Han Jo Kim, MD

Dr. Han Jo Kim is an Attending Spine Surgeon and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery specializing in Cervical Spine and Scoliosis Surgery. After his residency at HSS, he completed a spine fellowship in adult and pediatric spinal deformity and scoliosis surgery followed by a subspecialized fellowship in cervical spine surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis. He has also visited and operated with leading spine surgeons in the US and around the world. Currently serving as the Director of the Spine Fellowship and Chair of the Fellowship Committee at HSS, he is also the lead investigator for numerous research studies and has won multiple awards in the national and international arena. He is also actively involved in the education of residents, fellows, and physician assistants.

Dr. Kim believes in a comprehensive approach to patient care. Working with internists, anesthesiologists, neurologists, radiologists, physiatrists and pediatricians, all avenues for alternatives to surgery are explored before surgery is considered. With individual patient goals in mind, if surgery is necessary, he will perform spine surgery utilizing the most effective and safe techniques tailored for each person in an effort to minimize complications, recovery time and optimize outcomes. He has a particular interest in surgery relating to adult and pediatric spinal deformity and scoliosis. With regard to the cervical spine, he specializes in cervical deformities and motion preserving (disc replacement, laminoplasty) procedures.

Dr. Kim has dedicated his time as a volunteer surgeon at the FOCOS hospital in Ghana, West Africa where he has treated some of the most rare and complex spinal deformities in pediatric and adult patients, performing hundreds of successful operations.

Dr. Kim has authored more than 375 peer-reviewed scientific articles and more than 35 book chapters, including his own textbook which he co-authored with Dr. K. Daniel Riew on cervical spine surgery titled The Riew-Kim Manual for Cervical Spine Surgery. Through the AO Spine Foundation, he has been invited by international leaders in spine surgery to author surgical reference guides that teach other spine surgeons performing scoliosis surgery. He was also selected by the Scoliosis Research Society for the prestigious Edgar G. Dawson Fellowship in 2013 and subsequently was selected for the Scoliosis Research Society Traveling Fellowship in 2017 and has also served as the IMAST Chair in 2020. He is also an active member of the Cervical Spine Research Society.