Dr. Kim is a thoracic surgeon at Keck Medicine of USC, who specializes in thoracic oncology, with a focus on minimally invasive surgery.
Here’s what you won’t find on his resume.
He always wanted to explore space.
“Medicine wasn’t my first dream. When I was growing up, I thought I wanted to be an aerospace engineer or possibly an astronaut.”
The big screen catches his attention.
“When I’m not working, I’m usually watching movies or documentaries. I enjoy learning, and I love the feeling I get when I think about how other people are thinking or feeling.”
He has a quiet side.
“Most people are surprised to learn that I’m pretty introverted and shy.”
Inspiration came from his grandfather.
“My biggest role model growing up was my maternal grandfather. He was someone who I looked up to a lot. He was a radiologist, who was a pioneer in his field in the era following the Korean War. He was also someone who was very generous. My sister and I always felt a palpable love, when we were with him.”
He leads his life with the golden rule.
“The best piece of advice I have ever received is to follow the golden rule of life, which is to treat others as you would like to be treated.”
Connecting with others is what brought him to medicine.
“I applied to medical school because the field of medicine affords a level of human interaction and connection that is extremely special and unique. Having this privilege is very important to me.”
View Dr. Kim’s full biography and schedule an appointment.
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