Dr Kim Guowei graduated from National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2007 and completed his surgical residency at the National University Hospital (NUH) in 2016, where he served as Chief Resident. In 2018, he was awarded the Academic Medicine Development Award (AMDA) and spent a year at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Korea, mastering laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
With a keen interest in undergraduate and postgraduate education, Dr Kim served as a Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Surgery at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, from 2014 to 2021, before being appointed Assistant Professor in 2021. He has been actively involved in training postgraduate doctors in the National University Health System (NUHS) Residency Programme since 2017, serving as Program Director of the NUHS General Surgery Residency Programme, grooming the next generation of surgeons. His contributions to education have been recognised with several awards, including the NUS Dean’s Excellence Award (2017), the NUS Medicine Fortitude Award (2020) for his contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic and the NUH Education Award: GREAT Teacher (Interactive) and GREAT Teacher (Didactic) in 2022.
Dr Kim has a strong interest in surgical innovation and believes strongly in staying at the forefront of technological advances to provide patients in Singapore with the highest standard of care. He actively integrates technology such as artificial intelligence and robotics to improve existing surgical techniques, enhancing patient outcomes. One example is the successful performance of robotic telesurgery over more than 5,000km between Singapore and Japan in October 2023. He is also an early adopter of new techniques, being part of the team that performed Asia’s first Pressurised Intraperitoneal Aerosolised Chemotherapy (PIPAC) procedure in 2016, conducting several first-in-the-world trials on PIPAC. In addition, he was the first in the region to successfully perform mediastinoscopy assisted trans-hiatal esophagectomy (MATHE).
As an advanced endoscopist, Dr Kim performs a range of specialised procedures, including endoscopic tube and stent insertion, Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for achalasia, Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) for upper gastrointestinal tumours, Endoscopic Full Thickness Resection (EFTR) for submucosal tumours of the stomach and the first Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) at NUH for bariatric patients.
Dr Kim also served as a robotic and laparoscopic proctor at several public hospitals, including NUH, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) and Tan Tock Seng
Hospital, as well as in Vietnam and Philippines. He is an active instructor at local and regional endoscopic and surgical workshops and is frequently invited to speak at international conferences on robotic surgery, artificial intelligence in upper gastrointestinal surgery, as well as surgical innovation and techniques. Since transitioning to private practice, he continues to contribute to public healthcare and education as a Visiting Consultant at NUH, NTFGH and Woodlands Hospital.
Committed to continuous learning, Dr Kim is an active reviewer for several journals including Annals of Surgical Oncology and Obesity Surgery. He is currently President in the Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of Singapore (OMSSS), the Upper Gastrointestinal Lead and Board member for the Robotic Surgery Society of Singapore (RS3), and former National Coordinator for The Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons Society (TUGSS). He is also a member of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA), International Gastric Cancer Association (IGCA), and a life member of the Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia Society (ELSA).
Dr Kim is deeply committed to clinical excellence. He previously served as a Senior Consultant at NUH and Alexandra Hospital, and was awarded the Esprit de Corps Award (Alexandra Hospital) 2023 for exemplary patient care, before transitioning to private practice. He is also passionate about cancer survivorship, and has been involved in organising and facilitating the upper gastrointestinal support group at NUH since 2022. Recognising that the journey through upper gastrointestinal cancer can be challenging, he finds meaning in supporting his patients throughout their treatment and recovery. Interacting with survivors and their families—many of whom lead active and fulfilling lives after surgery—continues to inspire his commitment to excellence in care.