Dr. Shin is an exceptional OB, and I would highly recommend her to anyone. As someone who tends to overthink, I truly appreciated her calm confidence and ability to make clear, timely decisions. She is incredibly knowledgeable, compassionate, and easy to talk to, which made me feel supported throughout my pregnancy. I recently delivered twins, and my experience with her was so positive that I would gladly work with her again for a future pregnancy. I have complete trust in her care and am very grateful to have had her as my doctor. read more

# They take the liberty of canceling your appointments even without your confirmation!!! If you ever want your doctor's appointment to be canceled, even without your knowledge, then you are in luck, and the Doctor's patient service manager takes all the credit and liberty in doing this. Personally, I don't know the doctor, but I saw really good reviews for her and her team. Thinking that they would all be professional and provide an excellent diagnosis and service, I scheduled an appointment with her by calling Sutter Health's patient care line back in June this year for a UTI/Vaginal discomfort diagnosis. I got very frustrated when they cancelled my appointment today (10/4) for the one I had on (10/6) without even asking for my confirmation. They called me around 11:30 am while I was still in an office meeting, and even before I could hear the voicemail and respond, I got a message on the Sutter Health app saying that my appointment had been cancelled. My husband and I kept calling the Los Altos office from noon to 3 pm to find out why and how they could proceed without my confirmation. We just kept hearing that the manager was still in her "lunch". Only after speaking with patient relations was I able to connect with the relevant person. The staff member (Betty) who spoke informed me that they had the right to cancel my appointment without my consent, and I should be aware of all the conditions related to OB/GYN that Dr. Shin would diagnose. We found these comments to be unprofessional and rude, lacking empathy for me. Additionally, in the reason for cancellation, they mentioned that since I have already established my patient care at another facility within Sutter Health, I should go there instead. This seemed absurd, as I had already scheduled an appointment with the Los Altos center earlier in June. How can a patient be expected to be aware of all this information? Isn't this the duty of a patient relations manager? In the end, the staff sounded a little rude and even said, "I know you have a patient relation number, and if you want to proceed with the grievance, go ahead." This kind of attitude in health care is unacceptable, and it is not fair to cancel a critical appointment without a patient's consent. My right as a patient to reasonable continuity of care, advance notice of appointments, and participation in care decisions was violated. I request that the Sutter Health Patient Care Team investigate this matter so that, in the future, no one can end up in a similar situation. read more

Dr. Karen shin is very kind and professional. She always cares about her patients and provides high quality care to them. Dr. Shin saved our lives (my son and myself) I had preeclampsia in the third trimester, she helped me found it and provided very good care to me. read more

This review is way overdue. Dr. Shin was my OB for both of my daughters. I always feel that she spent her time to explain everything and answer my questions. With my younger daughter, I had complications. She was so empathetic and worked with me to make sure my daughter and I are both safe and taken care of. She scheduled extra visit just to make sure we are okay before a trip that I had planned. Her office is also amazing. Every time unexpected things happen and I am concerned, her office always call me back the same day. The NP even called my husband when I didn't hear my phone ring just so she can make sure I am taken care before the end of day. Whenever I am really concerned, she always find a way to fit me in to see someone same day. I always thought these are expected from an OB practice until my friends tell me about how they can't get a hold of a nurse in the office they go to. This makes me appreciate this office sooooo much! read more

Dr. Shin is a great, no-nonsense doctor. If you're here to chat, this isn't the place. But if you need a precise and straightforward assessment of your problem, you've come to the right doctor. I recently had surgery performed by Dr. Shin and I feel like I'm in the best hands. read more

Let me be clear - Dr Shin is super responsive through emails. She is super efficient in all things routine. My guess is she is overworked and she is not very good at taking breaks. Reading all the reviews, I feel disappointed Dr Shin didn't have the same empathy that she showed her other patients. When concerns had to be raised, I could see she was making up stuff as she was going. I just lost trust. read more

