Yong W. Kam, MD is a dedicated fellowship-trained cornea, cataract, and refractive surgeon whose journey in medicine was shaped by a profound sense of empathy and a passion for improving the lives of others. After immigrating from South Korea to the United States as a child, he witnessed the unwavering work ethic of his parents, who toiled tirelessly to build a better future for their children. This upbringing instilled in him the values of selflessness, teamwork, and the importance of hard work, no matter what the task.
Dr Kam’s spark for medicine came alive when he began volunteering in high school to interpret for other immigrants at the doctor’s office. Daunted by the challenges of the language barrier, immigrant families had waited for months and years until finally deciding to seek medical care. He translated the conversation but realized that translating was not cutting it. He needed to have a better grasp of medicine to explain their situation more in-depth. Although this began as a practical effort to be a better interpreter, he soon found that he loved what he was studying. He felt like they came in blind and he was helping them see! He became fascinated by medicine all the while developing a growing empathy for the plight of the patients in need. This was the beginning of his serious desire to become a physician, capable of directly helping those in need, and continues to fuel his passion.
Once Dr Kam entered medical school at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, he was determined to explore the various fields of medicine. He fully immersed himself in each opportunity and clerkship and developed a deep appreciation for different fields of medicine. He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, reserved for the top 10% of the class. When he discovered ophthalmology, he found his true passion. The opportunity to improve the lives of others and change their lives by restoring and improving sight brought him a profound sense of fulfillment. He never felt this excitement before and knew ophthalmology was calling his name.
As he started a residency at the University of Kansas, Dr Kam found himself relating easily to patients as their situation brought him back to the times he accompanied family members and other immigrants to various appointments. To see is to experience. To be blind when sight is possible is to limit experience. Witnessing improved access to life through enhanced vision ignited a passion in him.
Following residency, Dr. Kam completed an additional year of fellowship in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at the University of Iowa, considered to be one of the best fellowships in the country. While there, he performed hundreds of advanced anterior segment surgeries including complex cataract and lens-based surgery, excision of tumor, anterior segment reconstruction, full and partial thickness corneal transplant, LASIK, and PRK.
Moyes Eye Center
5151 NW 88th Street
Kansas City, MO 64154 USA
Telephone – 816-746-9800
Email – YongWKam@Gmail.com
About: Yong W. Kam, MD Bio