Medical Oncologist Dr. Bryan Lee Joins Baystate Regional Cancer Program
SPRINGFIELD — Dr. Bryan Lee, trained in the discipline of osteopathic medicine and specializing in cancer care, has joined the oncology medical staff at the Baystate Regional Cancer Program.
Lee provides specialized care in breast cancer; cancers of the digestive system, including esophagus, stomach, and colon; and benign hematology blood conditions that impact bleeding and clotting.
Many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals say there is a defining moment in their lives that inspired their pathway to healing others, and Lee is no exception.
“I’ve had family members afflicted with cancer, and through their experiences talking with me, I began to think of the many ways I would have treated them differently as a doctor,” he said.
Prior to coming to Baystate, Lee was an attending physician in the Hematology Oncology Department at Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown, N.Y. While there, he served as a leader, administrator, educator, mentor, and counselor to internal medicine residents and medical students. He was also an active member of the tumor board committee and was medical oncology chair of the cancer care committee.
Lee earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla., and completed his internal medicine residency and a hematology and medical oncology fellowship at Nova Southeastern University, Larkin Hospital, where he also served as chief resident during his internal medicine residency and chief fellow during his hematology oncology fellowship.
Osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest-growing healthcare professions in the country, with one out of every four medical students enrolled in an osteopathic medical school. Osteopathic physicians like Lee adhere to a philosophy and practice of care that is distinct in its whole-person approach and is pioneering in its conceptualization of wellness. They practice in all medical specialties.
“I believe in treating the body, mind, and spirit. A tenet of osteopathic medicine is the belief that all parts of the body are interrelated; when dysfunction occurs in one area, it may translate into disease in another,” Lee said. “What drew me to Baystate and the D’Amour Center for Cancer Care is the collaboration I observed among physicians, nurses, and the entire care team to give patients a holistic experience.”
Board-certified in medical oncology and internal medicine, he is also a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists. His professional and association memberships include the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the American Osteopathic Assoc., the American College of Osteopathic Internists, the Sigma Sigma Phi Honor Society, and the Arthur Gold Humanism Honor Society.
In addition to providing treatment, Lee considers himself “a big educator of patients” and believes their care is a “partnership between the patient and myself.”
“When a patient is educated about their disease, treatment, and goals of care, they are better equipped to ask questions, alleviate symptoms, and achieve favorable outcomes,” he added. “What is particularly rewarding for me at the end of the day is knowing my patients feel cared for and understand the goals of their clinical experience and that they feel as if they were treated as a whole person.”
Lee sees patients by referral at Baystate’s D’Amour Center for Cancer Care in Springfield and at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield.
“In the short time that Dr. Lee has been with our team, he has already established a reputation as an excellent communicator and compassionate physician,” said Dr. Grace Makari-Judson, medical director of the cancer center and chief of the Division of Hematology-Oncology. “He has been praised by patients, staff, and referring providers alike. We are truly fortunate to have him as an attending physician in the Division of Hematology-Oncology.”