Meet the new Governor-elect Designee - Georgia Chapter

Congratulations to the Georgia Chapter Governor-elect Designee (GED), John D. Kim, MD, FACP. Our new GED will complete a year of training as a Governor-elect and start their four-year term as Governor in the Spring of 2027. As Governor, Dr. Kim will serve as the official representative of the College for our Chapter, providing a link between members at the local level and leadership at the national level. In the meantime, Dr. Kim will be working closely with Dr. Watkins (the current governor) and College staff to learn about the College and their duties as Governor. To learn more about the new GED, read their bio below.

John D. Kim, MD, FACP

Medical School Education: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Post-Doctoral Training: McGaw Center for Graduate Medical Education, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Board Certifications: ABIM

Present Employment Position: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital (ESJH)

ACP Chapter and Leadership Activities: Member, CME/Education/Planning Committee since 2013; Chair, CME/Education/Planning Committee since 2021; Secretary, Executive Committee 2015-2024

ACP National Activities: Fellowship 2013

Other Appointments/Activities: Credentials Committee, ESJH since 2018; Opioid Stewardship Council, Emory Healthcare since 2018; EPIC Cross Clinical Advisory Council, Emory Healthcare 2021-2023; EPIC Downtime/Business Continuity Access Leadership Team, Emory Healthcare 2022-2023; Group Mentor, Division of Hospital Medicine, ESJH Hospital Medicine since 2016; IT Committee, Division of Hospital Medicine since 2018; Co-chair, IT Committee, Division of Hospital Medicine since 2019; Chair, Hospital Medicine LOS Task Force, Division of Hospital Medicine 2022-2023; Elder, Karis Community Church since 2019

Areas of Professional Interest and Expertise: Patient care: I believe that providing compassionate care using the latest evidence-based medicine for all patients is the foremost responsibility of physicians. This happens through continued education, engagement in innovation and advocacy which are the foundational principles of the ACP. I joined the ACP many years ago because of these ideals and I hope to continue to champion these at all levels; Taking care of each other – advocacy for mental health and well-being: In order to fulfill our responsibilities in caring for our patients, we need to take care of each other. I recently read an article about an ophthalmology resident who committed suicide due to the demands of the training and the stressors that we are all very familiar with in our profession. Although we need to ensure that our training programs provide a solid educational foundation, we also need to ensure provision of open and non-judgmental outlets to support mental health. This should start during training but also extend to those in practice, to minimize isolation and a sense of helplessness that many of our colleagues face. We need to focus on taking care of each other and allowing room for openness so that potential areas of concern can be identified early and addressed without any fear of stigmatization. I firmly believe that there is so much work that needs to be done in this area and through the ACP, we can make big strides; Promoting diversity: Diversity allows us to check our blind spots and become more aware of the needs of those who are not as vocal or not as well represented. I believe this happens through intentional inclusion, open dialogue and stepping outside our comfort zones. When these steps are taken, we will be awarded with a deeper understanding and respect for each other, as well as a broader lens with which to shape our perspectives.