Dr Vernon J M LEE

Dr Vernon J M LEE Associate Program Director, NUHS Residency Program MBBS, FAMS, MPH, MBA

 

Professional Experience

 

2008 – present	Head, Biodefence Center, SAF, Singapore
2008 – present	Adjunct Assistant Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
2008 – present	Visiting Consultant, Ministry of Health, Singapore
2007 – 2008	Medical Epidemiologist, World Health Organization, Indonesia Office.
2004 –present	Visiting Consultant, Communicable Disease Center, Singapore.
2004 – 2007	Research Fellow, National Healthcare Group.
2005 – 2006	Head, Healthcare branch, Army Medical Services, Singapore.
2002 – 2003	Staff Officer, Preventive Medicine Branch, SAF. Medical-Officer in charge, Jurong Medical Centre.
2001	House Officer, National Healthcare Group.

 

1. Head, Biodefence Center, Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore
   2008 onwards
   
   • Head of a 30 staff department
   • Lead the biodefence capability framework plans from 2008 to 2015 including development of surveillance and response systems for infectious diseases
   • Perform disease surveillance and response, and formulated disease prevention policies together with national agencies
   • Manage the funding and execution of infectious diseases and public health research and development programs
   • Develop collaborative operations and research initiatives with national and international partners
2. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
   2008 onwards
   • Health services research infectious diseases working group coordinator
   • Modeling the spread and response to infectious diseases threats
   • Module coordinator in the Master of Public Health program
3. Visiting Consultant, Ministry of Health, Singapore
   2008 onwards
   • Plan research programs for the Ministry of Health, Singapore
   • Build national and international links with key institutions through research and training collaborations
   • Organizing regional and international scientific conferences
   • Disease preparedness planning and co-ordination
4. Medical Officer / Epidemiologist, World Health Organization, Indonesian Office
   2007 to 2008
   • Pandemic preparedness planning and monitoring
     
     • Developed Indonesian national pandemic preparedness guidelines
     • Developed healthcare sector pandemic contingency and epicenter containment guidelines
     • Operationalized and evaluated the preparedness plans through a series of exercises
   • Research
     
     • Epidemiological, clinical, and behavioral research on avian influenza in Indonesia
   • Capacity building
     
     • Worked with local, international, and United Nations partners in developing capacity and capability for infectious diseases prevention in Indonesia
   • Case investigation
     
     • Investigation of infectious diseases outbreaks
5. Visiting Consultant
   Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
   2004 to present
   Research Fellow
   Health Services and Outcomes Research, National Healthcare Group, Singapore
   2004 to 2006
   • Epidemiological and infectious disease research and management
     • Planning and research on pandemic influenza preparedness, business continuity, and cost-effective prevention strategies
     • Monitoring and evaluation of clinical and public health programs
     • Advised various governments and corporations on influenza policies and preparedness planning
     • Epidemiological and translational research on dengue, HIV/AIDS, vaccine-preventable diseases, and hospital acquired infections
   • Health services research and operational planning
     • Management and research on cost-effective healthcare delivery
     • Improved outcomes and lowered costs in hospital operations, infection control, and emergency departments
   • Epidemiological and outbreak investigation
     
     • Conducted epidemiological investigations in hospital outbreaks and developed outbreak coordination plans

Other Professional Activities

• Member of WHO working groups on global influenza research, influenza pandemic surveillance, and rapid containment strategies
• Speaker and lecturer at numerous national and international events on infectious diseases epidemiology, disease preparedness, and business continuity planning
• Consultant on more than 30 projects worldwide, including epidemiology and healthcare policies
• Scientific journal reviewer for
  1. The Lancet
  2. PLOS One
  3. Emerging Infectious Diseases
  4. Epidemiology and Infection
  5. Epidemiology and Infection
  6. Singapore Medical Journal

 

Education

 

2008	Fellow Academy of Medicine, Singapore
2004	Master of Business Administration Johns Hopkins School of Professional Studies in Business and Education
2004	Master of Public Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2001	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) National University of Singapore

 

Awards

 

2009	Best Speaker – 3rd PH / OM Conference, Singapore
2008	Ministry of Health Commendation Letter
2007	TTS Hospital Young Investigator Award
2007	National Healthcare Group (NHG) Doctor Award for best research – 2nd place
2006	NHG Doctor Award for best research – 1st place
2005	Best Speaker – 1st PH / OM Conference, Singapore
2005	Delta Omega honor society – graduated top of class, Johns Hopkins
2005	Singapore Tsunami Relief Operation Medal
2003	Post-graduate scholarship for the Master of Public Health program
2003	Commendation Letter – Fight against SARS
2001	Class of 1975 Book Prize – final MBBS
1996	Medical school scholarship National University of Singapore

 

