Nancy Ringel, MD, MS, is a urogynecologist, an obstetrician-gynecologist who specializes in female pelvic reconstruction surgery.
Growing up, Dr. Ringel says she knew she wanted a career that involved science, but it wasn’t until she was serving in the Peace Corps in Zambia when she decided health care was for her.
“I thought primary care would be the place for me because I loved forming relationships with patients and helping them improve their lives. But my first rotation in medical school was surgery, and I fell in love with it. My whole plan went out the window,” Dr. Ringel says. “But then when I did my Ob/Gyn rotation, I realized I could have the best of both worlds.”
Dr. Ringel says she finds surgery gratifying. “In the span of a few hours, I can fix someone’s problem and really improve their condition. I love helping my patients live their best lives,” she says.
She acknowledges that many of the troubles patients come to her for—including incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse—are often embarrassing to them.
“So many people don’t realize that these problems are common and can be helped,” Dr. Ringel says. “They think it’s a normal part of aging or from having children. They are told they should just accept it. But there have been many advancements in surgical techniques, and we have so much more research on these issues. Instead of living with discomfort, we can offer treatments that are solutions.”
When she first meets patients, Dr. Ringel says she lets them know the visit is centered around their needs. “I tell them that these are issues I deal with every day and we have lots of treatment possibilities. My primary role is to give them information about what their options are and to help them make informed decisions,” she says.
Dr. Ringel’s research interests include addressing health disparities and making care more equitable.
