For the Love of Music and Medicine
Published February 16, 2026
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Dr. Yein Lee, DO, MMS, FAAPMR, spends her days alongside ballerinas, trombonists, violinists and other artists. She’s not just appreciating the vibrant Fort Worth cultural scene; her work is part of a unique partnership at The University of North Texas Health Fort Worth (UNTHealth) between Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) and several arts collectives in Dallas and Fort Worth.
Dr. Lee treating a performing artist.
Dr. Lee is the chair of the Division of Performing Arts Medicine (PAM), originally founded as the Texas Center for Performing Arts Health, which looks to address occupational challenges faced by performing artists such as musculoskeletal and hearing injuries. Its early start in research established the first national health and safety accreditation standard for tertiary music programs, which is required to protect student musicians in more than 600 U.S. schools of music. The center’s work earned the “Safe in Sound” recognition from National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in 2010 and national dissemination of the ‘UNT Model’ for hearing conversation by National Association of Schools of Music, leading to national guidelines for musician health that protect aspiring musicians and their future careers.
The program underwent a transformation with Dr. Sajid Surve, who shaped the center’s transition and founded the division, launched the world’s first physician fellowship in performing arts medicine at UNT Health – TCOM and founded many performing arts medicine clinics across Texas. His leadership and background in dance medicine ushered in a more clinical focus, setting the stage for compassionate care in both prevention and treatment of injuries that the division is now known for.
Dr. Surve examining a cellist.
Dr. Surve first met Dr. Lee at the Rowan-Virtua School of Medicine, and he encouraged her to pursue her interest in performing arts medicine after she completed her training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) as a physiatrist.
Dr. Lee took the plunge and followed her mentor to UNT Health – TCOM to pursue an Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (ONMM) residency—designed to cultivate advanced clinical experiences and train physicians in diagnosing and treating neuromusculoskeletal conditions using the principles and practices of osteopathic medicine, particularly osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT)—and decided to stay. “It was meant to be! A lot of things kind of fell into place. I was in the right place at the right time. I was able to really grow very rapidly at UNT Health – TCOM. It’s a nurturing place for early academic physicians [and it is] the right osteopathic environment [for me].”
Each day in performing medicine tests Dr. Lee’s problem-solving and creativity skills and allows her to seamlessly integrate her training in both PM&R and Osteopathic Medicine—treating the entire person and leveraging osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM).
Dr. Lee working with a violinist.
“Performing arts medicine addresses the unique health needs of artists whose livelihood and identity are intrinsically tied to their physical and emotional well-being,” she explained.
Musicians, dancers and other performers face injuries directly related to their craft, and the division provides health and well-being support, Dr. Lee shared. The division is able to parallel the more robust systems available in sports medicine through its partnerships, which allow access to the larger UNT Health System for care and has the academic backing of UNT Health – TCOM. The division team operates prevention clinics and outreach programs that enable them to bring their whole-person care, injury prevention expertise and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to the community.
Sensitive to the financial burden performing artists face, the division offers care to uninsured or underinsured artists through grants and philanthropic support. Beyond physical injuries, mental health challenges such as performance anxiety, depression and substance use are other aspects of health that the team helps address.
Dr. James Aston, the first performing arts medicine fellow turned faculty at UNT Health – TCOM in the PAM division, modeling strength exercises.
Among the aspects Dr. Lee loves most about her work are the opportunities to build relationships, be part of a team and to practice OMM. “It’s always memorable to meet such talented artists,” Dr. Lee shared, recounting a recent visit to the Cliburn where she spoke with pianists about occupational risks and guided them through techniques and movement exercises to reduce injury occurrences.
Collaboration and trust are integral to the work. “Performers care most about their function, so it’s also our job to help with their health literacy,” Dr. Lee explained. At the clinic, physicians utilize creativity, empathy and communication to address these multifaceted health concerns and empower artists to make informed decisions about their care while navigating the complexities of their profession.
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A group of dancers stretch alongside the division’s Dr. Fung, also a trained dancer.
Building a shared vocabulary and learning about her patients’ priorities are some ways Dr. Lee cultivates trust with her patients. “[My patients] don't have enough people who understand them and what's at stake. If they need a simple procedure or to be prescribed medications, you need to speak with them about the consequences of that for their profession, because it could be significant."
The division’s approach to care has helped it cultivate strong relationships with local institutions, including the Hear Fort Worth, Texas Ballet Theater, Fort Worth Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and other performing arts organizations that have come to value osteopathic medicine. These sites have also become important hands-on teaching locations for the Performing Arts Medicine Fellowship, which allows fellows to master OMT and holistic care during a one-year period.
Dr. Stephen Fung, Medical Director for Texas Ballet Theatre and former PAM fellow, observes a guitarist alongside Dr. Fuentes-Saavadre, who serves as the current PAM Fellow.
“It’s been a really exciting 10 years ... what I’m most proud of is that I helped start and grow the performing arts medicine fellowship,” Dr. Lee shared, explaining that its graduates have stayed on to help grow the division and lead other programs in the community, ensuring the longevity and expansion of performing arts medicine.
As the division evolves, Dr. Lee would like to see it serve not only as a clinical and academic resource but also advocate for artists by advancing meaningful research, developing evidence-based protections for artists through policy and generating additional grants to expand clinical care. “There's not a whole lot of science, nor a body of infrastructure to help support [artists]. We, as a public, consume and enjoy their art and it would be really great to gather resources to support the artists themselves.”
As a staple fixture in the Dallas, Fort Worth community, Dr. Lee and her team keep finding new ways to help artists achieve long, healthy and fruitful careers.
Dr. Yein Lee DO, MMS, FAAPMR, is an Associate Professor at the UNT Health, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM). She is board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. At TCOM, Dr. Lee's musculoskeletal medicine practice focuses on performing arts medicine. She is a medical educator and enjoys teaching student doctors and residents. At one point in her life, Dr. Lee was a violinist, but she plays only occasionally these days. On any given clinic day, you will hear music from her patients, which is unique and awesome. She lives in Dallas with her husband, a new yorker who somehow, thankfully, decided to move to Texas with her.
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In a new feature story, @unthealth’s Division of Performing Arts Medicine Director Yein Lee, DO, reflects on caring for Dallas-Fort Worth artists—addressing unique health needs and supporting long, healthy careers through osteopathic medicine. Read the full story.
“[My patients] don’t have enough people who understand them and what's at stake,” says Yein Lee, DO, Director of @unthealth’s Division of Performing Arts Medicine.
She shares her work at the intersection of medicine and Dallas-Fort Worth’s rich cultural scene.
