Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Kaku Barkoh.
Hi Dr. Barkoh, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am the proud son of immigrants from Ghana, West Africa. My parents immigrated to the United States almost 40 years ago. I was born in Columbia, Missouri while my father was completing his PhD in biology. We lived in Wichita Falls, Texas until I started middle school. I attended middle school and high school in Ingram, Texas, a small town in the Texas hill country. After shadowing our community orthopedic surgeon in high school, I decided I wanted to become an orthopedic surgeon too. Initially, I thought I would pursue the sports medicine subspecialty, but during medical school, I was exposed to spine surgery and knew it was my calling. After completing medical school I did my residency training at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee. Following residency, I did a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. My wife, daughter, and I moved back to Texas to be close to family and for me to begin my practice. I have practiced in the north Houston markets since 2017. I joined my current practice, Orthopaedic Associates, in June 2021. This practice has allowed me to expand my footprint beyond the north Houston suburbs to include the Heights and Livingston.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. When I first began practice I joined a private practice that wasn’t the right fit for me. I then worked in a hospital employed position for a few years before deciding to join my current practice. Along the way, I learned the importance of finding an environment that allows you to thrive. To quote my good friend and amazing artist b. Robert Moore, “Go where you are watered.” It took me some time to realize that if you have to dim your light to fit in at your workplace, you’re probably in the wrong place.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an orthopedic spine surgeon that specializes in minimally invasive and motion preservation surgery. I think my ability to listen to patients and clearly explain their treatment options sets me apart from other providers. I see myself as a partner on the patient’s healthcare team. I work with the patients to diagnose and treat their problems; helping them find their best path to a more pain-free lifestyle. I am proud and humbled that God has given me the talents to positively impact patients’ lives and help alleviate their pain. Nothing is more gratifying than being embraced by a patient that comes to see me after their surgery and tells me that they are finally pain-free after enduring years of agony. I am also proud to be a black spine surgeon. While progress has been made over the decades, there is still a paucity of black physicians which continues to contribute to disparities in access to quality care in some communities.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@drbarkoh.com
- Website: www.drbarkoh.com
- Instagram: @drbarkoh
- Facebook: @drbarkoh
