Karen M. Kim, MD, MS

Clinical Biography

Karen M. Kim, MD, MS, is a board-certified, adult cardiac surgeon with the Institute for Cardiovascular Health, a clinical partnership between Ascension and UT Health Austin. Dr. Kim’s clinical practice encompasses adult cardiac surgery (surgical treatment of coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, endocarditis, and arrhythmia), open and endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic disease (aortic valve repair; surgical treatment of proximal aortic, aortic arch, and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm; repair of aortic dissection; thoracic endovascular aortic repair), and multidisciplinary evaluation and transcatheter treatment of structural heart disease. She also serves as an Associate Professor of Surgery and Perioperative Care in the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School.

Dr. Kim completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard University and received her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She went on to complete a general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, with advanced fellowship training in open and endovascular aortic repair and transcatheter aortic valve replacement. She is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Kim obtained a Master of Science in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis at the University of Michigan to aid her in her research on clinical outcomes and quality improvement in the surgical treatment of aortic disease. She is a member of the writing committee for the 2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease and the EACTS/STS Guideline for Diagnosing and Treating Acute and Chronic Syndromes of the Aortic Organ. She is heavily involved in workforces and taskforces of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the largest international professional society of cardiothoracic surgeons and associated allied health professionals. Most recently, she Chairs the STS Workforce on Annual Meeting and is Chair of the Taskforce on Public Reporting. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Thoracic Surgery Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the STS, and the Board of Advisors of the STS Political Action Committee.

Dr. Kim is an adult cardiac surgeon with UT Health Austin.