Dr. Derek Schmidt is an ear, nose and throat doctor at HealthPartners Specialty Center and Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. He is the otolaryngology department head for HealthPartners Medical Group and also practices at Hudson Hospital & Clinic in Hudson, Wis. Kids are some of Dr. Schmidt’s favorite patients to work with, and while he enjoys treating all areas within his specialty, he particularly enjoys treating issues involving the salivary gland, thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Dr. Schmidt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota. And at Regions, he is directly involved in teaching medical residents. He takes a great pride in educating those training to become the next generation of physicians. In his spare time, Dr. Schmidt enjoys spending time with his wife and his two boys, being out on the lake, golfing, and food and wine pairings.