Burgess Adds New Surgeon to the Team

Burgess Health Center announces that Rachel Knudson, DO will be joining the Burgess Surgical Services team in August, where she will practice with general surgeon John Garred, MD. Both are certified by the American Board of Surgery.

As a General Surgeon, Dr. Knudson performs all types of general surgeries, including colonoscopies, EGD (an endoscopic procedure to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum), gallbladder surgery, hernia repair, removing skin cancers, breast surgeries and repairing small bowel obstructions. She comes to us from the McFarland Clinic in Carroll, Iowa.

“We are very excited to have Dr. Knudson join our Burgess family. She will build upon the highly skilled team of providers, nurses and support staff who deliver exceptional surgical care to our communities,” Carl Behne, CEO of Burgess Health Center stated.  “Being on-campus daily and focused solely on general surgery services will greatly improve local access to care.”

Knudson, who grew up near Marshalltown, attended the University of Iowa, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences. She received a Doctor of Osteopathy from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and then did her general surgery residency at Mercy Medical in Des Moines. She didn’t have to look far for influences on her career choice. Her uncle was a trauma surgeon and her grandmother and aunt were nurses.

Dr. Knudson and her husband, Brady, live in Sioux City with their son, Sam, age 8. Brady is an environmental scientist but is staying at home right now.

She and Brady are certified in SCUBA diving and have enjoyed the waters of the Caribbean and Hawaii. Knudson also enjoys scrapbooking and canning.

Photo: Rachel Knudson, DO