Galina Karpenko, OB-GYN
This week (May 14th – 20th) is National Women’s Health Week! To help celebrate, I interviewed some of my favorite, most badass, brilliant, female minds in the health and wellness industry to feature.
Dr. Galina Karpenko is an OB-GYN who practiced for years in Russia before moving to New York City and has extensive knowledge of infertility treatments. Out of the office, Galina plays the piano and guitar and loves to run. “It has the added benefits of dedicated alone time and mental focus,” she said. Her biggest hobby, however, is her two-year-old grandson.
I first met Galina shortly after my second child was born and I opened DASHA®. We were neighbors on the floor in my 57th St location. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, between running a business, being a mom and trying to find ways to rebalance myself. I remember losing a lot of weight and feeling a bit nervous about it. She sat me down one day in her office and explained in full detail that my symptoms were very normal. Dr. Karpenko sure has a way with calming my nerves plus an unbelievable bedside manner.
Shannon: How did you get started in the industry?
Galina: I finished medical school in Russia in 1984 and practiced as an OB-GYN before my family immigrated to America. I had to start from scratch here. I became a physician in New York in 2002 and have been in private practice since 2006.
What made you choose to specialize in gynecology?
Even as a medical student, I always loved to take care of women. I think it’s a perfect specialty and being a woman is definitely an advantage in this field.
What does it mean to be a woman in health and wellness?
It’s not easy to balance work, life, family and being a woman. Part of work-life balance is selecting those things that matter the most. You need to take care of yourself if you want to help others.
What about health is SEXY to you?
Sexy isn’t just about what you wear or the way you look, it’s about the way you feel. Whatever your stress relief – yoga, meditation, exercise, art, music – women need to do it to feel good and feeling good means being healthy. Being healthy is considered the New SEXY!
