Timothy M Lee, MD

Timothy Lee, M.D., a distinguished thoracic and cardiac surgeon, holds dual board certifications in his specialized field and general surgery. His academic journey commenced at Harvard College, where he graduated with high honors, earning a bachelor’s degree. It was during his formative years at Harvard that Dr. Lee’s aspiration to pursue a medical vocation took shape, inspired by his transformative volunteer experience at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Lee’s fervor for cardiac surgery ignited while he pursued his medical education at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. There, he not only attained his medical degree but also concurrently secured a master’s degree in clinical and translational research, delving into pioneering stem cell therapies for heart failure. His surgical acumen was honed through a rigorous residency and cardiothoracic fellowship at the prestigious New York University in New York City.

A trailblazer in his field, Dr. Lee founded the Endoscopic Radial Harvest Program at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center, garnering acclaim for his innovative arterial revascularization techniques in coronary artery bypass procedures. Early in his illustrious career, he was honored with the James L. Cox Fellowship in Atrial Fibrillation Surgery by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, enabling him to devise novel surgical approaches for patients with atrial fibrillation, thereby mitigating stroke risk.

Dr. Lee’s expertise extends to a profound interest in heart valve repair and replacement, aortic surveillance and surgery, minimally invasive techniques, and transcatheter therapies, having performed thousands of such intricate procedures. His intellectual curiosity has led him to contribute significantly including as principal investigator in numerous surgical trials, advancing the development of artificial valves, atrial fibrillation treatment technologies, and transcatheter systems.

In 2021, Dr. Lee’s exceptional reputation led to his recruitment as the preeminent candidate to Newport Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, renowned as Orange County’s most esteemed and prolific cardiac surgery group for decades. He continues to advance this mission at the MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Saddleback Medical Center where he and his team remain steadfastly committed to delivering bespoke, university-caliber care to Orange County.