Hanna Kim, DO ’20, RES ’25, didn’t just choose a career in health care. She lived it long before donning a white coat. As a teenager, she became a caretaker for her mother, who was diagnosed with ALS while Kim was in high school. Navigating a complex healthcare system alongside her immigrant family, Kim found herself immersed in the unfamiliar world of medicine.
That early experience shaped her purpose that would carry her from PCOM’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program into a residency in General Surgery.
During her time at PCOM, Kim was an executive board member of both the Wisely Surgical Association and Health Careers Academy. It was also at PCOM where she built lifelong relationships—including meeting her husband.
“My time at PCOM gave me some of my closest friends and, importantly, my husband,” Kim said. “I went through a lot of family losses during medical school, and I could not have gotten through it without the friends I made.”
Through the five rigorous years of surgical residency, Kim remained anchored by that support system. She credits her co-residents, mentors, and program coordinator for helping her navigate the challenges and growth that define graduate medical training.
In July, Kim will begin a fellowship in Complex GI Surgery at Penn Medicine’s Princeton Medical Center, where she plans to deepen her skills in bariatric and foregut surgery. Her goals are rooted in both technical excellence and patient-centered care—principles shaped by her family’s early experience as healthcare outsiders.
“My family often inspires me,” she said. “They’re my first patients. They have helped me in forming my bedside manner, the way I explain medical conditions to patients, having tough conversations, and holding patients accountable.”
Outside of the hospital, Kim enjoys music and singing—a longtime passion that began with school choirs and carried through to a cappella groups in college.
For those stepping into the field, Kim offers this advice: “Lean on those around you. This journey can be isolating, and it’s easy to lose your purpose. There are people who have been where you are, are there with you now, or love you very much. Find them—and lean on them.”
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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