Q&A with Bong-Joon Kim
Bong-Joon Kim, MD, PhD, is a research fellow at Northwestern Medicine Cardiology, working with Dr. Sanjiv Shah, Director of I.AIM's Center for Deep Phenotyping & Precision Therapeutics. Hailing from Korea, Dr. Kim is associate professor of cardiology at Kosin University Gospel Hospital in Korea, and his specialties are echocardiography and heart failure.
How did you first hear about the Institute for Augmented Intelligence in Medicine?
I was introduced to Professor Sanjiv through Professor James D Thomas and learned about I.AIM from them.
What about I.AIM interests you?
Using Augmented Intelligence in the medical field is very important, and I strongly agree with this.
What features of the fellowship appealed to you?
Northwestern Medicine is a research-oriented hospital and is a world-renowned institution, especially in the field of cardiology. I want to do a lot of high-quality research here.
What are your main research interests?
I am interested in heart failure (HF) preserved ejection fraction and pulmonary hypertension.
Especially, my interests are 1. How to diagnose HF more accurately, because current guidelines of HF have some limitations, 2. Hemodynamics associated exercise (especially, the role of the cardiopulmonary exercise test in HF), 3. The importance of right ventricular function, pulmonary hypertension in HF, and 4. How many doctors actually prescribe sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and angiotensin receptors/neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) after the HF guidelines were updated.
What do you enjoy about your fellowship?
I am very happy just to be here. I would like to do a lot of research and write a thesis on heart failure here with professors James D Thomas and Sanjiv Shah.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I am a doctor, an associate professor of cardiology, and a father of three.
What is a cause you are passionate about?
I am very passionate about research. Research is a power to the path I have lived, and it gives me pride when treating patients.
What are you learning that's made a difference for you?
Here, I am following my passion for research and also becoming accustomed to appreciating diversity.
What has been your greatest challenge?
Bringing my family here to Northwestern is the biggest challenge.
What advice would you give to a student wanting to get into this field of study?
I would highly recommend coming to the United States. Diversity is recognized here and opportunities are provided equally to everyone.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
I was very impressed when I visited the Northwestern University campus in Evanston and I enjoyed Lake Michigan.