Ernestine M. Lee, MD, MPH

Seeing patients through the course of their lives—giving me time to learn about them on a deeper level—is the most wonderful aspect of my work in family medicine.

At the beginning of each appointment, I like to ask patients what their goals are for the visit. That helps me understand what is on their mind and focus on the needs that matter to them most.

I want to see the whole picture of a patient, the context of their health concerns, and how these concerns impact their lives. That’s why I do my best to listen and walk with them on their health journey. As a kidney cancer survivor, I know what it feels like to be in my patients’ shoes. Providing support in the form of clinical knowledge, kindness and service to the community is very rewarding. When a patient returns and says, “thank you for listening” or “thank you, I feel better,” I’m content.