In the debut episode of Val-You Based Care, host Dr. Kimberly Ku—triple board-certified in Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine—shares the personal journey that brought this show to life. From her beginnings in clinical research to a defining experience losing a close friend to young-adult cancer, Dr. Ku explains why she believes community-based care, authentic communication, and empathy must take a more central role in modern medicine.

This episode lays out the mission of Val-You Based Care: elevating the human elements of healthcare, fostering collaboration across both community and academic settings, and exploring how empathy and communication should be treated as fundamental competencies—not soft skills. Dr. Ku reflects on the future of the healthcare workforce, the pressures ahead, and why relational practices matter more than ever in an era shaped by AI, rising demand, and provider shortages.

Val-You Based Care is both an introduction and an invitation—an opening chapter for a show committed to deeper understanding, better connection, and re-imagining the way we care for one another.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

1:20 - Linking empathetic communication to better patient outcomes

4:40 - What it means to be a "Community Doctor"

8:10 - The collaborative nature of this show

9:16 - Closing remarks