DR BERNARD LEE CHEE SIANG

Dr Bernard Lee Chee Siang is an avid badminton player and a father to three active children. He is a firm believer in the health benefits of sports and also advocates sports participation to all his children who are actively involved in soccer, basketball and badminton.

During his university days, Dr Bernard Lee played field hockey, inline-hockey, handball and softball. He still plays badminton and squash regularly. As these sports are high-intensity and fast-paced sports that require speed, agility, power, and endurance, he can relate to the physical demands of the sports, and that of a sportsman. As such, Dr Bernard Lee is able to relate to his patients’ problems and concerns from his personal experiences and understanding of the demands of specific sports. In turn, he is able to treat them better to help them return to sports.

As an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Bernard Lee, specialises in the treatment of problems and injuries of the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee. Dr Bernard Lee is a firm believer of non-operative treatment whenever appropriate, but employs advanced surgical techniques when surgery is required in order to get the best and safest results. He has special interests in arthroscopic (key-hole) surgery, joint and ligament reconstructions, and the reconstruction of complex soft tissue injuries for the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints. Dr Bernard Lee has extensive experience in complex multi-ligament reconstructions, revision surgery and joint preservation surgery. 

He also has a special interest in treating children’s sports injuries, including overuse injuries, sprains, fractures, dislocations and more serious ligament tears. He is one of the few surgeons in Singapore who performs ligament reconstructions while avoiding growth plate injuries in child athletes. He is dedicated to helping young athletes return to their sport as quickly and safely as possible.

After graduating from the National University of Singapore in 2003, Dr Bernard Lee went on to complete his postgraduate surgical training in Orthopaedic surgery in Singapore. During his postgraduate training, he was admitted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, obtained a Masters of Medicine in Orthopaedic Surgery from the National University of Singapore and was admitted as a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, and a board member of the Chapter of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Following the completion of his specialist training, Dr Bernard Lee underwent further super-speciality training in shoulder, elbow, hip and knee surgery. He completed an Australian Orthopaedic Association accredited fellowship programme, specialising in revision and complex hip and knee replacement and reconstructive surgery in Melbourne, Australia.

Thereafter, he underwent comprehensive shoulder and elbow super-speciality training in New Zealand encompassing complex trauma, joint replacement, and arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery for sports and degenerative conditions of the shoulder and elbow. With a particular interest in sports injuries and joint preservation, Dr Bernard Lee also underwent sports surgery training locally and obtained a Graduate Certificate in Sports Medicine from the University of Queensland to complement his expertise in managing a wide variety of sports injuries.

After his super-speciality training, Dr Bernard Lee practised in Ng Teng Fong General Hospital where he set up the Shoulder & Elbow, and Sports services. As Director of these services, he raised the standard of care to international levels and trained many aspiring orthopaedic surgeons. Dr Bernard Lee provided surgical expertise in keyhole surgery, joint preservation surgery and joint replacement surgery for the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints. This ranged from advanced anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and other knee reconstructions, to shoulder repairs for rotator cuff tears and shoulder dislocations, as well as keyhole management of hip and elbow conditions. Over the years, he has honed his techniques to get the best outcomes for his patients, with a strong emphasis on minimally invasive or arthroscopic surgery where possible. He still provides expert advice and surgical expertise as a Visiting Consultant at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital

Dr Bernard Lee’s contributions to the medical field also include teaching and research. Dr Bernard Lee regularly teaches advanced surgical techniques at surgical courses of the shoulder and knee for orthopaedic surgeons in the Asia-Pacific region. He was also involved in postgraduate surgical courses for local orthopaedic trainees, and was also previously a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore where he was responsible for teaching and assessing undergraduates. In addition to being a reviewer for several medical journals, Dr Bernard Lee has also contributed his own research publications in several international journals as well as written a chapter in an internationally published book.

Dr Bernard Lee believes in empowering patients with knowledge, as it is only by understanding one’s body and each individual’s circumstances, that a patient can make an informed decision regarding their best treatment option. He also strongly advocates customised treatment plans as he believes that every patient is different, and hence, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may not benefit all patients. Whilst time-tested surgical procedures may benefit most patients, Dr Bernard Lee believes that pushing the envelope and adopting new procedures with sound scientific foundations in appropriate cases may give his patients the extra edge to return to their respective sports and realise their full potential.”Citius, Altius, Fortius!”