Karen L. Collins M.D.

       I'VE LIVED IN COOK COUNTY MOST OF MY LIFE.  I WAS BORN IN CHICAGO, AND MOVED TO HANOVER PARK WHEN I WAS 8 YEAR OLD.  I ATTENDED THE "OLD" ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ATTEND NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.  THERE I MAJORED IN CHEMISTRY AND MET MY HUSBAND, RANDY, WHO HAS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE BUT IS OUR HOUSEHOLD COMPUTER GURU.  UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS (CHICAGO) WAS THE NEXT STOP FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL FOLLOWED BY A RESIDENCY AT RUSH PRESBYTERIAN ST. LUKE'S MEDICAL CENTER.  I WAS THEN PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO OBTAIN A POSITION IN HOFFMAN ESTATES, PART OF NORTH SUBURBAN CLINIC (IN ITS BETTER DAYS).  I LEFT THAT PRACTICE IN 1990 AND JOINED NORTHWEST PHYSICIANS FOR WOMEN; THAT PRACTICE MERGED WITH TWO OTHERS IN 1995 TO FORM NORTHWEST ASSOCIATES FOR WOMEN.  MY DAYS THERE ENDED IN DECEMBER 2002, AND NOW I'M EXCITED TO BE JOINING DR. LEVY AND HIS PRACTICE IN ARLINGTON HEIGHTS.

       I HAVE 4 BROTHERS AND 2 SISTERS, AND MY HUSBAND IS ONE OF 14 CHILDREN; HOWEVER, WE ARE QUITE CONTENT WITH OUR 2 SONS, DREW (AGE 15) AND BENJAMIN (AGE 13).  THEY ARE COMPLETE OPPOSITES IN INTERESTS AND PERSONALITIES AND KEEP US GUESSING.  I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT BASKETBALL AND SOCCER GAMES (BEN) AND LISTENING TO DRUMS (DREW).

       MY SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE PMS AND MENOPAUSE TRANSITIONS.  OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE DEVELOPED QUITE AN INTEREST IN COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, AND HAVE TRIED TO INCORPORATE WHAT I'VE LEARNED INTO MY EVERYDAY AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL LIFE.  I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN WHAT PATIENTS HAVE TRIED AND WHAT RESOURCES THEY MAY HAVE FOUND.  I BELIEVE THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT BRING ABOUT THE BEST RESULTS FOR A GIVEN WOMAN IN A GIVEN SITUATION.  I'M ALSO A STRONG ADVOCATE OF SCREENING EXAMS, SUCH AS MAMMOGRAMS, COLON CANCER SCREENING, OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING AND SCREENING FOR HEART DISEASE RISK FACTORS.

       I HAVE BEEN ON STAFF AT ST. ALEXIUS MEDICAL CENTER FOR 20 YEARS, AND LIKE DR. LEVY, I HAVE BEEN AND AM STILL INVOLVED WITH THE HOSPITAL'S QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE.

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