Kat Jong, MD
Specialty: Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine
Years in practice: 5
Works at: Virtual private practice and consulting,
Friday Harbor
Society memberships: WSPA, APA, ASAM
Why WSMA: WSMA is a great opportunity for physicians from
across Washington to connect and work together on solving problems for our
patients and our colleagues. It represents collaboration across
specialties, regions, and practice types to strengthen the profession and
improve care statewide.
Why serve on WSMA’s Board: I’m passionate about advocacy,
the future of medicine, and making sure physicians have a seat at the
table for the conversations shaping health care. As someone who lives and
works in a rural community but grew up in one of the largest cities in the
world, I’ve learned to look at issues through multiple lenses. Serving on
the board allows me to bring that perspective and help bridge experiences
across different practice settings.
Why should physicians lead: Physicians have years of
education and training across diverse systems, and we see firsthand what
works and what doesn’t in healthcare. Physician leadership ensures that
ethical care and patient well-being remain central to decision-making,
rather than being overshadowed by financial or administrative priorities.
How do you help further WSMA’s vision to make Washington state the best
place to practice medicine and receive care: As the representative for the Young Physician and Early Career section, I
focus on helping early-career physicians build sustainable, connected
careers in Washington. Whether through policies that support independent
practice, mentorship networks, or tools that make it easier to establish
roots here, I want to strengthen the sense of community that keeps good
physicians in the state.
Fun fact about you: People already know about my
gardening from the WSMA Reports profile last year, but something most
don’t know is that I went to Williams College, a small liberal arts school
in Massachusetts. I majored in German and spent a year living in Munich.