Published March 2026
This Women’s History Month, we are highlighting Cadence A. Kim, MD, FACS, a urological surgeon, who was a partner at Urological Associates, PC, for 25 years before it merged with Jefferson Northeast, where she currently works.
In addition to being a Fellow at the College since 2015, Dr. Kim served on its Board from 2020 through 2026. She was President of the Philadelphia County Medical Society (PCMS) from 2017-2018 and continues as a Board member of the PCMS, as well as a member of the Board of the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PMS).
In this Fellow Spotlight, we spoke with Dr. Kim details her path to medicine, her involvement with the College, and the relationships we build not only with each other but also ourselves.
You recently celebrated 10 years of Fellowship. What drew you to seek Fellowship?
I sought the social aspects of the College. The programs offered are intellectual, diverse, fun, and stimulating. The College allows you to engage with a whole new set of interesting, exciting new people.
How did your interest in Urology and Urologic Oncology develop?
That is a long story. My father was a general surgeon in the days when general surgeons did every type of surgery and even casted a broken arm if needed. He was always working, 7 days a week, nights included. When I was very young, I decided I was also going to be a general surgeon. I matriculated to his medical school, The University of Rochester, and was planning on applying to General Surgery residency programs when we had a long conversation about the lifestyle I was ready to embark on. I laugh when I think that he was the first person to alert me to the difficulty of being pregnant, raising children as the mother vs. the father, and working. He told me he could not have become a surgeon and had a family without my mother, and just how much she did. I quickly pivoted to surgical subspecialties, not really sure if the lifestyle would be any different, but not willing to abandon surgery. I decided I would become a Pediatric Urologist after doing a rotation with Dr. Ronald Rabinowitz and watching him operate. During residency, I quickly switched allegiance to adults who loved you as soon as you placed a catheter for urinary retention. I always kept my love for general surgery, so urologic oncology was a natural love.
What are the ways that you develop trust with your patients, especially since most or a majority are men?
My experience is that older men and young men do not care very much about gender, and that men in general care less about gender than women. Trust develops over time and is not a superficial relationship, but has much more to do with developing a personal connection to your patients that lets them know they feel cared for and valued.
March marks Women’s History Month. Are there any women who made a major impact on your decision to work in healthcare?
Funny, but thinking back on it, probably my mother. I made my decision to not just be a doctor but a surgeon, to be like my father. However, he was rarely home. It was always my mother who encouraged me. It was my mother who believed in me, and really, because of her, I felt I could.
You are helping organize the public program on April 6 called . What inspired you to develop this program, and what do you hope attendees will learn from it?
As a Urologist, men’s health and certainly that includes their sexual health, is felt to be a vital part of their well-being. Women’s sexual health tends to be ignored. My medical training did not include any special information on menopause—the broad-ranging effects of losing female hormones. Urologists learn and explain to their patients the adverse effects of losing testosterone, yet menopause was never discussed. The adverse effects of losing estrogen, progesterone, and the testosterone produced by the ovaries go well beyond hot flashes.
I want women, whether pre, peri, or post-menopausal, to know what to expect, how their bodies will or have changed, and that there are treatments available. As a urologist, sexual health matters. I was taught it takes two to tango. Testosterone replacement is not just for men. Low-dose testosterone replacement exists for women. Women need to know they do not have to “suffer through” menopause or stop having sex because they no longer have a sex drive.
Our commonality is that we all age. Do you have any advice for your younger self, either career-wise or health-wise?
Oh, I have a whole list, but it is still a work in progress. Try to be kind, more patient, and don’t lose your temper. Get more rest, and you will be happier. Eat more vegetables. Limit processed food and everything you crave when sleep deprived. Exercise regularly, not just cardio, but include weights, and don’t forget to stretch.
You are a Board member of both the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Philadelphia County Medical Society. Why are these associations important to you?
I initially joined the PCMS board because I felt it was a tangible way to make a difference when I was feeling more and more disenfranchised. Medicine is being replaced by algorithms, and many of the important social interactions that form a bond between you and your patient are becoming superfluous as time to document and address the never-ending task list destroys time to spend developing a relationship with your patient. Physicians have less and less of a say in changes that control their lives. I felt I could either complain or try to be part of the solution. As President-elect and then President of the PCMS, I promoted and sponsored programs addressing gender biases for women in medicine, such as salaries and promotions. We had a speaker educate the audience on how to negotiate a salary, among other topics.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society has more visibility. I wanted to do all the above on a larger scale. Malpractice, physician autonomy, scope of practice, and climate change, among other things, are important to me. The PMS has an environmental task force that recognizes and is working for changes as climate change affects public health. I think that physicians should take an active role in causes, such as climate change and vaccinations, to promote public health.
What do you wish more people knew about the College?
That it exists. How much it has to offer. I feel like it runs under the radar.
Can you tell us about one of your favorite items in the Library or Museum, or your favorite aspect of the College?
Honestly, after joining and receiving a tour of the College, I was most wowed by the Library and the items not displayed. I loved seeing all the items used to bleed people, especially after my daughter read Yellow Fever in school. The reality of really bleeding people to cure them came to life for me when I saw those objects. I think it would be fun to have a small exhibit showcasing them, and maybe with the history of Yellow Fever? The Museum also has some of the first tools used to treat stones—an exhibit on this would really make people appreciate how far we have come.