Emergency icon Important Updates
Department Primary Care Pediatrics
Primary Location Independence Family Hlth Ctr
Type of Doctor Children & Adolescents Only
Languages English
Surgeon No
Locations Specialties & Treatments

Treatment & Services

  • Adolescent Development
  • Adolescent Health
  • Care for Children with Disabilities
  • Child Development
  • Children's Primary Care
  • Contraception
  • General Adolescent Medicine
  • General Pediatric Medicine
  • Menstruation
  • Newborn Care
  • Pediatric Dermatology
  • Pediatrician
  • Pediatrics
  • Preventive Pediatrics
  • Primary Care
  • Primary Care Pediatrics
View all 16 Treatment & Services +

Specialty in Diseases & Conditions

  • Abdominal Pain
  • Acanthosis Nigricans
  • Achalasia
  • Acne
  • Allergies
  • Amenorrhea
  • Anemia
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism
  • Back Pain in Athletes
  • Birth Defects
  • Bronchitis
  • Burns
  • Cellulitis
  • Chickenpox
  • Cold Sores
  • Colic
  • Common Cold
  • Constipation
  • Croup
  • Cushing's Syndrome
  • Dermatitis
  • Dermatitis - Contact
  • Diaper Rash
  • Diarrhea
  • Dry Skin
  • Ear Infections (Otitis Media)
  • Eczema
  • Egg Allergy
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Fish Allergy
  • Flatfoot in Children
  • Gastritis
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)
  • Growth Failure in Children with Kidney Disease
  • Hay Fever
  • Head Lice
  • Headaches, Children
  • Hemorrhoids
  • High Cholesterol
  • Hives (Urticaria)
  • Influenza (Flu)
  • Insect Sting Allergies
  • Itchy Skin
  • Latex Allergy
  • Lead Poisoning
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Liver Disease
  • Malrotation of Intestine
  • Measles
  • Medication Allergies
  • Menstrual Disorders
  • Microcephaly in Children
  • Middle Ear Infection
  • Migraine Headaches
  • Milk Allergy
  • Nausea
  • Nosebleed
  • Obesity
  • Overuse Syndrome
  • Pediatric Allergies
  • Pediatric Bronchiolitis
  • Pediatric Cellulitis
  • Pediatric Constipation
  • Pediatric Croup
  • Pediatric Dehydration
  • Pediatric Disorders
  • Pediatric Hearing Loss
  • Pediatric Hydrocele Hernia
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatric Knee Injuries
  • Pediatric Knee Pain
  • Pediatric Neonatal Disorders
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
  • Pharyngitis
  • Pinworms
  • Pneumonia
  • Poison Ivy
  • Poison Oak
  • Poison Sumac
  • Pubic Lice (Crabs)
  • Respiratory Illness
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
  • Ringworm
  • Rotavirus
  • Scabies
  • Shingles (Varicella-Zoster Virus)
  • Skin Problems in Children
  • Sore Throat
  • Strep Throat
  • Sunburn
  • Swallowing Disorders
  • Tension Headaches
  • Tick Bites
  • Tonsillitis
  • Treating Heartburn with Surgery
  • Trichinosis
  • Urinary Incontinence
  • Urinary Tract Infection
  • Vaginal Discharge
  • Warts
  • Yeast Infections
View all 106 Specialties +
Insurance

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Biography

About Karen Vargo, MD

Karen S. Vargo, MD, is a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. In addition to her clinical appointment, Dr. Vargo is actively involved with Cleveland Clinic’s Fit Youth Family Weight Management Program, which is a 12-week family weight management program for parents and their children ages 7 to 18. It is designed to help families embrace healthier eating habits, improve fitness, and better manage stress.

Dr. Vargo is board certified in general pediatrics as well as adolescent medicine. She completed an undergraduate degree in nursing at The Ohio State University in Columbus, and she earned her medical degree from Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. Her post-graduate training includes a pediatric internship and residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Vargo is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, and the Society for Adolescent Medicine.  She has contributed research abstracts and presentations at a number of professional association meetings.

Her specialty interests include general pediatrics and newborn care, adolescent medicine, menstrual disorders, eating disorders, obesity, acne and other dermatologic problems.

