A fond farewell to Professor Lionel Lee

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"We should be sleeping in the same bed and dreaming the same dream!" exclaimed Professor Lionel Lee in his trademark roaring voice. The outgoing Executive Vice-Dean of Strategic Relations & International Affairs at LKCMedicine spilt more of his one-liners in a video spoofing himself like "Seek forgiveness, not approval", "Learn from the master" and "I like to fire and forget".

The audience laughed out loud as these words rang just as loud and clear in the ears of those who had worked closely with Prof Lee for the past eight years. These and more will be dearly missed as he is officially retiring from the School on March 31, 2019.

The tongue-in-cheek video was played at the farewell and appreciation event organised by the School on March 27 to honour Prof Lee and his extensive contributions. At the event, staff and students took to the stage at the Ong Tiong Tat & Irene Tan Liang Kheng Auditorium in the Clinical Sciences Building to show their appreciation with words and songs. 

First onstage was LKCMedicine Dean Prof James Best who quipped, "Just for today, you can be the master," and added that "we could not have a better guy in the Singapore system than Lionel."

Next, Toh Kian Chui Distinguished Professor and Professor of Developmental Biology Prof Phil Ingham FRS described how Prof Lee possessed the gentle art of persuasion coupled with a personality full of warmth, generosity and hospitality. He had worked closely with Prof Lee in setting up the PhD programme which today has an enrolment of 63 students over seven intakes.

Final-year PhD student Lee Shuen Yee spoke after Prof Ingham, during which she thanked Prof Lee for bridging the gap between the PhD students and the medical student community.

Speaking next was Prof Pang Weng Sun, the Vice-Dean for Clinical Affairs, who called Prof Lee a "superb negotiator" who did a great job supervising the completion of the Experiential Medicine Building and the Clinical Sciences Building.

Last but not least, Chief Operating Officer Chan Wei Chuen came onstage sharing that he learned three important lessons in leadership from the man, including being a 'gardener' leader who would allow staff to grow and develop themselves. "He can be loud, but is extremely kind at heart and will help without intent whether friends or strangers," he said.

Several pioneers who have also worked closely with Prof Lee sent their good wishes and compliments to the man via video recordings. These included LKCMedicine Board Chairman Mr Lim Chuan Poh, former NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson, former Senior Vice-Dean Prof Jenny Higham who is now Principal at St George's, University of London, and Prof Chee Yam Cheng, former Group CEO of National Healthcare Group.

Emotions got the better of him when the time came for Prof Lee to deliver his thoughts of retiring from the School. He said that it was not always plain sailing to build up the School and recalled at least three occasions when things were difficult enough to threaten the life and fabric of the School. His parting shot, "I hope to leave behind with each of you fond memories of the great times and great adventures we had."

He continued his farewell with a song performed with fellow colleagues Prof Naomi Low-Beer (piano), Prof George Chandy (harmonica) and A/Prof Eric Yap (violin). The group serenaded the audience with their rendition of Barbra Streisand's hit song 'The Way We Were', whose lyrics Prof Lee said "articulated what he really means."  

MedLee, the LKCMedicine student acapella group, also gave a performance of songs that included a medley of Disney hits, Fly Me to the Moon, Gravity and If I Ain't Got You.

The event closed with Prof Best presenting a token of appreciation – a pair of Peranakan porcelain teacups featuring a pair of fenghuang or mythological phoenixes – to Prof Lee, wishing him the best in his retirement years.

Prof Lee, who graduated in Medicine from the University of Singapore in 1975, joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Medical Corps in 1976 and rose to the rank of Brigadier General and the Chief of the Medical Corps. After retiring from the SAF, he became an Adjunct Professor with the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and chaired the Governing Council of the Dover Park Hospice.

In 2011, he was appointed the Chief Operating Officer of LKCMedicine and two years later assumed the role of Professor and Executive Vice-Dean (Administration). In the years that he was with the School, he was instrumental in helping to establish it into a first-class medical school with outstanding facilities. Together with the School's leadership, he developed strategic partnerships with medical schools, organisations and research institutions in Singapore and abroad.

What's next for the 68-year-old after his retirement? "I hope to build a primary and secondary school in northern Chiangmai," said the big-hearted man with the big voice. 

What the pioneer leaders say

"He's completely tireless in pursuing the mission for the medical school." - Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of LKCMedicine Governing Board.

"You actually created the administration. You created the interface of the Singapore's clinical system, and you also documented the history of this young medical school." – Prof Bertil Andersson, former President of Nanyang Technological University (2011 – 2017).

"You were never put down by setbacks. You were always so optimistic and you have all the details at your fingertips." – Mr Ng Cher Pong, CEO, Skillsfuture Singapore; former Deputy Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Education (2010 – 2013).

"This is an extraordinary, very resourceful man. When things needed to be done, Lionel would, and could do it." – Prof Dermot Kelleher, Dean, Faculty of medicine, The University of British Columbia; former Dean LKCMedicine (2012 – 2014).

"You left an amazing legacy with LKCMedicine. I know with your attributes you aren't going to waste the next phase of your life and I'm sure you will be terribly busy with charitable work…" - Prof Martyn Partridge, Emeritus Professor of Respiratory Medicine, National Health and Lung Institute, Imperial College London; former Senior Vice-Dean LKCMedicine (2010 – 2013).

"It's been a wonderful experience working with you. We were glad to have you at the birth of the School, set up strong foundation for the future and progress of LKCMedicine." - Prof Chee Yam Cheng, former Group CEO of National Healthcare Group.

"Over the many years that we have worked together, I have so valued your wisdom, not only about how to run a medical school but really telling me what it was like and what was appropriate in Singapore." -  Prof Jenny Higham, Principal, St George's, University of London; former Senior Vice-Dean LKCMedicine (2013 – 2016).