Dr. Alison Sunghee Kole, MD, MPH, FCCP

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Get to know Pulmonologist Dr. Alison Sunghee Kole, who serves patients throughout the State of New Jersey.

An esteemed physician with over 13 years of experience within the healthcare industry, Dr. Kole has been fulfilling her current role as a Doctor and Co-Director of the Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Program at Summit Medical Group for the last three years.

As both doctor and co-director of an esteemed programme, her responsibilities vary from day to day. They include overseeing and adding to the Comprehensive Sleep Program, home sleep testing, and appropriate ASM testing. Additionally, she is responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep issues in adults such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and insomnia.

“I emphasize healthy lifestyle behaviors to promote positive change in my patients’ lives” stated Dr. Kole.

Being the largest and oldest physician-owned multi specialty medical practice in New Jersey with 80+ locations in 7 northern New Jersey counties, Summit Medical Group employs more than 550 practitioners and 2000 employees who support more than 80 medical specialties and services. In addition, the Group supports medical research to identify best treatments and practices for patients. 

Before joining Summit Medical Group, Dr. Kole practiced privately with Bergen Medical Alliance in Englewood, New Jersey, and with Atlantic Sleep and Pulmonary Associates in Madison, New Jersey. 

Among her other roles, she can be found on staff at Morristown Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center, 140 Park Avenue Pulmonology, and Berkeley Heights Pulmonology.

In addition to her clinical work, she has held the position of Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar.

Having always wanted to be involved in the healthcare sector, Dr. Kole studied for her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Barnard College. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked on administering pulmonary function testing which encouraged her to pursue a career within the field of pulmonology. Following this realization, she went on to study at and graduate from Tufts University School of Medicine with her medical degree in 2004. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center and her fellowship in pulmonary & critical care medicine and sleep medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center / Veterans Administration of Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

Subsequent to her education, the doctor attained board certification in pulmonary disease, critical care medicine, sleep medicine, and internal medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Among many of her professional accomplishments, Dr. Kole is especially proud of creating and to continue to develop the Sleep Program at Summit Medical Group. To ensure she stays up to date with relevant news and ongoing work within the sector, she is a member of various acclaimed organizations including the American College of Chest Physicians (Fellow), the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the American Thoracic Society.

Other accomplishments that she holds in high regard include having authored and co-authored a variety of articles and abstracts on the topics of sleep apnea syndromes, insomnia, and sleep disordered breathing, which have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals such as “Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension”. In addition, she has spoken at local, regional, and national presentations to different medical groups.

Her research interests are primarily devoted to the relationship between sleep apnea syndromes and cardiovascular disease as well as insomnia and sleep disordered breathing. She is also interested in the relationship between sleep disordered breathing and women’s health. 

Pulmonology is a medical specialty that deals with diseases involving the respiratory tract. A pulmonologist is an internal medicine physician who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions and diseases that affect the lungs, bronchial tubes, and the respiratory system, including the nose, pharynx, and throat.

Having had many successes, Dr. Kole attributes this success to the continuous support of her family, her strong work ethic, and her dedication to her field of expertise.

To her credit, she has volunteered for Stand UP 2 Cancer in Los Angeles, Helps International in Guatemala, and the Handle With Care HIV Program in Los Angeles.

When she is not working with her patients, she enjoys traveling, Crossfit, hiking, yoga, and playing classical guitar.

Looking to the future, Dr. Kole plans to continue building the Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Program and also wants to expand her capabilities into the field of pediatrics.

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