Dr. Karen A. Knolle Richardson is the current Medical Director of the Emergency Department of St. Michael’s Elite Hospital. She brings a wealth of clinical acumen and leadership experience to our talented team. With over two decades of experience in emergency medicine, she has served most of her career on the front lines, ready to face any challenge.
Dr. Richardson started her remarkable journey in medicine after earning her M.D. from McGovern Medical School, formerly the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and completing her residency at the Memorial Family Practice Residency Program, where she also served as Chief Resident. She began her hands-on experience in family medicine at Sugar Land Family Physicians and then took a different direction, practicing full-time Emergency Medicine for the last 24 years.
Her extensive service in the medical field has seen her in several crucial roles, most notably as the President of Rose-Rich EM Physicians, concurrently, she served as Assistant Medical Director at a local Fort Bend Hospital for 14 years, strengthening her administrative and clinical acumen. Practicing Emergency Medicine in Fort Bend’s highest trauma-designated hospital for 20 years has left her with a wealth of critical experience.
On a personal level, Dr. Richardson truly empathizes with medicine from a patient’s perspective as she has braved critical illnesses within her children, overcoming brain cancer, eosinophilic duodenitis, and Celiac disease. These experiences furthered her dedication to excellent medical care, both scientifically and emotionally.
Dr. Richardson’s outstanding leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and commitment to providing uncompensated COVID-19 care have earned her notable recognition and awards. She is passionate about treating patients with genuine concern and attention to detail. She not only brings experience in managing complex critical medical conditions and crucial skills in emergency procedures but also studies functional medicine, benefiting patients long after ER visits.