This is an long overdue review , doctor Shin is my favorite doctor , she's so caring, kind, relaxed, genuine , funny, she just has an overall easy going personality that gives you the vibe of everything will be ok. I live very far from her clinic and with both pregnancies I had to drive about 30-40 mins each time to see her, but it was worth the drive and I wouldn't see anyone else who's only 5 mins away! I feel very lucky to I have her as my doctor. Thank you doctor Shin! read more

I read the reviews online and when I went to see Dr. Shin, I thought she had a much better bedside manner than what was noted. However, when the office ran the 20 week blood panel and my iron and other levels came back below acceptable, I asked Dr. Shin about it. She brushed it off as, you're pregnant, the range is not accurate while pregnant, just supplement and you will be fine. I asked if I could be tested again to make sure my body was correctly absorbing the increased iron or possibly have some intravenous supplements because I don't eat red meat. She said "we don't really do that." When I came into the hospital in labor, they ran the labs and my levels had dropped even further, far below what was acceptable and this was before I gave birth and would inevitably loose more blood. I ended up "loosing more blood than expected" during labor, was unable to stand up for the full 3 days that I was in hospital with my newborn, and needed a blood transfusion. A different OB later explained to me that based on my labs, I should have been given iron intravenously when I requested and that I had hemorrhaged while giving birth. None of this was explained to me by Dr. Shin or any of the other doctors in this practice. I suffered with PTSD for 3 years from feeling unheard and feeling like if I had just pushed for my rights more, I could have prevented this traumatic event. I would never recommend this practice because you don't know who will be in the delivery room with you and the care they provide meets just the bare minimum requirements. read more

Dr. Shin is really friendly and always comes in with a big smile on her face. Although she is incredibly busy with a demanding patient load, she always seems willing to go above and beyond, take extra time in her day to work through any issues you have and overall is a very caring person. She is pragmatic, but the opposite of robotic. I'm really happy I switched over to her from my previous OB. She wasn't on call when I delivered, but she is part of a network of doctors who rotate on call. While the care/communication within the practice was not seamless, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. The care is different across physicians, but the level of care is great throughout. I was seen by doctors: Karl, Sudkheo, Wong, Wu I was delivered by Dr. Wong from their practice, and she did a great job in ensuring tearing was a minimum. read more

After reading a bunch of good reviews I called this morning to see if Dr. Shin takes cash patients (she does) but when I asked how much an appointment would cost the receptionist couldn't tell me and stated that there would be a $500 deposit to be seen?! The receptionist was nice but a $500 deposit to see a Dr.? With no estimate of cost at all? And when I asked about the deposit she just explained what a deposit IS not what it was FOR. I'm sure the Dr. is great but just maybe not for someone without insurance... read more

Dr Shin delivered my baby 9 days ago via induction and I've been singing her praises since. I had an overnight labor and delivery but she was full of energy and provided excellent advice when I needed to make pain management decisions. She also listened to my previous birth experience and made sure to adjust accordingly. I don't know what amazing methods she used, but I didn't even have a single stitch from this delivery! Just an all around incredible doctor and I'm so so lucky she was on call that day! read more

For some strange reason, I thought I had already written a review for Dr. Shin, but apparently not! Dr. Shin is truly an amazing OB. She's passionate for her work and you can tell she really cares about her patients. She is super helpful and responsive (via PAMF myHealth online), that I was shocked HOW responsive she was on one occasion. I was admitted to ER one evening a month after giving birth to my little one because I was running a 105 fever from mastitis. I wrote to her on myHealth online and within minutes I received a call from her to check up on me because "she happened to be in the office checking the messages at the time". I was so shocked and pleasantly happy to hear from her to reassure me that it's normal for some women to have that and it will be fine in after a while. Throughout the entire pregnancy, the appointments were brief, and informative if I have any questions. She's always super smiley and friendly. I was fortunate to have her deliver my little one as well (she was on call the day my water broke). During delivery she was very reassuring, patient and never once did I feel awkward or scared when I was delivering. In my opinion, you really cannot ask for a better OB! read more

