Surgeons

Dr. Jong Kim

Dr. Kim has always been interested in the mechanics of nature. His childhood goal was to become an engineer. To pursue that goal, he attended California Institute of Technology majoring in Applied Physics.

As many things happen in life an event changed his life. His father was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away during his junior year in college. He reevaluated his life and decided to attend medical school. He attended University of Illinois for his medical school and subsequently finished residency in General Surgery at the University of Southern California. With his inclination for mechanics, he decided to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

He finished his fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Minnesota. During his training, he became very interested in minimally invasive surgery, including video assisted lung resections, robotic assisted surgery, and endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms.

He is married with three boys and with their active family felt that the Twin Cities would be a better place to raise their boys. Living here, he has discovered the joy of fishing and all of the out door activities Minnesota offers.

MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING
Medical School, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
General Surgery Residency, University of Southern California
Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, University of Minnesota

LICENSE & BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, off pump
Heart Valve Repair/Replacement
Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair
TAVR (Percutaneous Aortic Valve Replacement)
Robotic Chest and Lung Cancer Surgery

CLINIC LOCATIONS
Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute, Mercy Hospital

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Dr. Brian Tell

Dr. Tell's area of special expertise is the Mitral Valve repair (where the surgeons treat leakage or narrowing of the mitral valve). He enjoys this procedure because "it is as much arts and crafts as it is science -- there are many ways to get a mitral valve to close." Dr. Tell likes the challenge of figuring out the best way to repair the diseased valve.

One of Dr. Tell's particular concerns about the medical field in general is the inefficiencies of the health care system; he considers it embarrassing that we have not figured out a way to provide all citizens with the basics of health care access. The doctors at Twin Cities Heart and Lung accept many forms of health insurance, and work with all local hospitals as a step in this direction.

Dr. Tell was inspired to go into medicine by his father, who was a family physician in New York City. As a young boy, Dr. Tell would go with his dad on house calls, and the appreciation that the patients and their families showed made an impression on him. Years later, he is following in his father's footsteps, helping people and trying to make their quality of life better.

Dr. Tell's family is his wife Linda and two daughters, Danielle and Margo.

MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING
Université de Paris, Faculté de Médecine de Créteil, Paris, France
General Surgery Residency, Beth Israel Medical Center (New York)
General Surgery Residency, Robert Woods Johnson Medical School, U.M.D.N.J.
Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency, Long Island Jewish Hillside Medical Center
Cardiac Transplantation Fellowship, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center
Cardiac Transplantation Fellowship, Hopital LaPitie (Paris)

LICENSE & BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Valvular Heart Surgery
Mitral Valve Repair
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery, off pump

CLINIC LOCATIONS
Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute, Mercy Hospital

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Fellow, American College of Cardiology
Fellow, American College of Chest Physicians
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
International Society for Heart Transplantation

Dr. Jonathan Boksberger

Dr Boksberger received his cardiothoracic surgery training at Wake Forest University/Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC, where he gained extensive experience with stentless heart valve replacement, aorta and arch replacement, mitral valve repair, minimally invasive and off-pump approaches, as well as experience with the latest technology of transcatheter aortic valve placement. He has a special interest in minimally -invasive and robotic surgical techniques in addition to the standard approaches to provide optimal outcomes and accelerated recovery for his patients.

His first exposure to surgery was through his father’s career as a general surgeon in Los Angeles. He subsequently became a patient, and his positive experiences with the care he received by his physicians inspired him to pursue a medical career. He has earned the respect of patients, staff and faculty through hard work, integrity and a positive personality. He is dedicated to providing high quality care and a personable experience for his patients.

Dr. Boksberger and his wife are both physicians, and they have a young daughter. Raised in Southern California they are looking forward to a milder winter this coming year!

MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences
General Surgery, Beaumont Health
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Off Pump Cardiac Surgery
Aortic Root Reconstruction Surgery
Laser Lead Extraction
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Thoracic Endograft
Robotic Chest and Lung Surgery (since 2013)
Robotic Coronary Bypass Surgery

LICENSE & BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
Board Certified, Osteopathic Surgery, General Surgery
Board Certified, Osteopathic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery

CLINICAL SPECIALTIES
Cardiothoracic Surgery

CLINIC LOCATIONS
Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute, Mercy Hospital

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American College of Surgeons
American Medical Association
American Osteopathic Association
Society of Thoracic Surgeons
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