![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tmuhprc.tmu.edu.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754291075859.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In Taiwan’s field of organ transplantation, there are two renowned figures known as \u201cDr. Lee Po.\u201d In the north, the elder brother Dr. Lee Po-Huang<\/strong> specializes in liver transplantation and is known as \u201cBig Dr. Lee Po.\u201d In the south, Dr. Lee Po-Chang<\/strong> is dedicated to kidney transplantation and is referred to as \u201cLittle Dr. Lee Po.\u201d The two brothers have created a legendary chapter in the history of surgical medicine.<\/p>\n During his 6 years and 8 months<\/strong> as Director-General of Taiwan\u2019s National Health Insurance Administration<\/strong>, Dr. Lee Po-Chang made substantial contributions to healthcare reform. Earlier, during his tenure as Chairman of the Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center<\/strong>, he actively promoted the concept of organ donation, challenging traditional beliefs such as \u201cthe body must remain whole after death.\u201d His achievements in kidney transplant surgery<\/strong> and transplant immunology<\/strong> are also highly regarded.<\/p>\n \u201cChoosing a medical specialty is closely related to personality,\u201d<\/strong> says Dr. Lee Po-Chang.<\/p>\n While studying medicine at Taipei Medical University, Dr. Lee was passionate about sports. He was on the university tennis team and also played baseball and badminton. During summer and winter breaks, he participated in mountain service corps, traveling across hills and coasts. His energetic and active personality made surgery a natural choice for him.<\/p>\n During his internship, Dr. Lee performed his first surgery\u2014an appendectomy\u2014under the guidance of a senior resident. The surgery went exceptionally smoothly. As soon as he cut into the abdomen, the swollen appendix popped out clearly into view. Following the proper steps of tying and suturing, the operation was completed in under 20 minutes. The deep sense of accomplishment from saving a life through surgery sparked his enduring love for the profession.<\/p>\n As a resident at Taoyuan General Hospital<\/strong>, Dr. Lee studied organ transplantation under then-superintendent Professor Lee Chun-Jen<\/strong>. Assisting in surgeries and caring for patients post-op gave him a strong sense of the great responsibilities surgeons bear\u2014even beyond the operating room. He realized that post-operative care is just as complex and vital as the surgery itself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a leading kidney transplant expert in Taiwan, Dr. Lee is deeply grateful to his older brother, Professor Lee Po-Huang<\/strong>, a surgery professor at National Taiwan University. At several key moments in life, his brother stood by him, offering support and strength to help him stay calm and make crucial surgical decisions.<\/p>\n Back when gastric bleeding and perforation<\/strong> were common in Taiwan, Dr. Lee performed his first gastrectomy<\/strong> under his brother\u2019s guidance. Operating in a continuously bleeding abdominal cavity, he had to suture delicate gastrointestinal tissue with precision and speed\u2014a demanding task that required both skill and timing.<\/p>\n Dr. Lee recalled that after being promoted from chief resident to attending physician at Taoyuan Hospital, he was fortunate to receive a provincial government scholarship<\/strong> to study in the U.S. He became a surgical research fellow at UCLA<\/strong>, mentored by the then-President of The Transplantation Society and a globally recognized immunology expert. That experience launched his academic career in organ transplantation.<\/p>\n During his time in the U.S., one of Dr. Lee\u2019s key research tasks was assisting in the analysis of patient data. He studied serum samples from numerous organ transplant recipients and discovered that the closer the genetic match<\/strong> between donor and recipient, the lower the risk of graft rejection<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Following transplantation, the recipient\u2019s body naturally produces antibodies. By analyzing pre-transplant serum reports<\/strong>, doctors could predict the likelihood of rejection with greater accuracy.