This review and rating pertain exclusively to Dr. Charles Kwak. I strongly advise against…read morescheduling an appointment with this particular doctor.
I visited Dr. Kwak on July 13, 2024, at the Fordham location. I am aware that Dr. Kwak also works out of the Queens Elmhurst location. So this is to warn other patients who may be scheduling with him at this location.
When Dr. Kwak entered the room, he immediately began discussing my previous visit and medications with his assistant, without first addressing the reason for my current visit. It was evident that he had not reviewed the notes taken by the assistant upon my arrival, as my current visit was unrelated to my previous one. I had to tell Dr. Kwak three times that I was there for a new, unrelated issue. Despite this, he quickly and dismissively asked to see my skin and began prescribing medications without investigating the cause of my skin reaction or considering my recent allergic reaction and complex medical history, which the assistant had carefully documented.
As he rushed out, I remembered that he had not examined my face, where I had another issue, because I was wearing a mask. The assistants tried to inform him, but I heard him dismiss them in the hallway, falsely claiming he had seen my face. When I confronted him, he attempted to gaslight me, insisting I had pulled my mask down, which I had not. He once again, started suggesting a face wash without any further investigation or questions. The stressed and exasperated looks on the staff's faces reflected my own frustration with this doctor.
While I sat in the room, I could hear Dr. Kwak loudly speaking to other patients, prescribing medications without listening to their concerns and cutting them off mid-sentence, just as he had done with me and the staff.
The staff at this location have been wonderful, and my experience with Dr. Curtis Chen was excellent. However, my encounter with Dr. Kwak was a stark contrast. Despite his impressive credentials and advocacy claims on the website, his behavior was dismissive, rude, and unprofessional. If he cannot provide compassionate and attentive care to the underserved population, he should consider retirement. The people of the Bronx deserve better than the neglect and harm caused by doctors like him.
He also has several other negative one star reviews stating they had a similar experience to mine here:
https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-charles-kwak-29hnm