Brandon Lee

What does being an honoree of the Outstanding Alumni in Healthcare campaign mean to you?

I have always been honored to be a Pepperdine alumni, but it is especially humbling to be recognized as a part of the healthcare community during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Describe your road to success.

I enlisted in the Army in 2006 and served in Iraq as a combat medic during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2006 to 2007. As a combat medic, I discovered my passion for Emergency Medicine and started growing my dream to becoming an Emergency Physician. After this deployment, I resumed my education at Pepperdine, completed my medical degree in New York and residency through the Army in Tacoma, WA and Level I trauma center/children's hospital in Augusta, GA. In 2019 I was board certified in Emergency Medicine and now I am serving the United States Army as the Chief of Emergency Medicine at Weed Army Community Hospital in Fort Irwin, CA. My most recent deployment was as an Emergency Physician for the Army Field Hospital and Special Forces Ground Surgical Team in Syria, Jordan, and Iraq in 2019.

Who has helped you achieve success in your career?

My hard-working parents.

Describe a lesson you've learned from a challenging time in your career or life.

Residency was one of the most challenging times for me; long hours of work with often little recognition from patients and attending physicians. I learned endurance to continue to focus on my goal of becoming a well-trained emergency physician, regardless of the potential stressors in the environment around me.

How do you prepare for a busy day?

Lots of coffee (four shots of espresso bolus, followed by drip coffee maintenance throughout the day).

What's next for you?

I will be completing my active duty Army service in the next several months and am transitioning to civilian life, becoming a dad, and continuing my Emergency Medicine practice in Southern California.

What is your mantra or favorite quote?

Enjoy every moment.