(Media release from Harbin Clinic):
Harbin Clinic is excited to welcome Dr. Alex Whitaker-Lea to Harbin Clinic Neurosurgery Rome. With a heart for making patients feel understood, Dr. Whitaker-Lea is an excellent addition to the Harbin Clinic team. She will begin seeing patients November 7, 2022.
From an early age, she was fascinated by the neurological system. Specifically, surgery piqued her interest in medical school, and she was quickly enthralled with the technical elements of surgical procedures. While in school, Dr. Whitaker-Lea also appreciated acute and elective cases that came with surgery because they required her to use different problem-solving skills daily.
Dr. Whitaker-Lea values the team aspects of being a physician. As a collegiate athlete at Berry College, she knew she would thrive in a field where she could play a specific role within a larger goal. Today, she is grateful for the ways she gets to partner with neurologists in patient care. Dr. Whitaker-Lea believes her ability to care for a patient is strengthened by the opportunity for both the medical and surgical perspectives to work in tandem. This concept plays into her philosophy as a physician.
“I try to spend time listening to my patients and being as compassionate as possible, so they don’t feel as if we’re rushing our time together,” shares Dr. Whitaker-Lea. “I aim to be relatable because walking into a neurosurgery office can be scary. I can’t remove all the fear and nervousness, but I can help people feel heard, understood, and maybe a little more at ease.”
One moment shaped Dr. Whitaker-Lea’s philosophy and taught her the power of compassion. She remembers an emergency, bedside surgery that felt like a simple procedure from her perspective. A few weeks later, she was reminded of her impact when she received a card in the mail thanking her for saving this patient’s life. As she begins her journey with Harbin Clinic, she keeps patients like this one in mind. Before becoming a physician, she also had family members receive high-quality care from Harbin Clinic physicians, and she aims to add to this culture of care.
Joining Harbin Clinic was an easy decision for Dr. Whitaker-Lea as her values strongly align with the organization’s mission. She is eager to care for patients in both the clinical setting and by being actively involved in the community. Dr. Whitaker-Lea looks forward to returning to Rome’s small-town charm, its running trails, and its top-notch healthcare environment.
Dr. Whitaker-Lea received her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, and she completed her post-doctoral training in neurosurgery at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. Learn more about the newest neurosurgeon by visiting www.harbinclinic.com.