Seung-Bok Lee

In the early 1970s, growing up as an immigrant in the US (Flushing, NY), Dr. Robert SB Lee was an accomplished elite athlete aspiring to be an Olympic gold medalist representing his home country. However, his dreams of making history for South Korea at the world’s most prestigious athletic competition were abruptly halted while training. A spinal cord injury paralyzed him and confined him to a wheelchair. After overcoming the challenges of inpatient rehabilitation, he went on to graduate with top honors from an Ivy League medical school in the US. Despite enduring incessant skepticism, sparse support, and the physical challenges of life in a wheelchair, he has achieved academic success, earning numerous degrees from prestigious institutions. He graduated from NYU (BA) and Columbia (MPH); he completed internal medicine training at Harvard, followed by a residency and a fellowship in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital. He has postgraduate advanced degrees (medical education & clinical research) from Harvard Medical School. He specializes in Spinal Cord Injury and Neurorehabilitation. He is passionate about disability research and has keen interests in medical education and clinical training. Dr. Lee has spoken globally about a devastating injury transforming his purpose from seeking athletic glory to healing others. He is dedicated to helping patients with paralysis and disabilities find hope through rehabilitation. His autobiography, published in his native Korean, is a significant source of inspiration for his resilience, filial piety, and professional excellence.