Andrea Zimmern, MD

Description

Andrea Zimmern, MD, FACS, FASCRS, is a board-certified colorectal surgeon at Northwell Health, treating a wide range of diseases and disorders of the small intestine, colon, rectum and anus. This includes hemorrhoids, fissures, fistulas, diverticulitis and colorectal cancer."Most of what I treat isn't life-threatening but affects people's quality of life-they start to feel better almost immediately after surgery, which is very satisfying for me, " says Dr. Zimmern, who knew she wanted to be a doctor since she was 6 years old. After completing her residency in general surgery at SUNY Stony Brook, where she was chief resident, Dr. Zimmern was dual fellowship trained in robotic surgery at University of Illinois at Chicago and in colorectal at St. Vincent Health Center in Pennsylvania. Dr. Zimmern joined Northwell in 2017 and appreciates the health system's team approach to care. In addition to collaborating with fellow colorectal surgeons, she works closely with other specialists, especially gastroenterologists and urogynecologists, to create customized treatment plans for each patient. "Medicine is not a cookie-cutter practice, " she says. "I work with patients to understand what they're looking to achieve and come up with a plan that's tailored to their needs." Dr. Zimmern specializes in robotic, laparoscopic and other minimally invasive surgeries for greater precision and faster healing. She sees a diverse range of patients and is particularly well-versed in women's health issues, including pelvic floor testing. She is actively involved with research in her field and is passionate about teaching, leading Northwell's general surgery residency program and the colorectal and urogynecology fellowship programs. She's also a faculty member at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell-serving as an assistant professor of surgery and participating in the Women in Medicine mentorship program. "I want to be the best role model I can be, " she says. She also creates videos for doctors and patients, educating them about common health concerns she sees."There's so many people, especially women, walking around with issues that they're too embarrassed to tell their doctor or even their friends, " she says. "I encourage people to speak up because most of the time, you're not alone-these issues are common and treatable. I'm here to listen and to help."