10 Questions With Cancer Surgeon Lee Ocuin, MD

Both parents of cancer surgeon Lee Ocuin, MD, with Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, were physicians, and he married a surgeon. That’s a medical legacy that reaches into his childhood, career and adult personal life. Nevertheless, he says he makes the time to relax and care for himself, while juggling the busy activities of a husband and father of two girls. Not to mention the best mate to three dogs – one being a Great Dane. He learned about the commitment clinicians make to medicine from his parents and carries a lot of their same beliefs into his own work at the Cancer Institute. He values being an advocate for his patients and calls taking care of them the “ultimate privilege.”  

I was exposed to medicine at an early age as both my parents were physicians. They showed me the dedication, effort, integrity and empathy required to be a successful doctor. Taking care of patients is the ultimate privilege.

I hope they leave any interaction with me knowing that I believe the needs of the patient come first, and that they can trust me to do the job and be their or their loved one’s greatest advocate.

As a two-surgeon household (my wife is a colon and rectal surgeon), we understand that there’s no true balance – sometimes the responsibilities of direct patient care take precedence. However, when not at work, it’s important to set boundaries when it comes to nonurgent, nonpatient-related, work-related tasks and simply be present for each other and for our two daughters. I’m not sure we have some “secret formula,” but we have made it work well.

You simply must make the time. Given the hours that I typically work as a surgeon, and inherent unpredictability of the day-to-day, exercising before work typically is the least disruptive and takes no time away from our family during normal waking hours.

I don’t look like it now, but once upon a time I played Division III college basketball and could dunk.

I listen to anything – rock, alternative, hip-hop, EDM. My favorite band is OutKast, and my favorite song is “ATLiens.”

We have three dogs. Our oldest is a 12-year-old Weimaraner named Bean. In the middle is a 5-year-old German shorthaired pointer named Emery. The youngest is our 3-year-old Harlequin Great Dane, Bruno.

“When people show you who they are, believe them the first time,” by Maya Angelou.

Italy. My wife and I have been there twice and are planning trip No. 3 for the near future. We can’t wait to go back and explore more.

My proudest accomplishment, period, is being a present and involved father to our two girls.

“The House of God,” by Samuel Shem.

Coffee