The Inside Scoop: A Conversation with Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Kim Schaap
Here at St. Cloud Surgical Center, we operate on a set list of values, one of which is service excellence. If you head to our About page, you’ll see that it means, “we seek to exceed the expectations of patients, physicians, and each other in everything we do.” When you enter our doors, we want you to immediately feel you are among a community of healthcare professionals who built their careers on trust and care. We know each patient’s journey is unique, and we’re committed to providing comfort and support from the first step. At the heart of that journey is the partnership between our facility and the surgeons we work with, who bring together skill and compassion to provide exceptional care.
One of our valued partners, Dr. Kim Schaap, is an orthopedic surgeon dedicated to helping patients get back to doing what they love. With a talent for putting things back inplace, Dr. Schaap brings years of experience to our team, ensuring that every patient’s path to recovery is carefully constructed.
We recently interviewed Dr. Schaap to learn more about her journey and what being a woman in medicine means to her. Take a look!
Dr. Kim Schaap, M.D. and Partner at St. Cloud Orthopedics
SCSC: Hi, Dr. Schaap; thank you so much for sitting down with us today. Can you tell us briefly about yourself and what you do at St. Cloud Surgical Center?
Dr. Schaap: Thank you for having me. My name is Dr. Kim Schaap. I am an orthopedic surgeon at St. Cloud Surgical Center and a partner at St. Cloud Orthopedics, where I have been practicing since 1999. My area of expertise is sports medicine and minimally invasive total knee replacements. Years ago, I did more shoulder and hip replacements, but as we all seem to do, I have focused on the procedures I am really good at and enjoy.
SCSC: You’ve been practicing for a long time. An expert, no doubt! As a valued partner at SCOA, why do you continue to encourage partnerships between our organizations?
Dr. Schaap: There are many reasons why I support our partnership with St. Cloud Surgical Center. For most surgeons here, the biggest reason we stay is our ability to be nimble. The pace is fast, and we’re able to handle a lot of cases efficiently. We rest easy knowing that our patients get excellent care, and if we ever feel like things aren’t working well or new technology would help us in our pursuit to be the best we can be, the leadership here will listen. That’s not always the case in healthcare, especially with big systems. You have to go through many, many channels, and it takes a lot of time for change to happen. That’s not the case here.
SCSC: Speaking of technology, you’re a fan of the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Knee Replacement procedure. Can you talk more about that?
Dr. Schaap: Absolutely. The Mako technology we use at St. Cloud Surgical Center is a combination of two successful things: Mako robotic technology and the Stryker Triathlon knee replacement system and components. Alone, both were successful in their own right, but together, I felt they could change the future of orthopedics, and they have. Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Knee Replacement has become an incredibly successful platform and has helped us become more precise surgeons. Not better surgeons, but more precise.
SCSC: Not better, more precise. That’s a great way to explain it. Are patients ever nervous about the use of robotics in their surgical plan?
Dr. Schaap: The use of robotics, I feel, is incredibly important now as the expectations of patients have increased or become much more likely to expect an outpatient procedure, a quicker recovery, the ability to expect that they will be up and moving much more quickly than it used to be. Twenty-five years ago, when I started, it was customary for patients to stay in the hospital for three, four, or even five days. And now it’s rare for patients to stay in the hospital at all. The use of robotics has been one of the factors that has allowed that. The Mako procedure improves joint mechanics more quickly.
SCSC: Thank you for taking some time to talk about Mako. In the second half of this interview, we want to hear more about your experience as a woman in medicine. What inspired you to pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon?
Dr. Schaap: My interest in medicine, particularly orthopedic surgery, began at a very young age. I grew up on a farm, and we always fixed things. I saw a lot of overlap in that experience and orthopedic surgery. It’s pretty concrete; something is broken, and be it with a plate, rod, etc., you fix it to function again, just like tractors on the farm. As I began to explore the medical field through my education, my love of sports also impacted me. I played sports in college and had access to a lot of different training rooms, where I saw many injuries from high ankle sprains to torn ACLs.
SCSC: It sounds like you were destined for this path. What, if any, challenges have you faced during your medical career as a woman?
Dr. Schaap: I’ve been working as a surgeon for more than 25 years, and I’ve seen the proportion of men vs women in the field shift. When I went to medical school, more men than women were in my class. It’s different today. That said, I’ve found that the same principles apply. As a woman in the medical field, you’ll earn respect as long as you are capable and confident but not overbearing. Respect others, and others respect you.
SCSC: So true. Aren’t we all just looking to be respected in our careers?
Dr. Schaap: Exactly. And the perception of female surgeons, although it’s taken some time, has changed too. Of course, it’s common to see a female pediatrician or OB-GYN, but our Academy of Orthopedic Surgery is still about 6% women. I’m excited and hopeful to see that growing, though!
SCSC: Interesting. Do you feel respected by patients as a female surgeon?
Dr. Schaap: Oh yes, patients are very accepting, especially once they get to know you. I did just as much training as my male counterpart, and I might add that women in our seem to probably have a little more empathy and better listening ears—not always, but sometimes.
SCSC: You can’t drive respect; you earn it. That’s so powerful, and I think it’s true for women everywhere. Thank you, Dr. Schaap, for your time today. I have one final question for you regarding the future of orthopedic surgery. What do you think is on the horizon?
Dr. Schaap: As orthopedic surgeons, we always look for ways to improve and hit our next target. While a lot has changed in the last twenty years regarding total knees and hips, there’s room to do better. Total shoulders, I think, are on the horizon. And we may even see some opportunities for the use of robotics in spine surgery. Our goal is simple: allow surgeons to be surgeons still, while simultaneously taking some of the human factors out of the process. Again, our thinking is not better, just more precise.
If you are experiencing pain that may need assistance from an Orthopedic Surgeon, don’t wait to contact one of our experienced providers. The solution you have been looking for could be right around the corner. Contact us today for more information.