Irene A. Kim, MD, MBA
Accepting new patients

Irene A. Kim, MD, MBA

  • Otolaryngology|
  • Head and Neck Surgery
Santa Monica Head & Neck Surgery | 1131 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 302, Santa Monica, CA 90401

About

Academic/Teaching Appointments

  • Assistant Professor-In-Residence, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Irene Kim is a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon who sees patients in Santa Monica, Westwood, and Santa Clarita. She is an attending surgeon in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is board certified in otolaryngology, and fellowship trained in facial reanimation surgery for facial paralysis. Dr. Kim is the Director of the Facial Nerve Center at UCLA.

Dr. Kim provides high-quality, comprehensive medical and surgical care to patients with facial paralysis secondary to Bell's palsy, tumors, trauma and congenital disorders. Her procedures include nerve transfers and gracilis free muscle transfers. She also performs cosmetic facial surgery, nonsurgical facial rejuvenation techniques (including Botox and filler injections), rhinoplasty, facial trauma repair, MOHs reconstructive surgery for skin cancer, and microvascular free flap surgery for patients with head and neck cancer.

Dr. Kim received her medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed her otolaryngology/head and neck surgery residency training at UCLA, and returned to Johns Hopkins for subspecialty training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Kim is a member of the Sir Charles Bell Society, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Medical Association and Phi Beta Kappa.

Professional Memberships:
Sir Charles Bell Society
American Academy Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS)
American Medical Association (AMA)
Phi Beta Kappa

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certification

Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology, 2017

Fellowship

Facial and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine-GME, 2017

Residency

Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine, 2016

Internship

General Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine, 2012

Degrees

MBA, UCLA Anderson School of Management, 2020
MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2011

Recognitions

Locations

Santa Monica

Santa Monica Head & Neck Surgery

Head and Neck Surgery| Pediatric Head and Neck Surgery| Head and Neck Medical Oncology +1 more specialty
West Los Angeles

Head & Neck Surgery

Head and Neck Surgery| Pediatric Head and Neck Surgery

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

Videos

Facial Reanimation: A Comprehensive Treatment for Facial Paralysis

Research

Interests

  • Facial Paralysis
  • Facial Reanimation

Publications

Manuscripts:

  1. Kim IA, Yang E, Donnelly PJ, Limb CJ. Preservation of Rhythmic Clocking in Cochlear Implant Users: A Study of Isochronous vs. Anisochronous Beat Detection. Trends in Amplification. 2010 Sep; 14(3): 164-9.
  2. Junn JC, Kim IA, et al. Multidisciplinary Service Utilization Pattern by Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Single Institution Study. International Journal of Otolaryngology. 2012 Sep; Article ID 628578.
  3. Sidell DR, Kim IA, Coker TR, Moreno C, Shapiro NL. Food Choking Hazards in Children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2013 Dec; 771(12): 1940-6.
  4. Kim IA, Palma Diaz F, Wang M. Pleomorphic Lipoma of the Neck: A Benign Lesion Mimicking Liposarcoma. Journal of Otology & Rhinology. Accepted Jan 15 2014.
  5. Kim IA, Thompson CF, Kedeshian PA, Palma Diaz F, Suh JD. Invasive Fungal Sinusitis in a Healthy Athlete Due to Long-Term Anabolic Steroid Use. Laryngoscope. 2014 Aug;124(8): 1756-9.
  6. Kim IA, Shapiro N, Bhattacharyya N. The National Cost Burden of Bronchial Foreign Body Aspiration in Children. Laryngoscope. Nov 2014.
  7. Kim IA, Long, J. Laryngotracheal Stenosis as a Complication of Photodynamic Therapy. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2015 Jun; 124(6):495-8.
  8. Tajudeen B, Taylor Z, Garritano J, Cheng H, Pearigan A, Sherman AJ, Palma-Diaz F, Mishra P, Bhargava A, Pesce J, Kim I, Sebastian C, Razfar A, Papour A, Stafsudd O, Grundfest W, St. John M. Dynamic Optical Contrast Imaging as a Novel Modality to Rapidly Distinguish Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma from Normal Tissue. Cancer. 2016. Oct 20.
  9. Kim IA, Taylor ZD, Cheng H, Sebastian C, Maccabi A, Garritano J, Tajudeen B, Palma Diaz F, Yeh M, Grundfest W, St. John M. Dynamic Optical Contrast Imaging (DOC)I: An Imaging Technique to Differentiate Parathyroid Tissue from Surrounding Tissues. Otolarynology- Head & Neck Surgery. Accepted June 2016.
  10. Kim IA, Groth MJ, Nabili V, Keller G. Editors: Kontis, Sclafani. The Downside of Fat: Avoiding and Treating Complications. Facial Plastic Surgery 2016; 32(05): 556-559.
  11. Kim IA, Boahene K, Byrne P, Desai S. Microvascular Considerations in Nasal Reconstruction. Facial Plastic Surgery 2017; 33(1): 74-81.
  12. Kim IA, Boahene K, Byrne P. Trauma in Facial Plastic Surgery: Frontal Sinus Fractures. Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America 2017; 25(4): 503-511.

Book Chapters:

  1. Kim IA, Skelley NW, Yuh DD. 2010. Critical Care of Heart and Heart-Lung Transplant Recipients. In Irwin & Rippe's Manual of Intensive Care Medicine. 5th Ed. (pp 940-947). Philadelphia, PA. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.<?li>
  2. Davis LA, Kim IA, Skelley NW, Yuh DD. 2014. Critical Care of Heart and Heart-Lung Transplant Recipients. In Irwin & Rippe's Manual of Intensive Care Medicine. 6th Ed. (pp 1085-1091). Philadelphia, PA. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  3. Peng K, Kim IA, Nabili V. Progressively Hoarse Voice. Surgery: A Case Based Clinical Review. Springer. Feb 14, 2015.
  4. Kim IA, Kochhar A. Management of Acute Facial Nerve Paralysis. Facial Plastic Surgery: Clinical Reference Guide. Plural Publishing, Inc
  5. Kim IA. Flaps and Grafts. Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery- A Comprehensive Study Guide. Springer.
  6. Kim IA, Papel I. Submental Liposuction. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Men. Thieme Medical Publishing Group.

Recognitions

  • Top Doctors, Los Angeles Magazine, 2023
  • Super Doctors® Southern California Rising Stars, 2021, 2024
  • Academic chief resident, UCLA Head & Neck Surgery, 2015-2016
  • Blue Ribbon Award, “Bio-Oss Successfully Induces Bone Healing in a Marginal Mandibular Defect.” Poster presentation, COSM, 2015
  • Cohen-Gellar Award for best resident performance at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, 2014
  • ACS Head & Neck Surgery Research Presentation Award (Santa Barbara, CA), 2013
  • Head & Neck Surgery Chairman’s Resident Excellence Award, 2012
  • Fulbright Teaching Assistantship Scholarship (South Korea), 2006-2007
  • Phi Beta Kappa (The Johns Hopkins University), 2006
  • Beta Beta Beta Honor Society (The Johns Hopkins University), 2005