Susan Baumgaertel, MD

Originally from Seattle, Susan J. Baumgaertel grew up in Ontario, Canada, before returning to Washington state for her education. She earned her undergraduate degree from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington and her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. After completing residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Washington and serving as Chief Resident in the Department of Medical Education at Swedish Medical Center, she worked in private practice from 1996 to 2021. Her career includes serving as Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine in the UW Department of Medicine and chairing committees in Integrative Medicine, Technology, Quality Management, and Peer Review. She founded the weight management program Menu for Change (2012-2019) and the MenopauseMenu website (2020). In 2022, she launched myMDadvocate through Parapluie Partners, LLC, where she serves as a physician consultant, healthcare navigator, and medical advocate with 25 years experience in Internal Medicine. She is the author of the 2023 book The Menopause Menu and founder of the 2025 talk show Voices With Vigor.