Resident Physician Contributing Writer
University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital
Dr. Joseph Bokum Lee is currently a pediatric resident and dual Masters of Public Policy candidate at the University of Chicago, where he serves as a representative on the Diversity and Inclusion Trainee Committee, while also on the executive boards of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and Illinois State Medical Society. Joseph also held the position of community representative of the Northside College Preparatory High School Local School Council; and founded the Road Less Traveled Fund, a non for profit that provides vehicles to single parents to better their lives. For his work, he has been featured on ABC7 Chicago Salutes. Lastly, Joseph volunteers his time with the BEST basketball and Asian Americans for Advancing Justice organizations.
In 2015, Joseph graduated from Rush Medical College, where he sat on a diversity council to help increase the number of underrepresented minorities at Rush and was a national board member for the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association. While a medical student, he inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society, and was awarded with the National Medical Fellowship’s Dr. David Monash/John Caldwell Scott Medical Student Scholarship, the Rush University Student Diversity and Inclusion Award and Mortar Board National Honor’s Society’s Emerging Leaders Award.
In 2011, Joseph received an MAT from Dominican University, concurrently teaching 7th and 8th grade students at Parkside Community Academy in the south side of Chicago through a program called Teach for America. For his efforts, he has been featured on CNN and the Chicago Tribune.
In 2009, Joseph graduated Northwestern University with a BA in psychology and received the Outstanding Achievement in Asian American Studies Award. He also led the Club Basketball Team, the Asian Pacific American Coalition, Habitat for Humanity, and the America Reads program.
“What part of what I just said did you not understand?” The fellow patronizingly chastised me in front of the entire medical team. Her tone and body language felt demeaning, almost as if she was more intent on embarrassing me than caring for the patient.
As we discharge another patient from the intensive care unit, we celebrate a job well done. “Can you believe how far she’s come in the past few weeks?” or “I didn’t think he would be able to go home so soon.” With the use of modern technological advancements, we are able to bypass the heart and lungs of patients, and push the limits of life to as early as 22 weeks gestation.
Resident Physician Contributing Writer
University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital
Dr. Joseph Bokum Lee is currently a pediatric resident and dual Masters of Public Policy candidate at the University of Chicago, where he serves as a representative on the Diversity and Inclusion Trainee Committee, while also on the executive boards of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and Illinois State Medical Society. Joseph also held the position of community representative of the Northside College Preparatory High School Local School Council; and founded the Road Less Traveled Fund, a non for profit that provides vehicles to single parents to better their lives. For his work, he has been featured on ABC7 Chicago Salutes. Lastly, Joseph volunteers his time with the BEST basketball and Asian Americans for Advancing Justice organizations.
In 2015, Joseph graduated from Rush Medical College, where he sat on a diversity council to help increase the number of underrepresented minorities at Rush and was a national board member for the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association. While a medical student, he inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society, and was awarded with the National Medical Fellowship’s Dr. David Monash/John Caldwell Scott Medical Student Scholarship, the Rush University Student Diversity and Inclusion Award and Mortar Board National Honor’s Society’s Emerging Leaders Award.
In 2011, Joseph received an MAT from Dominican University, concurrently teaching 7th and 8th grade students at Parkside Community Academy in the south side of Chicago through a program called Teach for America. For his efforts, he has been featured on CNN and the Chicago Tribune.
In 2009, Joseph graduated Northwestern University with a BA in psychology and received the Outstanding Achievement in Asian American Studies Award. He also led the Club Basketball Team, the Asian Pacific American Coalition, Habitat for Humanity, and the America Reads program.
