Aesthetic Doctor in Singapore - Dr. Michael J. Kim
Introduction
Dr. Michael J. Kim (김지효) is the Founder and Medical Director of Aeon Medical and Aesthetic Centre. He is Korean and comes from a family of medical doctors and knows first-hand the dedication, commitment, and sacrifice needed as a medical physician. His diverse life experiences from living in the USA, South Korea, and now Singapore allows him the understanding and balance of Eastern and Western cultures required when caring and treating patients from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. As an aesthetic doctor, Dr. Kim has a passion for enhancing skin quality (acne, acne scars, sensitive skin, pigmentations, enlarged pores, dry skin, etc.) in contrast to using dermal fillers and threads. He focuses more on safer, non-invasive treatments and procedures which can help patients achieve more natural and fundamental improvement in their skin conditions with minimal or no downtime.
(Please see “Philosophy” for more explanation about the philosophy of Dr Kim)
Education and Training
Dr. Michael Kim graduated from Seoul National University, College of Medicine (www.useoul.edu) in Seoul, South Korea with the degree of M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) and now has over 20 years of medical experience. After completing his 5 years of intern and hospital residency training at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, he moved to Singapore more than 13 years ago to broaden his horizons personally and professionally.
On arrival to Singapore, Dr. Michael Kim worked and acquired additional medical experience in Singapore’s restructured government hospitals and primary care/Family Medicine in the heartlands of Singapore where he consulted and treated Singaporeans of diverse ages and conditions on a daily basis. It is here that he learned to appreciate and understand more about the heart and soul of Singaporeans in a very local context. He was the Senior Family Physician at Tan Tock Seng Hospital Health Enrichment Center where he treated local Singaporeans and expats alike, enabling him to further adjust and understand the local/international culture and medical needs of patients in the Lion City.
Accreditation
Dr. Michael Kim possesses full medical licenses to practice in both South Korea and Singapore. He is an officially registered and accredited “Family Physician” with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) and Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) with his Post-Graduate Diploma of Family Medicine (GDFM) from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Dr. Kim has also acquired his Post-Graduate Diploma in Dermatology (FP) awarded by the National University of Singapore (NUS) in conjunction with the Singapore National Skin Centre (NSC). He is also accredited by the Aesthetic Practice Oversight Committee (Singapore Medical Council) for Certificates of Competence (COC) in ablative and non-ablative lasers, IPL, botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, chemical peels, and body contouring from the Dermatological Society of Singapore (DSS) and Singapore Aesthetic Dermatology Educational Group (ADEG). He was also trained by the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine (AAAM).
Membership and Teaching
Dr. Michael Kim is a member of the Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SAM) Singapore, College of Family Physicians Singapore (CFPS), and the Singapore Medical Association (SMA). He is also the Director of International Relations on the committee board of the Korean Association for Laser, Dermatology, and Trichology (KALDAT) based in South Korea. This allows Dr. Kim to be at the frontline of Korean aesthetic trends and developments and to have the mentorship of many Korean experts in the fields of aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery.
Dr. Kim is very active in attending and teaching at various international conferences and seminars locally and abroad. He believes in continuous learning and education, especially in the field of Aesthetic Medicine due to the rapid advancement of technology and research. However, Dr. Kim still believes in balancing traditional and new technology, always putting the safety of the patient as his TOP priority and adhering to the Practicing Guidelines set by the Ministry of Health in Singapore.
Dr. Michael Kim has been invited to share by giving lectures and providing practical training locally and abroad on various topics. He is the official trainer for PharmaResearch Products Rejuran® range of Polynucleotide injections, ULTRACEL Q+ (HIFU), Wellcomet LDM (Ultrasound), and Wontech Lavieen (Thulium laser). Despite having to sacrifice his time and energy for these endeavours, he enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with colleagues, as he knows that without this, the field of aesthetic medicine cannot grow and develop.