Publications

1. Lee VJ, Tok MY, Chow VT, Phua KH, Ooi EE, Tambyah PA, Chen MI. Economic analysis of pandemic influenza vaccination strategies in Singapore. PLOS One. In Press.
2. Lye DC, Lee VJ, Sun Y, Leo YS . The benign nature of acute dengue infection in hospitalised older adults in Singapore. Intl Journal of Infectious Diseases. In Press.
3. Lee VJ, Lye DC, Sun Y, Leo YS . Decision Tree Algorithm in Deciding Hospitalization for Adult Patients with Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever in Singapore. Tropical Medicine and International Health. 2009. 14:1154
4. Lye DC, Lee VJ, Sun Y, Leo YS . Lack of efficacy of prophylactic platelet transfusion for severe thrombocytopenia in adults with acute uncomplicated dengue infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2009; 48:1262-5.
5. Lee VJ, Ong AES, Auw M. An Outbreak of Salmonella Gastro-intestinal Illness in a Military Camp. Annals Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2009; 38:207-11.
6. Kandun IN, Tresnaningsih E, Purba WH, Lee V, Samaan G, Harun S, Soni E, Septiawati C, Setiawati T, Sariwati E, Wandra T. Factors associated with case fatality of human H5N1 virus infections in Indonesia: a case series. Lancet. 2008; 372:744-9.
7. Wong CS, Tan HC, Go CJ, Chan SP, Lee VJ, Leo YS. Dengue infections in HIV patients. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2008; 39:260-5.
8. Lee VJ, Wong CS, Tambyah PA, Cutter J, Chen MI, Goh KT. Twentieth Century Influenza pandemics in Singapore. Annals Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2008, 6:407-6.
9. Ong AE, Dashraath P, Lee VJ. Management of enteroviral conjunctivitis outbreaks in the Singapore military in 2005. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2008; 39:398-403.
10. Lye DC, Chan M, Lee VJ, Leo YS. Did young adults with uncomplicated dengue fever need hospitalisation? A retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory features. Singapore Med J. 2008, 49:1-4.
11. Lee VJ, Lye DC, Sun Y, Fernandez GG, Ong A, Leo YS. Predictive value of simple clinical and laboratory variables for Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in adults. Journal of Clinical Virology. 2008; 42: 34-9.
12. Lee VJ, Ong A, Lee NG, Lee WT, Fong KL, Lim PL. Hookworm infections in Singaporean soldiers after jungle training in Brunei Darussalam. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2007; 101:1214-8.
13. Lee VJ, Tan SC, Earnest A, Seong PS, Tan HH, Leo YS. User-Acceptability and Feasibility of Self-Testing with HIV Rapid Tests. Journal Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2007; 45:449-453.
14. Lee VJ, Wong CS, Tambyah PA, Cutter J, Chen MI, Goh KT. Influenza pandemics in Singapore, a tropical global city. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2007; 13:1052-7.
15. Dashraath P, Ong ES, Lee VJ. Sero-epidemiology of varicella and the reliability of a self-reported history of varicella infection in Singapore military recruits. Annals Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2007; 36:636-6.
16. Lee VJ, Chen MI. Modeling the Effectiveness of Neuraminidase Inhibitors in Preventing Critical Staff Absenteeism during Pandemic Influenza. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2007; 13:449-57.
17. Phua KH, Lee VJ. Towards a Comparative Study of National Health Systems and Policies in Responding to Newly Emerging Infectious Diseases. In Demographic and Epidemiological Transitions in Asia. World Scientific; 2007.
18. Lee VJ, Wilder-Smith A. Travel characteristics and travel health practices among travellers seen at the Travellers’ Health and Vaccination Clinic in Singapore. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2006; 35(10):667-73..
19. Lee VJ, Fernandez GG, Chen MI, Leo YS. Influenza and the pandemic threat. Singapore Med Journal. 2006, 47(6):243-50.
20. Lee VJ, Phua KH. Cultural, Social, and Economic Influences of the Flu. In: Tambyah P, Leung PC, editors. Bird Flu – A rising pandemic in Asia and beyond. Singapore, World Scientific; 2006. p. 99-119.
21. Lee VJ, Low E. Coordination and Resource Maximization during Disaster Relief Efforts. Pre-hospital and Disaster Medicine. 2006; 21:355-8
22. Lee VJ, Phua KH, Chen MI, Chow A, Ma S, Goh KT, Leo YS. Pandemic influenza in Singapore: economic analysis of treatment and prophylaxis stockpiling strategies. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2006; 12:95-102
23. Lee VJ, Low E, Ng YY, Teo C. Disaster relief and initial response to the earthquake and tsunami in Meulaboh, Indonesia Annals Academy of Medicine, Singapore. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2005; 34(9):586-90
24. Lee VJ, Earnest A, Chen MI, Krishnan B. Predictors of failed attendances in a multi-specialty outpatient centre using electronic databases. BMC Health Serv Res. 2005; 5(1):51