Albert Kim, MD

I’ve often been accused of leading “a charmed life” and can’t say I disagree entirely with this assessment. My pathway to medicine and current roles in our Department have been shaped by a fair amount of luck, a (likely shockingly) small amount of skill, minimal planning, and driven by an irrational quantity of optimism and confidence. My hope is to provide you the knowledge and skills to attain your own goals in a more direct (and much less stressful) route.

Growing up in rural farm country of upstate NY as the son of two physicians (IM and Peds), I had zero interest in pursuing medicine. Escaping to the city at the University of Chicago, my initial plan was to pursue a PhD in neuroscience and spent much of my college career avoiding insufferable pre-meds. I found a purity in academics and the pursuit of knowledge, but needed something with a more immediate impact on society. So much to my chagrin, found myself in medical school at Northwestern. Initially planning to be a neurosurgeon, I didn’t find EM until my 4^th year of med school and managed to switch specialties at the very last minute. Like I said, minimal planning and skill with a large dash of unfounded optimism and luck.

I arrived in St. Louis and WashU in 2009 for residency and was lucky enough to serve as a Chief Resident during my 4^th year. I spent much of residency planning to pursue an Ultrasound Fellowship but during my chief year discovered my passion for education and pivoted career paths. Thankfully, our Division was incredibly supportive. In what was likely an irresponsible act, they allowed me to start our Education Fellowship as the inaugural fellow, while supporting my Masters of Academic Medicine through the University of Southern Cal. Still with an interest in ultrasound, I initially pursued a joint fellowship and I get the dubious honor of being our only US fellow drop-out. After my first year of fellowship, my interests took me towards education leadership, and thus never officially completed the full US fellowship requirements.

After completing my fellowship and master’s program in 2015, I stayed on as faculty as an Assistant Residency Director and the Education Fellowship Director, roles I still hold currently. In addition, I also have interests in residency recruitment and DEI, and serve as the Residency Recruitment Director. I was previously the EM Interest Group faculty mentor but have since passed on this role. Nationally, I am active in both SAEM and CORD, I am on the SAEM Education Committee, and have active projects with the CORD EM Match Task Force and CORD ERAS Work Group.

Early in my attending career my interests were in Ultrasound and Procedural education, but more recently it has transformed towards bedside teaching, resident as teacher, recruitment, and mentorship and career development. It is this last one that is of particular importance to me. Along my circuitous path I’ve thankfully had wonderful mentors who’ve encouraged, supported, and given me the confidence to take risks. Though I’ve often had to forge my own pathway, it was with the encouragement of those in position to rescue me should I fail. Now, one of the most amazing parts of my job is getting to be that mentor to pre-meds, med students, residents, and fellows; and getting to see my mentees reach their goals. I’ve been told that one of my many faults is that I don’t have higher career aspirations beyond my current positions, and I’m okay with that. I love the roles I’m in, I love what I get to do, and would be ecstatic to see my own mentees far surpass me in accolades, titles, and recognition.

As a mentor I promise to provide unbiased opinion, to help you focus and clarify your own thoughts and interests without adding my own. I view my role as a facilitator – how can I get you further along your career pathway and to your goals more easily and efficiently. I promise to always act in your best interests and to give honest feedback. Our working relationship can be as informal or formal as you’d like and can span topics such as faculty development to specific career advancement strategies.

I’m usually in the office every Monday as an administrative office day, and on campus every Tuesday for Resident Conference. I’m happy to meet in person, over Zoom, or to communicate over phone, text, or email.

Finally, even if I’m not your official mentor, my door is always open should you need advice, a second opinion, or just needing to bounce your ideas around. Drop by, say hi, spill the tea.