Dr. Theodore Li: An Unparalleled Diagnostician

I have known Dr. Li for over 40 years, since I first moved to Washington, DC. He was my first primary physician in the DC area, much before he joined MDVIP. I moved out of the country and when I returned there was a hiatus in my professional collaboration with him. During that period I had a number of other good primary care physicians, but I finally decided to return to Dr. Li who, by that time, had joined MDVIP.

From the first appointment of our renewed collaboration Dr. Li re-established the attributes that had impressed me from the very beginning: a methodical, imaginative physician, with a wide and deep knowledge of practically every aspect of medicine, who is able to diagnose difficult or rare problems and come up with successful solutions and apt recommendations. Dr. Li is distinguished for his attentive and respectful listening to his patients and his ability to ask pertinent questions. While you interact with him in his office, describing your symptoms and concerns, his brain operates like a super-computer, considering a thousand possibilities a second, rejecting obvious and not-so-obvious possibilities; his questioning during clinical exams is truly unparalleled and no blood work, MRIs, or CT scans can replace the amazing process through which Dr. Li arrives at the right diagnosis.

Despite the never-ending waiting list of people who want him as their primary physician, Dr. Li is always present for his patients, responds promptly to emails and brightens up the conversation with a unique sense of humor drawn for different walks of life.

I will summarize my impression with three words: an attentive and empathetic physician, and the best diagnostician that I have come across in my 70+ years life.