If your tongue gets twisted saying otolaryngology, you might see Dr. Abby (Stritesky) Meyer ’01 to diagnose and treat it – but only if you’re a child. No matter how old you are, you might prefer to call her a pediatric ENT (ear, nose and throat) physician.

A board-certified otolaryngologist with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota—Minneapolis (University of Minnesota Physicians), Meyer enjoys the complex anatomy of the head and neck. She is fascinated by medical conditions that present uniquely in children, and she treasures the opportunity to help patients and their families navigate through challenging situations.

“Taking care of kids makes me happy,” Meyer said, “And working with families is just such a joy.”

Meyer originally thought her love of sports would transition into a career as an orthopedic surgeon. She even served as a student athletic trainer for BSU’s football and women’s basketball teams to prepare to study sports medicine. However, during her third year of medical school she discovered a better fit during her ENT rotation.

Although her chosen specialty deviated slightly from her original goal, it was clear from the beginning that she had a plan.

According to her BSU advisor Dr. Kerry L. Openshaw, Meyer knew what experiences she wanted to get out of the five years
she planned to spend in college before she even started.

Both Meyer and Openshaw credit Bemidji State with offering Meyer a unique opportunity to compete in college sports (softball and volleyball), study abroad, participate in theater and even take a choir class. She did all those things while earning a bachelor of science in biology with minors in chemistry, exercise science and Spanish. Meyer received a full-tuition scholarship, which helped finalize her decision to attend.

“I got to do all these things that I don’t think I would have been able to do at the other schools I looked at,” she said. “Learning how to multitask and take advantage of opportunities is something I still do now.”

At BSU, Meyer experienced both athletic and academic success. A top infielder and pitcher in softball program history, she helped the 1999 softball team win an NSIC championship and was a Third Team Academic All-America selection in 2000. She is one of only 20 Beaver student-athletes to earn that honor since 1977.

She graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 grade point average in a pre-medical program Openshaw describes as “very challenging.” He called her “a student’s student whose tenacity and discipline achieved excellence in all Abby wanted to accomplish as an undergraduate student at Bemidji State University.”

“I never saw Abby without a textbook, even when she worked-out at BSU’s Gillett Rec-Fitness Center,” Openshaw said. “The same kind of discipline she displayed as a student, she displayed as an athlete.”

After graduating from BSU, Meyer went to medical school at the University of Minnesota Medical School Twin Cities campus for four years. She then completed a five-year ENT residency at the Twin Cities campus. After finishing her pediatric ENT fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital/University of Washington, she returned to Minnesota to join the faculty at UM. She is nearing completion of a master’s degree in public health (MPH) in epidemiology.

Meyer said her MPH has opened up a new side of medicine for her. She volunteers with the Minnesota Department of Health’s newborn hearing screening team. They basically follow children who have been diagnosed with hearing loss.

“I think I get more out of it than they get out of me,” Meyer said.

Her professional work closely aligns with the mission of Lion’s Club International, of which she is a member. Meyer treats children through the Lions Children’s Hearing and ENT Clinic at University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. She also raises awareness and funds by participating in events such as the Lions Multiple District 5M Hearing Foundation’s “D-Feet Hearing Loss” walk.

Named one of Minnesota Monthly’s “Best Doctors” in 2014, she looks forward to doing research to contribute to her field – to make a difference. As her practice evolves, the Ogilvie native continues to learn and apply her knowledge as a more senior partner in her practice.

She also joyfully embraces her favorite “job” – being mom to sons Lincoln, 2, and Harrison, 4. With husband and fellow Bemidji State graduate Chris Meyer ’01, who is a seventh-grade history teacher and varsity football coach in Monticello, she continues to use the multitasking skills she honed at BSU at the family’s home in Brooklyn Park.

Meyer believes prioritizing her time, having help from family and not fretting about the small stuff is really important.

“Someone told me once to spend time doing the things you love,” she said. “That was great advice.”