Karen Woodward, PAContact Info

Karen Woodward, PA, is a member of Summit Health’s Orthopedics team. She has always been drawn to healthcare and has been a physical therapist for 25 years. She loved her work but longed to be part of a larger form of medicine, including the operating room. She wanted to follow her patients from the beginning of conservative care all the way through to surgical recovery and beyond. She wanted to be part of her patient’s whole picture. This was her drive behind a career change to Physician Assistant. 

Ms. Woodward has a long-standing passion for Orthopedics. Having endured her own injuries and surgeries as a teenager and throughout her life, she knows what it’s like to be a patient. Her time and experience as a physical therapist have given her a broad spectrum of knowledge with a wide range of populations, injuries, and conditions.

Ms. Woodward believes in empowering her patients. She says, “I believe the patient has to be a part of their own care. I am there to guide, assist, educate, and treat. The more they know and understand, the better my relationship is with the patient, the more they trust me, the more compliant they become which all results in better outcomes.”

Outside of work, Ms. Woodward enjoys spending time with her five adult children. She is an endurance athlete who enjoys triathlons and ultra-endurance events. She loves to spend time outdoors. She is also passionate about the ALS community and does a yearly bike ride and fundraiser for ALS in honor of a patient who quickly became a friend and touched her heart in many ways.

Cheshire Surgery Center, Cheshire, CT
Hospital of Central CT, New Britain, CT