Wai Park, D.O.

800-826-4673
Wai Park, D.O.
Clinical Geneticist
Clinical Expertise
  • Clinical Cancer Genetics
Other Languages Spoken
Burmese
Academic Appointments
  • Assistant Professor, Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Clinical Teams
Clinical Cancer Genomics
Research Teams
Clinical Cancer Genomics
My decision to become a physician is more than just a career choice. It was a calling to promote wellness, provide guidance and support patients and their family members during their time of need.
Wai K. Park, D.O., brings a passion for genetics research and a veteran caregiver’s empathy to her position as clinical geneticist at City of Hope.
 
Dr. Park trained as a registered nurse and spent over a decade excelling in that arena, handling medical, surgical and telemetry units and also coordinating care for dialysis patients.
 
She then pursued a science degree at California State University Los Angeles, followed by Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine training at Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, California, residency at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, California, and clinical genetics and genomics residency at University of California Irvine.
 
Dr. Park strongly believes that genetics holds the key to preventing, detecting and treating cancer. “Understanding the underlying genetic variation that predisposes someone to the development of certain cancers,” she says, “not only opens the door to early detection and risk reducing options but also could lead to individualized treatment recommendations”. Importantly, it helps identify other family members who maybe at risk.”
 
The bilingual (English, Burmese) Dr. Park has firsthand experience with City of Hope: a loved one was treated here. “The compassionate care combined with leading-edge, high-quality patient care at City of Hope left a tremendous impression on me,” she said. “I consider it a privilege to join the team as a provider in the fight against cancer.”

Location

Education & Experience

Board Certifications

  • 2021-current, American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics

  • 2018-current, American Board of Internal Medicine

Degrees

  • 2011-2015, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, CA

  • 2003-2007, B.S., Biology, California State University of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA

  • 2000-2003, A.A.S., Nursing, City University of New York, College of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY

Residency

  • 2018-2020, Resident, Clinical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA

  • 2016-2018, Internal Medicine Residency, Kaiser Permanente Fontana, CA

Internship

  • 2015-2016, Internship, Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Fontana, CA

Professional Experience

  • 2021-present, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2007-2011, Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Peritoneal Dialysis Center of America

  • 2003-2008, Registered Nurse, Monterey Park Hospital, CA

Publications

  • Stacy Gray, Ilana Solomon, Sarah Labib, Marilan Luong, Michael Garcia, Yi Xiao, Joseph Bonner, Lawrence Shaktah, Madeline Currey, Christina Fujii, Heather Hampel, Christine Hong, Gregory Idos, Kevin McDonnell, Sidney Lindsey, Wai Park, Kathryn Reyes, Sarah Tang, Stanley Hamilton, Stephen Gruber, Scalable new model of genomic care delivery: Assessing psychological outcomes.  Poster presentation at 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting; June 2nd- 6th 2023; Chicago, IL 
  • Heather Hampel, Ilana Solomon, Michael Garcia, Marilan Luong, Sarah Labib, Joseph Bonner, Lawrence Shaktah, Lauren Gima, Christine Hong, Gregory Idos, Sidney Lindsey, Kevin McDonnell, Wai Park, Katherine Roth, Elise Sobotka, Yi Xiao, Stanley Hamilton, Stephen Gruber, Stacy Gray,  Healthcare utilization among individuals diagnosed with Lynch syndrome through a universal germline genetic testing program.  Poster presentation at 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting; June 2nd- 6th 2023; Chicago, IL 
  • Stacy Gray, Heather Hampel, Ilana Solomon, Michael Garcia, Marilan Luong, Sarah Labib, Joseph Bonner, Lawrence Shaktah, Christine Hong, Gregory Idos, Sidney Lindsey, Kevin McDonnell, Wai Park, Katherine Roth, Elise Sobotka, Yi Xiao, Elyssa Zukin, Stanley Hamilton, Stephen Gruber, Healthcare utilization among individuals diagnosed with hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome through a universal germline genetic testing program.  Poster presentation at 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting; June 2nd- 6th 2023; Chicago, IL 
  • Kevin J. McDonnell, Christine Hong, Joseph D. Bonner, Sidney Smith Lindsey, Ilana Solomon, Heather Hampel, Wai Park, Gregory Idos, Stacy W. Gray, Stephen B. “Germline Mutational Landscape of Non-Highly Penetrant Fanconi Anemia Genes Unveiled from Sequencing of 5044 Solid Tumor Cancer Patients.”.  Poster presentation at 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting; June3rd-7th 2022; Chicago, IL
  • Park W, Gold J.A, Miller J.L, Roof E., Dukens E, Butler M.G, Driscoll D.J, Kimonis V. “Influence of Molecular Classes on Behavioral Disorders in Prader-Willi Syndrome”. Poster presented at 2020 David Smith Workshop on Malformations and Morphogenesis, September 12th, 2020 
  • Kyaw W, Noh G, Troung H. Case Report: Schinzel Giedion Syndrome. Neonatology Today. 2018:13(10):14-15.
  • Pham J, Kyaw W, Pambukhchian K, Arakai C. “Bronchial stent placement to treat bronchial stenosis from medication aspiration.” Poster presented at ACP Southern California Regional Scientific Meeting; Sept 16th, 2017; Marina del Rey, California.
  • Kyaw W, Le T. “T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia as an uncommon cause of anemia.” Poster presented at ACP Southern California Regional Scientific Meeting; Oct 22nd, 2016; San Diego, California. Awarded 3rd Place.