Meet May Kim-Tenser, MD, MHA, FAHA

Dr. Kim-Tenser is a neurologist at Keck Medicine of USC who specializes in vascular neurology and neurocritical care. She is also medical director and chief of the neurosciences intensive care unit at Keck Hospital of USC as well as chief of the Division of Neurocritical Care and Stroke at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Here’s what you won’t find on her resume.

Spending time with family and friends is how she enjoys her time away from work.

“I cherish spending time with my three kids (ages 13, 11, 9) and my husband, Dr. Matthew Tenser, who is also a neurologist and neuroendovascular surgeon at Keck Medicine. I enjoy the time I can spend with my close friends, as well.”

Travel and further education are on the top of her to-do list.

“I would like to go back to school and get an MBA. I’d also love to take my parents on a nice trip and travel the world. Italy is my favorite travel destination.”

As part of a large family, she developed a work ethic early in life.

“People may be surprised to learn that I am the oldest of four children and learned how to run a hotel business from an early age. My parents, who are my role models, left their comfortable lives in Seoul to come to Los Angeles in the 1970s, not speaking any English. As owners of several hotels, they worked hard, raised four successful kids and put us to work early! Another fun tidbit is that my grandfather was a civil engineer who worked for the first South Korean president and helped design Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport.”

The best piece of advice she’s ever received is how to deal with hard times.

“When things are tough, you have to keep going, and never give up.”

Seeing others succeed is a rewarding part of her job.

“The success of Keck Medicine’s partnership with affiliated hospitals, the happiness of my division and seeing my patients doing well are the most rewarding aspects of my job.”

Her patients inspire her to provide excellent care on a daily basis.

“When I see my patients in the clinic after they’ve been discharged from the intensive care unit, it always surprises me. To see how much progress they’ve made and how thankful they are makes my day. That’s when I know it’s all worth it.”

She sees important advancements happening in her field.

“I feel that two of the most impactful advancements we have in stroke and neurocritical care are image-based stroke therapy and the number of dedicated neurointensive care units across the nation along with a multidisciplinary approach to neurocritical care.”

Collaboration is one of the main reasons she chose to practice at an academic medical center.

“Teaching and working with trainees and collaborating with physicians and others across departments helps me be the best doctor I can be. This is much more possible at an academic center, like Keck Medicine, than in private practice.”

Her colleagues are also her friends.

“What I like most about working at Keck Medicine are the collaborations I have made with others from different departments and with administration. I consider my colleagues my friends, and we strive to provide the best care.”

The level of expertise and approach to patient care at Keck Medicine sets it apart from the rest.

“The subspecialty care and expertise my colleagues and I provide is truly exceptional. Our approach to each patient is individualized and centered around each patient’s unique needs.”

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