Dr. Jared Lee has studied and practiced orthopaedic medicine all over the world. He earned his fellowship in advanced orthopaedic sports medicine at The Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in 2013. Prior to his fellowship, Dr. Lee completed his residency in the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program, serving as Administrative Chief Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. While at Harvard, he also instructed the resident anatomy course and received the award for the highest average score on the annual orthopedic written examination. Previously, he graduated with Honors from the University of Washington medical school, where he was elected to the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha as a junior.
Dr. Lee's dedication to excellence in medicine stems from a genuine desire to serve others. “Everyone’s desire in life is to make a difference in the world, and I feel medicine is a good way to be a positive, contributing member to the greater societal good,” says Dr. Lee. “You can help people. It’s rewarding to see that.”
He first understood the potential for doctors to directly impact lives from a patient's perspective. At age 14, his body became completely paralyzed for 10 days as a result of Guillain–Barré syndrome. Dr. Lee’s older brother, a medical student at the time, discovered new treatment being used in Europe to fight the disease. He passed this research on to their father, who passed it on to the attending neurologist, who, with few other options, agreed to try it out.
“Three days later, I was sitting up and walking,” Dr. Lee says. “That was very meaningful to me. It made me appreciate that doctors have a very unique relationship with people and with society.”
Though he knew he wanted to help others, Dr. Lee was not always sure it would be through medicine, as he had a staggeringly successful run in sports. He played football for Ricks Junior College in Rexburg, Idaho, and went on to play for Brigham Young University and professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Dr. Lee considered coaching football as a career but found medicine to be a more meaningful life calling. However, the lessons he learned from football continue to come into play.
“There’s a lot of adversity in the microcosm of sports,” Dr. Lee says. “It teaches you to work hard, have confidence in yourself, become goal-oriented, and not to give up or get intimidated. You have to stay focused.”
His sports background and passion for medicine make him uniquely adept as a sports medicine physician, and he is dedicated to providing all of his patients with unparalleled care. He has found the ideal combination of his skills and knowledge in the field, caring for athletes globally as a covering physician for the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding team in locations like New Zealand, Chile, Canada, and Austria.
Dr. Lee and his wife Niki have five children. Together, they love to stay outside and be active. They enjoy rifle and bow hunting, fly fishing, skiing, snowboarding, road biking, and more.