Education & Professional Highlights

Education & Professional Highlights

Appointed
1999

Education & Fellowships

Residency - Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pediatrics
Pittsburgh, PA
1990

Internship - Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pediatrics
Pittsburgh, PA
1988

Medical Education - Medical College of Ohio at Toledo
Toledo, OH
1987

Undergraduate - The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
1979

Certifications

  • Pediatrics

Specialty Interests

General pediatrics, newborn care, adolescent medicine, menstrual disorders, acne, dermatologic problems, infectious diseases, respiratory infections, obesity, eating disorders

Awards & Honors

  • Top Physicians, Cleveland magazine
Research & Publications

Research & Publications

See publications for Karen Vargo, MD.

(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)

Industry Relationships

Industry Relationships

Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.

To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.

As of 10/27/2024, Dr. Vargo has reported the financial relationships with the companies listed below. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.

Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.

* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.

Patient Satisfaction Reviews

67 Patient Satisfaction Reviews

The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown below from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question.

Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cleveland Clinic.

Overall Star Ratings
5 out of 5
Explains 5
Courtesy, Respect & Concern 5
Patient Rating of Doctor 5

18 Patient Comments

Reviewed on Oct 28, 2024

Dr Vargo has excellent bedside manner!

Reviewed on Oct 23, 2024

The doctor was very friendly, kind, professional, and observant. She addressed concerns I forgot to mention without making me nervous. She is not our typical PCP but she made us feel at ease and cared for. I would definitely take my child back to her again.

Reviewed on Oct 7, 2024

My 3 daughters love Dr. Vargo. We have with her for 20 years.

Reviewed on Sep 3, 2024

Great experience Dr. Vargo is awesome! She is very concerned about my daughters and is very personable. My daughters have all felt very comfortable and value her medical advice.

Reviewed on Aug 27, 2024

Dr. Vargo was wonderful! She took her time, she was thorough, and she answered all our questions! She handled my son with care and was an exceptional physician!

Reviewed on Aug 27, 2024

Dr. Vargo is amazing!

Reviewed on Aug 21, 2024

I love Dr Vargo. She listens to my questions and gives thorough answers in a kind and considerate way. She is reasonable and I value her advice on any concerns I have.

Reviewed on Aug 6, 2024

Dr. Vargo has a great bedside manner.

Reviewed on Jul 22, 2024

Dr. Vargo is ALWAYS excellent. She has been my daughter's pediatrician since birth. We are very happy with her.

Reviewed on Jun 24, 2024

Only rated it fair because we were not able to see the doctor. Obviously, in person, we would not have that problem. We love Dr. Vargo & will continue to keep her as my son's pediatrician.

Reviewed on May 15, 2024

I really love Dr Vargo's helpful tips and balanced advice. I love her approach and would recommend her!

Reviewed on Apr 3, 2024

Dr Vargo is excellent! She is knowledgeable and provides quality care. She gets to know your child and is very thorough with her exam. She takes time to listen and answer questions questions.

Reviewed on Feb 26, 2024

Dr Vargo is awesome, she has been my daughter's doctor for 18 years and has been so amazing. We are grateful for the care Dr Vargo offers.

Reviewed on Feb 7, 2024

Dr. Vargo has taken care of both my children Tyra Thompson & Christopher Thompson. Since they were born. They even tell us where Dr. Vargo is, if they - kids needed to be seen. Ex. Tyra had pain side a few who ago. They squeezed Tyra in w/Dr. Vargo -> she found out she had a kidney infection. I'm happy they got her in & Dr. Vargo is awesome.

Reviewed on Jan 24, 2024

My children have seen Dr. Vargo now for 19 years. She is a wonderful provider. We all love her.

Reviewed on Nov 28, 2023

Dr Vargo is excellent, she is comfortable in the zoom and makes me feel comfortable. This is a great option when I have class, I appreciate the scheduling flexibility.

Reviewed on Nov 28, 2023

My mom recommends dr vargo to everyone- if they have kids.

Reviewed on Nov 20, 2023

Dr. Vargo was thorough and kind.

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