The Interesting MD Podcast Experiences from LA County to Vancouver Island: Dr. Dennis Kim’s Journey Across Borders
Mar 17, 2026
Dr. Dennis Kim, a trauma surgeon and intensivist who built trauma systems from Southern California to Vancouver Island. He talks about high-volume trauma care, rising gun violence and COVID’s impact, the grit of county hospital training, and the challenges of designing a regional trauma system on an island with limited resources. He also describes becoming a public medical educator on TikTok.
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From Toronto To Harbor UCLA Training Ground
- Dennis Kim trained in Canada, then moved to the US where he spent a decade at Harbor UCLA building trauma expertise.
- He learned trauma management at high-volume county centers and developed academic roles through UCLA appointments and mentorship in San Diego.
Gunshot Burden In Urban Trauma Summers
- Urban trauma in South Los Angeles included 100–180 gunshot wounds over summer months, often one or more per day.
- Many victims were young, disadvantaged, and gun violence rose after COVID, becoming a leading killer of U.S. children.
Family Move Sparked Locum Then Trauma Leadership
- During COVID Dennis's family relocated to Vancouver Island for safety while he continued working in LA and later did locum ICU rotations in Victoria.
- An Island Health executive recruited him to build trauma services after he observed preventable poor outcomes.