Dr. Shin was my physician throughout my first pregnancy. I had a fairly uncomplicated pregnancy so all my visits with her were brief, to-the-point and informative. She (or someone from her team was) very prompt to respond to any of the questions I sent through their online system. Unfortunately, as we got closer to my delivery date, finding open appointments with her got more and more difficult (even with weeks lead time) so I didn't see her much and ended up having to see another doctor each time in PAMF. She was not on call on my delivery night so didn't see me that day. What I was very disappointed about was that as my doctor, she (or anyone from her team) didn't even send me a message or follow up post delivery and when I tried to get an appointment, her assistant gave me a date a few months out. Overall, she was a good doctor but seems to have too heavy of a patient load, making it hard for her to follow through one patient through a pregnancy. read more

Several years ago I had a pre-conception appointment with Dr. Shin, to get some information and to get checked out - I thought this would be useful, especially since I was getting up there in age at 36 years, had PCOS, and was ~40 pounds overweight. Her advice was to get to a normal weight before trying to conceive. And that was about it. I understand the importance of weight in health. But I keep returning to this appointment in my mind to try to work out why it bothered me so much. First, the ideal scenario for pregnancy is not always possible. At 36 with PCOS, it now seems to me like bad advice to wait. It can take a long time to conceive even under ideal conditions. Luckily I didn't wait, I ended up finding another wonderfully supportive provider and had a wonderful baby girl. Second, I felt judged about my weight. Overweight people know they're overweight, they know the health consequences, and they know what they need to do to lose weight. Information is not the problem. The problem is the systems in the brain that control energy balance. People without a weight problem are not more self-controlled than overweight people, they have a different set point. Doctors learn this during their training, but because we don't have good medical treatments for it they do the only thing they can, which is to try to get patients to change their behavior. Unfortunately this is pretty hopeless except for rare cases, these compensatory systems are very powerful and long-term success rates are in the single digits. So the result is lots of shame, little efficacy, big negative consequences for self worth and avoidance of medical care. This isn't unique to Dr. Shin, many health care providers have this attitude. Based on other reviews it seems like Dr. Shin is a great OB during pregnancy and delivery. I thought it would be useful to hear about my pre-conception experience. read more

Dr. Shin is the best doctor I have ever had. She's smart, friendly and all around awesome! The reviews are so spot on and that is actually why I chose her. I would highly recommend her for anyone in the market for a fantasist Obgyn. read more

Dr Shin is amazing! my daughter is 10 months old now, and she was delivered by Dr Shin. My entire pregnancy was seen by her and in rotation with my primary care doctor. I have a little complications at around 34th week of my first pregnancy, Dr Shin closely monitor my baby and walk us through the entire process until I have an induction at 37th weeks. She really cares for her patients and I am very thankful to have her as my obgyn doctor. We really miss seeing her. read more

Dr. Shin is very knowledgable and friendly as my OB doctor. She really cares her patients. Whenever I emailed her my concerns, she replied me timely, and suggested some treatments that she thought best for me. There was once I felt the movement of my fetus was not as active as before, she immediately replied my email and asked me to come for a visit on the same day. It's generally hard to schedule a regular OB appointment with her in a short time (like in 2~3 days). But when there is really an urgent need for see her, she will make time to see you as soon as she can. She is an OB doctor you can trust. There is another thing I like about her. She always has cheerful and optimistic smiles on her face. I got a lot positive energy from her in every visit. She is amazing! read more

An incredible OBGYN. Very friendly, very patient, and always does a thorough job. Highly recommend

