From Pediatrics to Purpose: Dr. Paula Kruppstadt’s Journey Into Functional Medicine

When most of us think about doctors, we picture years of training, clinical expertise, and a commitment to patient care. But what happens when a physician begins to question the system they were trained in? In this week’s episode of the Get to the Root podcast, Dr. Paula Kruppstadt shares her deeply personal story of transformation — one that led her from conventional pediatrics to the world of functional and root-cause medicine.

Why Dr. Kruppstadt Left Conventional Pediatrics

After years of practicing within the traditional medical model, Dr. Kruppstadt began to see the same pattern in her patients — recurring illnesses, chronic fatigue, and ongoing symptoms that standard treatments couldn’t fully resolve. Rather than continuing to treat symptoms, she started asking why they were happening in the first place.
This shift in perspective led her on a journey to functional medicine, a field that looks beyond lab results and prescriptions to explore the underlying causes of disease.

The Turning Point: Finding Hope for Healing

Dr. Kruppstadt’s story isn’t just about a career change — it’s about rediscovering purpose. Through her practice and the founding of Hope for Healing, she built a space where patients can be heard, supported, and truly healed.
In this episode, she shares how her own experiences as a doctor, wife, and mother helped shape her empathetic, patient-first approach to care.