health by certifying pediatricians who meet standards of excellence and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Devoted to her field, Dr. McGowan is On the Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Children with Disabilities. She is also affiliated with Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, and Sharp Memorial Hospital.

“I like to treat my patients and their parents as I would like to have my children and myself treated. I like to treat the whole patient. I decided to become a physician because I want to help people and I felt that being a physician was the best way to do this” expressed the doctor. 

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends individuals be under pediatric care up to the age of 21. Pediatricians provide medical care to people ranging in age from newborns to young adults. They are trained to examine, diagnose, and treat children with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses through all of their developmental stages, as they grow and mature.

In her spare time, Dr. McGowan enjoys gourmet cooking, hiking, and gardening. She speaks both English and Spanish.

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