This is a review meant for Dr Shin's scheduling team and not her. I was looking for a Gynaecologist for a full exam and contacted PMAF based on Dr Shin's glowing reviews. The person who took my call for new registration was great until she transferred me to Dr Shin's scheduling team. Someone named Angel was on the line with me. When I explained to her that I just moved and needed a gynae for a full initial exam...Etc, she immediately cut me off and said Dr Shin only accept new patients with specific problems. Angel went on to said that I should contact the family medicine department or try another 2 gynaecologists instead. As I wasn't sure of how it would work, I told angel that I wouldn't mind doing that but also wondered if it's possible to see Dr Shin in the future after the initial exam. Guess what? Angel gave a huge sigh and began to spoke to me in an extremely condescending manner by telling me that she already told me that Dr Shin will only take in new patients with specific issues. I was very upset by her attitude. Firstly, if I've understood how the system work, I wouldn't have ask and I've been explained to her that I just moved so I'm not sure how the process work. The reason why I was asking is so that I can have my question clarified and certainly wasn't expected to be treated as such even on the phone. Even my spouse who was in another room told me that he could hear Angel's sigh, (I was on the speaker) which you can imagine how loud and rude it was. One would expect that anyone who works in healthcare related services would at least have a little patience and compassion. read more

Trust me, I am a doctor....too!! She is wonderful. My own primary care physician used her as her OB, and several people recommended her to me. How could I not use her? Plus, she also works across the street from my condo, which *totally* is a plus. :) She is sharp, down-to-earth, and wonderful even in very trying and difficult situations. I trust her completely, and you should too! I am sad that we moving in a year to do fellowship elsewhere. I only hope that I can find another OB like her when we move cross the country! read more

Really awesome. Delivered both of my babies.

She is such a wonderful doctor. She is also a very skilled surgeon. 2 years later I'm finally having the chance to write this review. In 2018, she delivered my 2nd baby this time around by chance because my baby decided to want to come out early and she happened to be the on call doctor that night!!! My prayers came true. I had already scheduled a c-sec with my obgyn, he is really good too. But 10 days earlier than the scheduled c-sec date, I started having strong contractions non stop. I knew he was ready to come out. The surgery was smooth. The first pregnancy, I had vaginal delivery and it was horrible experience. So this time I scheduled a c-sec. And the experience was so much better. I healed so much quicker too compared to my vaginal delivery in 2014. I tore to my butt. So glad I decided on c-sec this time and Dr. Shin was like the angel I had been wishing for and she delivered by baby. Then my regular obgyn would check up on me often to see how the surgery and every time it is smooth. There's barely any scars showing. She is amazing, very skilled surgeon. I am so thankful to the entire staff for taking good care of me. From this experience, I frankly wish I should turn back time to my 1st pregnancy and opt-ed for C-sec instead of vaginal. read more

Dr. Shin is an amazing OB! Every time I see her, she's always so up beat especially when I come in feeling concerned or worried. She eases my mind when every I talk to her, super knowledgeable and caring. With the first pregnancy I had so many questions and she would take the time to answer each one. Now with the second, I don't have as much. read more

My son's pediatrician is part of PAMF and when I asked him for an ob/gyn referral, he strongly recommended Dr. Shin. When I asked him who else within PAMF he would recommend, he said, "just see if she can see you first." I now understand why. Having seen several ob/gyn's throughout the years, I can say definitively that Dr. Shin is the most attentive, detail-oriented, thoughtful physician I've ever encountered. I wish there were doctors like her in NY, where we recently moved from. I have been floored by her clear-cut yet thorough answers to some complicated questions, and also by her empathy. I wish that all of my girlfriends could be seen by her. I feel blessed to have met her and wish we could stay in the Bay Area for a long time to have our future children delivered by Dr. Shin. She is a lovely individual and a phenomenal physician. read more

Dr. Shin was referred to us by another specialist we had met with, and she felt Dr. Shin was a good match cause she shared some similar characteristics to my wife. And from the moment we first met her, I could not agree more. She was very very friendly, attentive and made us feel very certain and comfortable to have her as our OB/GYN. We were scheduled for a c-section for our boy with Dr. Shin, however unfortunately, he wanted out on the day she was unavailable :( We were a little sad she was not there to deliver him, but she came by to visit the very next day, which she didnt have to. That is something I know I truly appreciated. We really were enamored with her and definitely would refer anyone seeking a fine doctor/professional. Thanks Dr. Shin. read more

