Dr Lee Su Ann
RADIOLOGIST & FOUNDER OF QUANTUM MEDICAL IMAGING
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you're having a holiday get-together, a cosy family dinner or an exciting gift exchange, here are your must-haves for festive gatherings - as shared by our #LBCommunity. As we wrap up this year, these inspirational women also share with us their heartfelt stories about life and their learnings this year, as well as their goals for the upcoming year.
Introduce yourself and tell us how a typical week goes for you!
A big HELLO to all at Love Bonito! My name is Lee Su Ann and I am commonly known in my industry as the humble radiologist - which makes me a doctor that specializes in interpreting images of body structures taken with machines such as X-rays, ultrasound, MRI and CT. While my world is a sea of black and white with more than 50 Shades of Grey at work (no pun intended), I enjoy the outdoors, hiking and taking walks in lush greenery of the botanic gardens to inject some colour and vibrance into my week. I like to end my week with a good book with a cup of tea on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Overall, I would describe myself as someone who is shy, introverted, simple and contented. My friends and peers would probably see me as a perseverant go-getter, while my family would see the warmer, more laid back side of me that can get pretty goofy at times.
"Be inspired by things around you! Grass can perhaps be greener on the other side, but you have the power to make your own path and grow whatever green you want (or why not even red, pink, purple, gold)!"
What inspires you?
A great team that is productive and positive inspires me in my work. Challenging cases that are hard to solve and diagnose gives me a added sense of accomplishment when I find answers to assist in the management and treatment of the patient. This leads me to share an interesting story of a lady who came to our centre complaining of a pain in the lower left side of the abdominal pelvic area. This problem has plagued her for many years with no improvement. An ultrasound scan reveals a mass in her womb cavity and after discussion with her primary doctor, we did an MRI which revealed endometrial cancer . Fortunately it is still in the early stages and patient is able to be treated in time with full recovery.
Knowing that I am contributing positively to the society and bettering the lives of patients, one life at a time, gives me a deeper sense of meaning to what I do and keeps me going during tough times.
What is the toughest challenge(s) you have faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
Being a female entrepreneur is not an easy task at all. Besides work, there is family commitments and striking a balance between the 2 is a feat on its own. One of the greatest challenge is to keep my team motivated to continue providing the best medical care to the community despite difficult situations.
Whilst clinical work is important, there is another dimension to this and that is being empathetic and real with patients. I believe in working hard and playing harder and open communication to keep the team gelled and the spirits high. You will find us lunching together, having staycations for team building and encouraging and helping one another in times of crisis. We leave no man or woman behind! A supportive family has been another key element to this. They are the cornerstone in this journey of building Quantum. Do good and good vibes will find you.
What do you enjoy the most about the holiday season?
Decembers are usually peak seasons for the clinic and most time would be spend interpreting the images and writing reports for them so I do not keep patients and fellow doctors waiting. I enjoy small pockets of time gathering with my family and friends over good food and wine, reminiscing the good old days, planning for the coming year and just living in the moment, soaking up the fun and laughter that comes with this season.
List your 5 must-have things for a Festive Gathering!
1. Humorous company
2. Lots of good food and wine
3. "Ugly christmas pyjamas"
4. A good movie such as Money Heist (Netflix)
5. Knowing everyone around me is well and happy
What is one message you want to send out to other women?
Be brave and do not be afraid to take calculated risks and make mistakes. It is not so much about the mistake but the ability to reflect and rectify the mistake, and subsequently improve over time to get better and better at what we do, whichever field we are in.
