Methodist Physicians Clinic welcomes Dr. Joy Kim to its Family Medicine team

Ji Sun “Joy” Kim, DO, knew since high school that she wanted to become a physician.

Thinking she’d go into emergency medicine because of the patient variety, she realized during medical school that “something was missing.”

“I realized how much I valued the continuity of care and long-term relationships,” said Dr. Kim, who sees patients at Methodist Physicians Clinic. “That’s when I realized that family medicine was the perfect path for me.”

Born in South Korea, Dr. Kim is bilingual in Korean and English. She enjoys all aspects of her specialty but is especially passionate about treating acute illnesses, managing chronic conditions, performing procedures and caring for patients with needs related to women’s health, mental health as well as obesity, lifestyle and preventive medicine.

“I love doing newborn visits and school physicals with my pediatric patients,” she said. “I enjoy taking care of my elderly patients when it comes to their chronic conditions. “All of those can happen in one day, which is why I love what I do.”

But most fulfilling, she said, is the opportunity to care for the same patient through the various stages of their life.

“I have the privilege of taking care of a pediatric patient who will grow up to be an adult, which means we get to share many special moments in life together. I’m able to celebrate their achievements and support them during tough times. It’s really about being able to learn about them as a person, what kind of life they’re living, their family dynamics, what they enjoy, their hardships. All of these things play an important role in trying to find out how best to help them and keep them healthy.”