Junsik Kim, DTCM, LAc

Junsik (also refer to as Jay) earned his professional Doctorate degree in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at Five Branches University in Santa Cruz, CA. Jay received his Masters degree in Acupuncture and Traditional Oriental Medicine at Emperor's College in Santa Monica, CA. He holds a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine by National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). He is a licensed acupuncturist in the states of Ohio, New York, California, and Wisconsin. During and following his Master's training, he has learned from many skilled teachers. Jay currently teaches medical students at Case Western Reserve University as a clinical assistant professor at Lerner College of Medicine of Cleveland Clinic. He worked as a technical supervisor at Emperor's College and worked alongside medical doctors at Freedom Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center during his Clinical Shadow. He completed his clinical externship at Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation Cancer Center of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, CA, where he provided acupuncture for patients being treated for cancer and during their rehabilitation.

Prior to joining the Cleveland Clinic, Jay worked in the pain management and physical medicine department at a Long Island based spine rehabilitation facility in New York, which is affiliated to Northwell Health, where he collaborated with groups of physiatrists and acupuncturists.

Jay participated in research in a collaboration with physicians for true-trigger point and non-true trigger point pain. He also served as a clinical preceptor for MDs during their residencies and medical student shadowing acupuncturists. He has had extensive training in the pain management, physical medicine and spine rehabilitation fields.

Before his acupuncture training started, Jay majored in Plant Biology at the Ohio State University and was involved in studies on Mutation of Arabidopsis as a laboratory assistant. He was first impressed with the benefits of an integrative care model while working as a medic at Army Hospital in South Korea.

Jay believes that a healthy state of our physical body arises from a well-balanced mind and a daily-life pattern. He emphasizes the understanding of interaction between positive and negative inputs for our body to maintain a healthy equilibrium.

Outside of his practice, Jay enjoys playing the piano, soccer, and spending time with family.

His primary focuses are but not limited to: 

• Spine-related conditions: Cervical radiculopathy, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, sciatica, hip bursitis, lumbosacral radiculopathy, and etc.
• Pain management.
• Neurologic disorders: Post-operative penile neuropathy, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and dysautonomia.
• Digestive disorders: GI dysmotility and dysfunction, gastrointestinal manifestations in systemic autoimmune disease such as diarrhea, constipation and diarrhea, celiac disease, and GERD.
• Preventative and wellness: Seasonal allergy, flu and common cold, fatigue, indigestion.