Dr. Esther Kim, MD

Terrible experience!

Couldn’t ask for a better doctor, she truly cares about her patients and goes out of her way to do what she can to help.

Dr. Kim was unlike most any other spine surgeon I've met (and I've visited ~20 in the USA and internationally). She did not wear the typical "surgeon glasses", seeing everything from a surgical point of view & and immediately recommending a fusion like my last surgeon. Nor did she advocate a typical, generic six-visit PT sequence just to check off a box on the pre-surgical checklist. Instead, she tactfully explained the many factors at play in back pain, how unlikely a jump to surgery would be to fix the problem, other pain management and diagnostic options, and how PROPER physical therapy was vital to long term success. She addressed the limitations of supine MRIs, the need for sagittal pelvic assessment, as well as the importance of glutes, hip function, back, and posture. In short, she combined the views of a surgeon, physical therapist, and pain management specialist in one. I was amazed. She only needs to catch up on lumbar disc replacement research and she'll be even better!… Thanks!

First let me talk about the Doctor. As a veteran and advanced stage 4 cancer survivor, I all but love in the pain clinic. It got to the point to where the right side of my body was the worst I had ever felt. Epedurals no longer worked. Dr.Kim was never rude or cold. She was straight forward and honest, spending time to explain to me the process of the surgery and any question I or my partner had. Prior to rolling into surgery she came to me and explained to me why she wanted to change her previous surgical entry point and why. Never was I left with questions or left feeling unsure. I have to say, it's hard to believe that all the pain I have left is from the surgery, not the previous intense pain I had before. If anyone has the oppertunity to have her as their surgeon, do it. I didn't expect to already feel pain free. She checked on me in the hospital, made sure I had meds, and was just wonderful to be around.

Arrogant surgeon with bad complications. Stay away!

Outstanding treatment, caring doctor

I'm not sure where these other reviews are coming from but Dr. Kim was so helpful at my visit. She answered all my questions, and was very direct in getting me the treatment i needed. She didn't try to sell or force me to do anything i didn't feel comfortable with. Her staff was so sweet as well. I have decided to move forward with surgery but when i do i know where to go.

I had a terrible experience see Dr. Kim for my back. She came across as a know-it-all. I was a previous patient of Dr. Asgarzadie. He was an excellent Doctor. I'm so sad that he left Loma Linda. Dr. Kim is not board certified and is not fellowship trained. I think she is trying to make up for her lack of knowledge and expertise by trying to be overly confident and not listening to me. My recommendation is go elsewhere if you can.

Dr. Kim is missing the human element of being a physician. I went to her in an attempt to obtain more insight about my chronic lower back condition for which other physicians (and another neurosurgeon) had expressed concern regarding bone marrow edema that had appeared on recent imaging, as well as other lumbar anomalies. The fact that she was unable to offer much insight was not the biggest issue, nor was the fact that she didn't arrive until 11 a.m. for my 9:30 a.m. appointment with no acknowledgement of the long delay. What disheartened me the most was the fact that her energy and tone of voice in which conducted herself was far from optimal. Almost from the moment she arrived she made me feel that I was wasting her time being there, and that she much more important things to do than to meet with me. The entire experience entailed a few weeks of waiting to come in to see her (because of my HMO), a 40 minute drive each way, 90 minutes of waiting upon arrivalâ?¦. all for 10… minutes of borderline condescension. I know that Dr. Kim is relatively young (she has just finished or is finishing her residency). Hopefully with more experience, she will better understand that although some conditions may not be life threatening, they can be physically and emotionally painful enough to control one's life and be the primary focus of it. My visit with her had been long anticipated, and I did much research in preparation for it. I suppose it is a learning experience for myself also.