Our functional medicine staff are specially trained in functional medicine, so you’ll receive a higher level of care for chronic issues and help getting to the root cause of symptoms. Your functional medicine specialist guides you and your care team with personalized, whole-person care.
Chip Nguyen, DNP, NP-C, IFMCP, is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and over 15 years of experience in primary care, urgent care, sleep medicine, and functional medicine. Inspired by her own journey with autoimmune illness, Chip is dedicated to uncovering and treating the root causes of disease through advanced testing, hormone optimization, and personalized lifestyle medicine. She is certified through the Cleveland Clinic’s Institute for Functional Medicine (IFMCP). Chip is passionate about building meaningful, trust-based relationships with her patients and empowering them with the tools and education needed to make informed decisions about their own health.
Cleveland Clinic’s Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner
A4M Fertility certification
Advanced Aesthetic Injection Certification
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support & Basic Life Support
State of California Register Nurse Practitioner License
AANP Nurse Practitioner Certification
State of California Registered Nurse
Touro University Nevada, Henderson, Nevada
Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
Cleveland Clinic’s Certification and Coursework:
Ready to take charge of your health and partner with the Hoag Functional Medicine Team?
Karen Schafer, FNP-C, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who specializes in functional medicine. With over 15 years of clinical experience, she is passionate about identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic illness rather than simply managing symptoms.
After earning a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from San Diego State University, Karen pursued further education through a masters program at University of Texas. She uses her integrative approach that combines the best of conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary therapies, including nutrition, lifestyle modification, and mind-body interventions.
Karen specializes in helping patients navigate complex health issues such as hormonal imbalances, digestive concerns, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic fatigue. Her care philosophy centers around personalized treatment plans, compassionate listening, and empowering patients to take an active role in their healing journey.
When not in the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys at the park or at the beach, and is dedicated to lifelong learning and staying current with the latest research in functional medicine.
San Diego State University
University of Texas
Ready to take charge of your health and partner with the Hoag Functional Medicine Team?
