Pam Lee, M.D.

Associate Chief – Division of Infectious Diseases, Harbor-UCLA
Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor – Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Clinical Assistant Professor – College of Medicine, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
Investigator – The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation

Dr. Lee is an infectious disease specialist at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Much of her medical training took place in LA County’s Department of Health Services, and as such she is deeply committed to providing healthcare for LA’s safety-net populations. Her passion for climate work stems from knowing that patients like hers bear the brunt of the adverse effects of climate change and pollution, such as escalated health risks, economic challenges, and social disparities.

Dr. Lee’s overarching academic interest is the intersection of healthcare delivery and environmental sustainability, with specific focuses on infection prevention and control and diagnostic stewardship. She received a 2023-2024 Leaders in Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Public Health fellowship from the Infectious Diseases Society of America / Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America for her project “Quantifying the Environmental Impact of MRSA/VRE Contact Precautions in LA County”. She is a sought-after public speaker who has appeared on the popular infectious diseases podcast “Febrile”, been invited to speak at the nationwide healthcare sustainability conference CleanMed, and regularly delivers lectures on environmental sustainability in healthcare as part of the leadership for the California advocacy group “Climate Health Now”.

Areas of Expertise
  • Healthcare sustainability
  • Environmental impact
  • Infection prevention and control
  • Antimicrobial stewardship
  • Medical education
Education
  • California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA: Bachelor of Sciences in Biochemistry 2002 – 2007
  • San Diego State University, San Diego, CA: Master of Sciences in Cell and Molecular Biology 2009 – 2011
  • University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH: Doctor of Medicine 2011 – 2015
  • University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA: Internship in Internal Medicine 2015 – 2016
  • University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA: Residency in Internal Medicine 2016 – 2018
  • Harbor-UCLA, Torrance, CA: Fellowship in Infectious Disease; 2018 – 2020
  • University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA: Medical Education Fellowship; 2020 – 2021
Achievements
  • James Whisman Scholarship, University of Cincinnati, 2011
  • Student Scholarship in Cardiovascular Disease, American Heart Association, 2012 (Declined participation in favor of Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship)
  • Summer Medical Research Fellow, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 2012
  • Excellence in Primary Care Award, LAC-USC, 2017
  • Senior Resident of the Year, LAC-USC, 2018
  • Selected Attendee, IDSA NIAID Research Careers Meeting, 2019
  • Stephanie Davis Waste Reduction Award and Scholarship, 2023
  • IDSA, ID Week Travel Award, 2024