MSU alumna Karen Nielsen spends her days running her own practice in osteopathic manipulative medicine in New York City. But in the evenings, she fulfills her other passion — writing and recording music.
MSU alumna Karen Nielsen, who runs her own practice in osteopathic manipulative medicine in New York City, spends her days working with patients to find ways to relieve their pain.
But when she heads for home at the end of the day, the best relief she finds comes through music.
“My medical training has opened my eyes to the dark side of life,” she said. “I see patients at their most vulnerable. (With my music), I give a voice to the emotions people don’t wear on their sleeve, and I’m inspired by what I see other people going through.”
On a daily basis, Nielsen works with patients who suffer from common issues, such as neck or lower back pain, and uses noninvasive manipulation to increase mobility and relieve discomfort. After work every evening, she writes and records music from home.
Nielsen, who began writing music when she was at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, released her first self-produced CD, “Animals in the Street,” last spring. She also released a music video for her first single, “Ice,” in January. She refers to her music as electric pop and focuses on discovering unique beats and orchestration to match her vision.
Although Nielsen considers herself to be more creative-minded, she said she made “the craziest decision of her life” — the decision to go to medical school, which she graduated from in 2003 — when her father’s health began to decline.
“It rocked my world,” she said. “I felt so powerless. When someone’s dying, you make crazy decisions. That was where my passion came from. I couldn’t fix my dad, but I could help other people.”
Washington, D.C., resident Richard Urbina, Nielsen’s former roommate at MSU, said she showed compassion for others early on.
“I was in a very serious accident (during college,)” he said. “I had multiple surgeries. I couldn’t walk, and I couldn’t retain any information whatsoever. But she helped me through, taking me to doctor’s appointments and working with my family. She helped give me that space to just get well.”
Grad student Mona Qahwash, a college friend of Nielsen’s, cites her as the reason she chose to go to veterinary school.
“She’s incredibly eccentric and willing to take on adventure,” she said. “When I met her, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. But she has such a great perspective, and she truly puts you at ease in her presence.”
In the future, Nielsen hopes to continue with her practice and her singing career. Although she said she cannot picture her life without either passion, the feeling she gets while performing cannot be topped.
“When I’m on stage, it’s like I’m disconnected from myself,” she said. “There’s nothing like it. There’s such an exchange of energy with people, and it makes me ecstatic.”
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