Cortney Lee, MD is the new program director of general surgery residency at the University of Kentucky Department of Surgery. Dr. Lee accepted the role after serving for over 5 years as director of the surgery medical education program in the College of Medicine.
The announcement follows in the wake of the promotion of Dr. Sandra Beck, the former residency program director, to assistant dean for program development in the graduate medical education (GME) office and vice chair of surgery education in the department. Dr. Beck has served as program director of the residency program since 2016.
Dr. Lee, a professor of surgery in the division of general, endocrine, and metabolic surgery, is a 2009 graduate of the UK General Surgery Residency program. She joined the surgery faculty in 2011 following completion of an endocrine surgery fellowship at the Scott and White Clinic with Texas A&M University.
As a resident and a faculty member, Dr. Lee has been the recipient of multiple medical student and resident teaching awards from the College of Medicine and the department of surgery, including the departmental Ward O. Griffen Award and the Graduation Distinguished Teacher Award from the UK College of Medicine.
During her term as director of the surgery medical education program and the 3rd year medical clerkship, Dr. Lee proved an innovative educator and leader. She created and implemented a new surgical curriculum for medical students that included weekly didactics, oral exams, and continuity clinics. Student feedback in shelf review and wrap-up sessions from each rotation were used to continually improve the clerkship program. These improvements led to an increasing number of medical students deciding to pursue Surgery.
Dr. Lee introduced the Golden Apple program in 2019. This recognition program allowed medical students to express their gratitude to individual surgery residents and faculty for their exceptional skills as surgical educators.
Dr. Lee begins her term as the general surgery residency program director in February 2024. Please join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved accomplishment.