Dr. Susie Kim, Doing What She Loves

by Sandy Barrett, director of Physician Relations

Susie Kim, Interventional Cardiologist with Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates (ADCA), grew up in Flat River, Missouri, about 80 miles outside of St. Louis.  She found her passion for medicine, she says, by spending time with her dad.  Her dad was a “real” doctor, she laughs.  He was trained as a surgeon, but being the only physician within a 50-mile radius, he did everything, even delivering babies!   

“Instead of getting a babysitter for me, I would follow my dad around and I found what he did fascinating,” Dr. Kim says.

Her dad, knowing that she wanted to go into medicine, and feeling like she wasn’t challenged enough at her local school, decided to send her to a high school in St. Louis mid-sophomore year.  She lived in a condo by herself in St. Louis with her mom coming to be with her when she could.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t become a better cook,” she laughs, but says it did make her focus more on her education.

Her younger sister joined her two years later and of the four siblings (she has two older brothers), she is the only one who decided to go into medicine.

“And I’m still not my dad’s favorite, I don’t get it,” she jokes!

Dr. Kim went on to do a combined six-year undergraduate/medical school program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. From there she went onto the Cleveland Clinic for her residency. 

“I did a rotation for a month in Cleveland during medical school and thought it was sunny and pretty.  Then I lived there for three years and found out differently,” she kids.

After finishing her training in Cleveland, she went to Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago thinking she would specialize in Transplant.  But once she started doing Interventional Cardiology, she loved it, and when offered a fellowship, took it.

“I really like to do procedures, and doing Interventional, every couple of years there is something new so it has been a great choice for me,” Dr. Kim says.

When Dr. Kim started interviewing for jobs, her plan was to practice in California where her parents had retired.  However, she came to Denver to meet with Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates during the ski season and decided that she didn’t want to leave.   Since joining ADCA in 2003, Dr. Kim has steadily built a very busy practice.  She still finds time to snowboard in the winter and loves to travel.  In fact, she is hoping to take a snowboarding trip to the Andes Mountains in Chile, but only if her boss allows her to do it.

“People can write in,” she laughs.   

We are pleased to have Dr.  Susie Kim, the only female cardiologist in the area, as part of the TMCA community!