Richard S. Lee, MD

A southern California native, Richard Lee, M.D., is board certified in orthopedic surgery specializing in minimally invasive surgery of the spine. He treats the entire spectrum of spinal conditions including cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine pathologies. Employing the most current and advanced operative techniques, Dr. Lee performs surgical procedures of the spine with the goal of returning patients to function as quickly as possible.

Dr. Lee’s interest in spinal surgery is a combination of several academic interests during his schooling. In college, he studied neurobiology and was intrigued by the complexity of the human nervous system. His laboratory research included work on the effects of microgravity on gene expression in bone and muscle cells in outer space. These early experiences as an undergraduate student and NASA researcher primed his interest in orthopedic and spinal surgery as a medical student.

“What I enjoy most about spinal surgery is the opportunity to combine science and art to help patients rehab from physically debilitating conditions.”

Dr. Lee attended the University of California at Berkeley for his undergraduate degree in molecular biology. He went on to attend medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He completed his surgical internship and orthopedic surgery residency at the Yale School of Medicine, followed by a combined orthopedic and neurosurgical spinal surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Lee resides in Newport Beach and enjoys running and cycling in his spare time.