<\/p>\n After returning to Taiwan, Dr. Lee continued related research. In 1998<\/strong>, he co-authored a study on kidney transplantation with Professors Li Huan-Yao<\/strong> and Su Yi-Jen<\/strong>, which was published in The Lancet<\/strong> and awarded the Best Paper of the Year<\/strong> by National Cheng Kung University\u2019s College of Medicine. In 2002<\/strong>, he presented at the American Transplant Congress (ATC)<\/strong> in front of hundreds of international experts\u2014becoming the first Taiwanese physician to do so and receiving high acclaim.<\/p>\n Why did Dr. Lee commit to kidney transplantation? Between 1979 and 1989<\/strong>, he assisted Professor Lee Chun-Jen with 179 kidney transplants<\/strong>. In 1989<\/strong>, he transferred to National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH), where he performed both his own and the hospital\u2019s first kidney transplant surgery<\/strong>. The success of that surgery was crucial.<\/p>\n On the night of the operation, Dr. Lee slept in the ICU<\/strong>, personally caring for the patient. He only felt relieved after seeing the patient successfully urinate<\/strong>\u2014a key indicator that the transplanted kidney was functioning properly.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter kidney transplant surgery, we’re always waiting for that first urination,\u201d<\/strong> Dr. Lee said with a smile. During his time at NCKUH, Dr. Lee led the hospital\u2019s medical team to complete 676 kidney transplants<\/strong>. The 10-year survival rate<\/strong> of these patients was comparable to those in Western countries. He also compiled his surgical experiences into a textbook on surgery<\/strong>, which he made available online as a free digital download<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \n Age<\/strong>: 71<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Current Positions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Chair Professor, School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Director, Center for Health and Welfare Policy, Taipei Medical University<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Professor of Surgery, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Contributions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Assisted in 179 kidney transplants<\/strong> at Taoyuan General Hospital (1979\u20131989)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Completed 676 kidney transplants<\/strong> at NCKU Hospital (1989\u20132025)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Has tracked and cared for 1,143 kidney transplant patients<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n <\/p>\n Original source\uff1ahttps:\/\/udn.com\/news\/story\/7266\/8907638<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Taiwan\u2019s Organ Transplantation Field, Two \u201cDr. Lee Pos\u201d Stand Out in the North and South In Taiwan’s field of organ transplantation, there are two renowned figures known as \u201cDr. Lee Po.\u201d In the north, the elder brother Dr. Lee Po-Huang specializes in liver transplantation and is known as \u201cBig Dr. Lee Po.\u201d In the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":6685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[91],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nHis First Operation as a Medical Intern<\/h3>\n
![\"\u674e\u4f2f\u748b(\u524d\u6392\u53f3\u4e8c)\u57f7\u884c\u814e\u81df\u79fb\u690d\u624b\u8853\u3002\u5716\uff0f\u674e\u4f2f\u748b\u63d0\u4f9b\"](\"https:\/\/pgw.udn.com.tw\/gw\/photo.php?u=https:\/\/uc.udn.com.tw\/photo\/2025\/07\/30\/realtime\/32767456.jpg&x=0&y=0&sw=0&sh=0&sl=W&fw=800&exp=3600&w=800&nt=1\" "\\"\u674e\u4f2f\u748b(\u524d\u6392\u53f3\u4e8c)\u57f7\u884c\u814e\u81df\u79fb\u690d\u624b\u8853\u3002\u5716\uff0f\u674e\u4f2f\u748b\u63d0\u4f9b\\"")
<\/picture>Guided by His Older Brother: His First Gastrectomy<\/h3>\n
\nHis Academic Journey into Organ Transplantation<\/h3>\n
\nResearching Serum Matching While Studying in the U.S.<\/h3>\n
\nInternational Recognition for Research<\/h3>\n
\nSleeping in the ICU\u2014Relieved by a Patient\u2019s First Urination<\/h3>\n
\n
\u201cEven if the urine sprays on your face, you\u2019d still be happy!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\u25cfDr. Lee Po-Chang \u2013 Profile<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"\u814e\u81df\u79fb\u690d\u6b0a\u5a01\u91ab\u5e2b\u674e\u4f2f\u748b\u7684\u96d9\u624b\u6bd4\u4e00\u822c\u4eba\u5927\u3002\u8a18\u8005\u675c\u5efa\u91cd\uff0f\u651d\u5f71\"](\"https:\/\/pgw.udn.com.tw\/gw\/photo.php?u=https:\/\/uc.udn.com.tw\/photo\/2025\/07\/30\/realtime\/32767454.jpg&x=0&y=0&sw=0&sh=0&sl=W&fw=800&exp=3600&w=800&nt=1\" "\\"\u814e\u81df\u79fb\u690d\u6b0a\u5a01\u91ab\u5e2b\u674e\u4f2f\u748b\u7684\u96d9\u624b\u6bd4\u4e00\u822c\u4eba\u5927\u3002\u8a18\u8005\u675c\u5efa\u91cd\uff0f\u651d\u5f71\\"")
<\/picture><\/figure>\n