Dr. Lee becomes new U-M chairman

Ann Arbor, MI-Paul P. Lee, MD, JD, has been appointed chairman of the ophthalmology and visual sciences department and holder of the F. Bruce Fralick Professorship at the University of Michigan (U-M), Ann Arbor.

“An outstanding clinician and innovative leader, Dr. Lee is ideally suited to head a department that has grown rapidly and just recently opened a magnificent new facility for eye care, education, and vision research,” said James O. Woolliscroft, MD, dean of the U-M Medical School.

As chairman, Dr. Lee succeeds glaucoma specialist Paul R. Lichter, MD, who served in the role for 34 years and has been a mentor to Dr. Lee since his medical school days.

“The terrific work of Dr. Paul Lichter and the faculty positions us to help reshape the future of vision health and eye care,” Dr. Lee said. “It is a special privilege to help build on what he and the department have already accomplished.”

Dr. Lee previously was vice chairman of the ophthalmology department and the James Pitzer Gills III, MD, and Joy Gills Professor of Ophthalmology at Duke University, Durham, NC. In addition, he held appointments as director of applied health systems research for the Duke University Health System and as senior adviser to the chancellor. Among other administrative leadership positions at Duke, Dr. Lee was chairman of the finance committee of the physician practice and member of the executive management committee of the Duke University Health System.

Before joining Duke in 1997, Dr. Lee was with RAND, a nonprofit research organization in Santa Monica, CA, and was an associate professor at the University of Southern California School of Medicine.

Dr. Lee earned his medical degree from U-M and his law degree from Columbia University in 1986. He completed an internship in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, and his ophthalmology residency at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. After his residency, Dr. Lee completed a glaucoma fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston.

The new chairman serves on the American Board of Ophthalmology Board of Directors and also maintains a referral clinical practice for patients with complex cases of glaucoma.

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