Hae-Young Hawong, DO, PhD

Hae-Young Hawong, DO (doctor of osteopathic medicine), PhD, is a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders.

Dr. Hawong says she became interested in neurology at a young age because her grandmother, who raised her, had Alzheimer’s disease, and made a strong impression on her about the value of helping people.

“During the Korean War, my city was the only one that survived from the North Korean attack and my grandmother cooked for hundreds of people,” Dr. Hawong says. “She always said that helping others was a noble thing.”

Practicing ballet throughout her childhood also factored into her interest in movement, and her knack for math played a role in specializing in neurology. “I feel like I was born to be a neurologist. Neurology is all about logic and I also love talking to patients and getting to know them,” she says.

As an osteopath, Dr. Hawong says she believes in the whole body and mind approach to care. “I don’t treat the disease. I treat the patient and I try to learn about them as much as I can and understand their lifestyle, their supports at home, and what is causing them discomfort,” she says.

Dr. Hawong speaks Korean fluently and was also trained in neuro-ophthalmology. Her research is focused on deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and tardive dyskinesia, a movement disorder affecting the central nervous system.