Community Service
Having lived in the USA as a child, Dr. Kim understands the challenges expats face in a foreign country. He has therefore contributed to the Korean expat community in Singapore ever since moving to Singapore in 2007. He started by initiating and running a medical service for Korean expats where he could address and treat their health-related problems when there was no such service available at the time with a Korean speaking registered doctor. Dr. Kim also volunteered to provide medical coverage and health education at various events hosted by the Korean Association in Singapore and also as a past Committee Board member. He also served on the Korean Chamber of Commerce (KORCHAM) in Singapore Committee Board in charge of the medical and health department, and contributed to the yearly KOCHAM Charity Ball which donated raised funds to local Singapore charities.
As part of his church in Singapore, he also pioneered and led more than 9 medical mission trips after moving to Singapore. Each time, he has led and trained the new teams of non-medical volunteers for 2-3 months before embarking to the remote mountains of northern Thailand Chiang-Mai and Chiang-Rai regions where a temporary clinic would be set up at a local school or church structure. There are many refugee villagers in poverty and without any medical help available to whom medical tests, consultation, medication, and hygienic education and supplies were provided. The portable clinic system developed by Dr. Kim 10 years ago is still being used and applied today by the organization in various locations and formats around the region.
Dr. Kim was a graduate (2007) and later an active volunteer of the Duranno Father School (두란노 아버지 학교), which originated in Korea but has since branched out overseas including Singapore. Dr. Kim was proud to have been involved in this expansion to Singapore which happened just after he graduated in 2007. Duranno Father School is a parenting program that educates fathers to help them understand their roles and rebuild their identities, inciting a positive change in society. By rebuilding strong and healthy families, it aims to transform communities by having good fathers at home. In the larger context, Father School is also a social movement that fosters a healthy family culture. Those who attend are encouraged to be diligent workers at their workplace and to be useful citizens in society. Participants should take the initiative to positively impact the world around them.
Dr. Michael Kim was formally involved as a Committee Board member of Beautiful Mind Charity (BMC) Singapore. BMC serves the community by caring for the under-privileged, especially nurturing musical talents in children with disabilities. The mission is to make the world we live in better and more inclusive, regardless of physical conditions and cultural differences. Although started by Korean musicians in the USA, beneficiaries are all local Singaporean resident children. Musical lessons are provided free of charge by a dedicated group of professional musicians in Singapore and students have the opportunity to perform at the yearly concert in front of friends, family, and supporters.
AEON and Dr. Kim also collaborated with the Society Association for Mental Health (SAMH) in collaboration with the National Council of Social Services (NCSS) in Singapore. We had the pleasure of getting to know participants and provide makeovers for them and their caregivers who have never had a family portrait taken before. After the makeover done by us is completed, a volunteer professional photographer will take their individual and family portraits and print them out for their homes.
Moving forward, together with the government umbrella organization Community Chest, we are aiming to challenge more SMEs and medical clinics like us to take the initiative to reach out to the community.
Other charities Dr. Kim and AEON have been a part of include Boy’s Town and Silver Caregivers (SCCL). Silver Caregivers is a social enterprise that hopes to better the quality of life of caregivers through workshops, courses, talks, as well as to become a one-stop centre of information in their caregiving roles in Singapore.
Personal Life
Dr. Kim is happily married and has 2 children who have been attending local school since arriving in Singapore in 2007. He spends most of his time at the clinic dedicated to his patients, staff, and study/research; but also enjoys reading books on his Kindle, watching movies, listening to 80s music, spending time with his dogs and participating in competitive 10-meter air pistol (at SAFRA) when he has the time. He is a fan of everything 1980s, photography, and tech-related devices.
Dr. Kim is a Bible-believing Christian and has led worship (music) for adults and children (upper primary school students) for more than 9 years at a Korean church in Singapore. He plays the guitar (since secondary school) but claims he has never learned formally and started it for individual worship time and to serve at church.
Dr. Kim has recently started his own personal Instagram account @ObbaMD, where he posts about various topics including snippets of being an aesthetic doctor, running a medical clinic, aesthetic medicine, and also his personal life. His main goal is to give people a more in-depth and honest look into what it is like being an aesthetic doctor in Singapore – which is quite different from many public stereotypes online.