Having had an experience with Dr. Shin sets the bar high for any OB-GYN I will compare to hence forth. Before my delivery, I met her at PAMF @ Los Altos facility by sheer chance because my primary OB was not available - what a great thing it turned out. From the get go I could relate to the doctor, did not feel hurried, felt was being heard and was being given nonjudgmental and just enough thorough advise. As an engineer, I like to have answers straight up and Dr. Shin provided them just the way I like it but with additional tact. I was utterly happy to know that Dr. Shin was on call when my water broke in the morning. As the labor progressed it was possible that I might deliver after Dr. Shin's shift was done. The nurses were quick to point out to me that Dr. Shin does not leave if her patient checks in on her shift and this I found true first hand. Always smiling and encouraging throughout out the final phase of the labor, she was a true rock star - warm yet professional, stern when she had to be with me so that I understood that the final push had to be the final push after pushing for 45 mins and seeing that the baby's heart rate was falling. I highly recommend Dr. Shin - a competent, smart and personable OB-GYN read more

Dr. Shin has been great as my GYN (not OB). Nearing 50, after 2 kids, and all the issues that encompasses. I've had multiple gyn's and of course ob's in my life and she's one of my favorites because she's smart, personable, decisive and she factors in my opinion and concerns when we chart a course of action. She went the extra mile to call me personally about a test result and she scheduled me right on the phone to come in on the next business day for a procedure because she knew I would worry if I had to wait longer. From what she told me about the scope of the procedure after it was done, I believe she was much more thorough and proactive than other docs might have been. I had a surgery with her the year before and she was extremely proactive, understanding and supportive that I wanted it done. It's hard to provide a review in this context/profession without providing detailed private info, but I am extremely satisfied with Dr. Shin. She said she enjoys having non-OB patients as much as OB because she wants to take care of women throughout their lives. So don't hesitate to call Dr. Shin if you are not pregnant even though most of the reviews are for deliveries! read more

Dr. Shin is great. She's kind and compassionate and truly cares about those around her. One of the most generous people I know. read more

Karen S. Shin, M.D - Dr. Shin - Obstetricians & Gynecologists Near Me - Los Altos, California

Simply the great doctor! So happy she was my doctor for my first pregnancy! Attentive, professional, very responsive to all patient's concerns and questions, fast with her feedback. She also made me (=always worried first time mom-to-be) feel very calm and very welcome each visit read more

Seeing two 1 stars reviews under Dr. Shin that has nothing to do with her being their doctor reminded me I haven't given my favorite OB/GYN doc the five stars she deserves. She is amazing!!! I was lucky to find her when I was pregnant with my first born 7 1/2 years ago. She is knowledgeable, smart but really down to earth, caring, funny, charming, and so cool, calm and collected. Her appointment with her are always such a breeze and full of laughters. She explained medical terms to me in ways that made it really easy to understand. My second pregnancy was the most stressful out of the three but Dr. Shin was able to guide me through it smoothly and I carried my daughter 3 days passed due even though she almost came out at 32 weeks. She didn't deliver my first born because another doctor was on call but she did it for my second child and it was my favorite birth experience (she just finished her shift, in the car heading out of LPCH when she was called back in to help deliver my girl). I was in pain and when the nurse asked if I wanted epidural which I have gotten with my first born, I said yes. But Dr. Shin took a look at my cervix, told me I didn't need it, with the help of the amazing nurse that suggested nitrous oxide, delivered my girls in just three pushes and a little snip which she expertly sewed back (1/2 hour after checking in to the hospital). The recovery of that was much easier than with my first born. We missed Dr. Shin for my third child's birth and PAMF new doctor's work hour policy made it so hard to get an appointment with her, but it was such a joy every time we saw her. I'm sad now that I don't get to see Dr. Shin much as I'm done with making babies. I highly recommend her and trust me, you will love her, too. She is simply the best! read more

