Dr Nicholas Lee

Overview

Dr Nicholas Lee, MBBS, MS, FRACS, is a Canadian-Australian trauma and general surgeon, Royal Australian Air Force Squadron Leader, teacher and researcher.

Nicholas studied Medicine at the University of New South Wales before beginning his surgical training in Sydney. Along the way, he completed a Master of Surgery at the University of Sydney and was awarded the Sydney Nade Prize for surgical anatomy. He went on to complete his training in General Surgery, become a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), and undertake further training in Trauma Surgery.

He now works as a Staff Specialist in Trauma and General Surgery at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, where much of his work involves looking after patients with serious and often complex injuries. He particularly enjoys trauma surgery because of the combination of difficult decision-making, technical skill and teamwork. It also means working with patients and families at some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Nicholas also serves in the Royal Australian Air Force as a Squadron Leader. His military work has included trauma and surgical support, including experience relevant to casualties in operational and austere environments. He has also given his time and experience to help with typhoon and flood relief in Southeast Asia. His experience in military, humanitarian and disaster medicine has shown him that, although the setting may be very different, the basic challenge remains the same: caring for seriously injured patients with limited time and resources.

Teaching has become another important part of his work. He is a Lecturer at the University of Newcastle in military medicine and teaches medical students and surgical trainees, with an emphasis on active, hands-on learning. He is an examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and an instructor in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), also known as Emergency Management of Severe Trauma (EMST). He particularly enjoys teaching because so much of surgery is learned through experience and he values passing those practical lessons on to others..

Research has been another part of Nicholas's career. He has collaborated with international centres including the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and has published in surgical and trauma journals. He contributed to the World Society of Emergency Surgery international guidelines on blunt and penetrating bowel injury. He also reviews research for journals including the ANZ Journal of Surgery, Hernia and Trauma Care, and has contributed to professional work in trauma care and trauma systems.

Outside medicine, Nicholas has a longstanding passion for mountaineering. He has summited major peaks on all seven continents, including the highest peaks on three. He is also a PADI-certified scuba diver and, earlier in life, competed in luge. He remains a passionate supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Newcastle Northstars hockey teams.