Paul Kim, D.P.M.

Comprehensive Wound Care in Dallas, Texas

Paul J. Kim, D.P.M., M.S., is the Medical Director of the UTSW Wound Program, specializing in wound care and diabetic limb salvage surgery in Dallas, Texas.

When Dr. Kim started working in the field of wound care, he quickly saw an unmet need for patients with complex conditions, such as non-healing wounds and diabetic ulcers. To fill the gap, he has worked to advance the Wound Program at UT Southwestern into an internationally recognized clinic offering patients every option, from conservative therapies to surgery.

UT Southwestern's Wound Program is built on providing continuity of care.

“Being part of a complex, state-of-the-art facility like UT Southwestern allows us to follow a patient from the emergency department to the hospital to the outpatient clinic,” Dr. Kim says. “Many of our patients need additional care related to the wound, and our program offers a multidisciplinary approach to meet these challenges.”

Navigating health care can be confusing for any patient, and moving from one facility to the next can mean added stress and potential loss of medical information. UT Southwestern offers shared patient resources and a range of care in one place.

"Our team can share patient records and lab results and consult with each other almost instantaneously. These readily available resources and immediate communication offer more efficient and effective care for our patients," Dr. Kim says.

Understanding Wound Pathology for Progressing Wounds

The Wound Care Clinic at UT Southwestern treats a variety of complex non-healing wounds for patients in Dallas and beyond. Dr. Kim regularly consults with patients who have been referred to him because their wound is not healing. A complete patient evaluation, medical history, and medications prescribed are thoroughly examined.

"We are trying to understand why a wound is not progressing. Many times, the patient was wrongfully diagnosed. My goal is to uncover the true ideology of the wound," Dr. Kim says.

Once diagnosed, Dr. Kim can collaborate with other specialists in the program and create a treatment plan based on the patient's overall health care needs.

"We have specialized wound equipment and provide the full spectrum of care,” he says. “Determining whether a patient is best served by a drug, a biologic, a device, or surgery can be a complex process, and UT Southwestern's approach to care can meet the challenges.”

Diabetic Limb Salvage in Dallas, Texas

Diabetic patients with non-healing ulcers and wounds may be at risk for amputation. Dr. Kim considers amputation the last possible resort. He works to heal the initiating ulcer and explore pathways to preserve the limb and its function, using advanced therapies and limb-sparing surgical techniques.

“It is our philosophy that amputation is not the only answer. There are other alternatives,” Dr. Kim says. “It’s our goal as a wound care program to explore solutions to save the leg, foot, or other extremity, even when the patients have been told elsewhere amputation is the only option.”

Internationally Recognized Wound Program at UT Southwestern

The specialists at UT Southwestern's Wound Program are internationally recognized leaders in wound care research and are actively involved in groundbreaking clinical trials and therapies unavailable elsewhere.

“I’m proud to be part of a facility built on the foundation of innovation, collaborate with physicians who are leaders in their specialties, and help improve the quality of life for our patients,” Dr. Kim says.