Dr. Shin is the best thing that happened to me. Hands down the bestest OB-gyn in town. She doubles down as a therapist too, watches out for you and is completely vested in her patients. read more

Dr. Shin is a rock star! She is smart, funny, compassionate, and helped me get through a challenging pregnancy. There is no doubt in my mind that she was the best ob to deliver my son. I am sad that I won't have to see her anymore since I got fixed! read more

She came highly recommended by my former OB (a resident at Stanford). I really like her ease and humor. I feel like she can relate to my issues because she has young children. Towards the end of my pregnancy, she was concerned with my placenta and closely monitored me through the last few weeks. It turned out to be nothing, but I appreciated her thoroughness. I had a scheduled c-section because my first pregnancy was a c-section as well. Dr. Shin ensured my experience was as pleasant as possible. She also fixed my belly button hernia and abdomal separation during the procedure. I keloid easily, so she proposed a solution that we are still keeping an eye on. Funny to say but true, I miss seeing her regularly! read more

I have been seeing Dr. Shin for the last few months and my experience has been nothing but amazing. I was diagnosed for PCOS 4 years back and was seen my multiple doctors in 2 different countries and nothing seemed to help. I consulted with Dr. Shin in January this year and she did an excellent job of explaining everything to us about PCOS, conception, pregnancy, etc. She gave us 3 options for having a baby - 1. try to reduce body weight and see if that changes the hormone levels and regulates the monthly cycles, 2. try metformin, or 3. if nothing works, then only go for fertility treatment. She recommended that I start with trying the weight loss method first. I really took Dr. Shin's word to heart and lost around ~10lbs in ~2.5 months. And to our very surprise - we are having a baby - all by natural means! Dr. Shin turned out to be our good luck. Would definitely recommend Dr. Shin as OB/Gyn to anyone. She is considerate, has lots of patience, listens to you, takes time to answer all your questions, doesn't go overboard on drugs and medication when starting a treatment, responds to your queries/concerns over email even when she is on vacation, and the list just goes on and on. Definitely one of those hidden OB/Gyn gems in Bay Area. read more

Dr. Shin is simply the BEST. Smart, thoughtful, funny and open to any question. I am just thrilled that I was referred to her and that she is my doctor. BTW I often end up driving an hour to see her and despite the long ride, I have not once even considered going to someone else. Dr. Shin also has the loveliest, most helpful nurse, which makes making appointments and getting questions answered so easy and pleasant. Clearly I'm a fan! :) read more

Dr Shin is an amazing doctor. She always makes me feel welcome, and never lets me leave with questions. She's very busy and in demand but always makes you feel like you're a Priority! read more

Going to see a gynecologist can be a pretty daunting experience, but it's always a pleasure to come and see Dr. Shin. I've learned a lot from her and she's an awesomely skilled doctor on top of being super badass, intelligent woman. I'm really glad I found her :) read more

I have had a heck of a time finding a good doctor...and then I found Dr. Shin when I moved to the Bay Area! She is very knowledgable, extremely caring, and makes you feel like a valued patient. Even though I moved away from the area, I continue to make my appts with her... The only slightly negative thing is that I think she's gotten more patients that now supposedly I can't see her for 'general' checkups and only for special procedures. read more

Dr. Karen Shin is the best! She listens, is funny, and will be there for you! I like her so much that I have had her deliver my two sons! I was told to go to other Ob's while pregnant, but I didn't!! I had my second c-section last month and there weren't any openings in the OR the week of my due date...so we had to deliver him on labor day. That was her day off and she could have spend it with her family...instead, she came in!! That is what a caring Dr does! And her medical assistant, Nancy, is great too! So helpful! I like Dr. Shin so much that I wish she was my primary care Dr! read more

Dr. Shin was my wife's ob/gyn during her first pregnancy. She is the best doctor that we have ever had. Made the entire pregnancy really pleasant and went above and beyond her duty as a doctor. Strongly recommend! read more