Karen L. Stern, M.D.

Karen L. Stern, M.D., is a consultant in the Department of Urology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, and Program Director for the Endourology Fellowship. She also serves as an associate professor of urology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Dr. Stern provides care for patients living with complex urinary stone disease, offering both medical and surgical management tailored to each individual's needs. Her practice emphasizes innovation, evidence-based care, and multidisciplinary collaboration to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with nephrolithiasis and related conditions.

Dr. Stern leads Mayo Clinic Arizona's multidisciplinary Stone Clinic, integrating the expertise of urologists, nephrologists, and nutrition specialists to deliver coordinated prevention and treatment for recurrent kidney stones. In addition to her clinical role, she directs advanced fellowship training in endourology and teaches minimally invasive and percutaneous techniques to residents and fellows, ensuring the next generation of urologists receives exceptional hands-on education.

Areas of expertise

Dr. Stern provides individualized care using advanced endourologic and minimally invasive surgical techniques for urinary stone management. Her areas of expertise include:

• Complex urinary stone disease: Comprehensive medical and surgical management for people with recurrent or complicated nephrolithiasis.
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL): Special expertise in ultrasound-guided percutaneous stone removal; currently the only urologist in Arizona performing this technique.
• Ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy: Advanced endoscopic procedures for precise, minimally invasive stone treatment.
• Metabolic stone prevention: Integrated care through a multidisciplinary clinic addressing metabolic causes and long-term stone prevention strategies.
• Emerging technologies in stone surgery: Clinical evaluation and early adoption of novel devices and suction-assisted ureteroscopy systems to enhance surgical safety and efficiency.

Research and expertise

Dr. Stern's academic work focuses on improving the safety, precision, and patient experience of stone surgery. She has been principal investigator on multiple clinical trials, including studies evaluating new surgical technologies and postoperative pain management strategies. She serves as the Associate Editor for Urology. A member of the Endourology Disease Group for Excellence (EDGE) and the Collaborative for Research in Endourology (CoRE), she contributes to multi-institutional research advancing understanding of stone disease and surgical innovation.

Dr. Stern is board-certified by the American Board of Urology and has received numerous honors for her educational and research contributions, including the Donald E. Novicki, M.D., Award for Excellence in Urologic Education, selection as a Phoenix Top Doc in Urology (2023–2026), and recognition as a Top-Ranked Reviewer for the Journal of Urology.