ABOUT
Dr. Lily Johnston
Surgical precision | Human connection | Lasting change
Lily Johnston, MD, MPH
I am a board-certified vascular surgeon, board-certified obesity medicine physician, and cardiometabolic health specialist dedicated to restoring clarity, connection, and humanity in modern medicine.
My career has unfolded at the body’s most fragile crossroads, and the experience has shaped the way I think and work. I bring surgical precision and systems-level insight to everything I do, whether I am caring for patients, guiding preventive health decisions, offering expert legal testimony, or speaking to audiences about the future of medicine.
My path began with a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University, followed by my medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. I went on to complete my residency in general surgery at the University of Virginia and my fellowship in vascular surgery at the Mayo Clinic, training that grounded me in both scientific rigor and human-centered care.
I am board-certified in general surgery, vascular surgery, and obesity medicine, have published in more than twenty-five peer-reviewed journals, and serve on national committees focused on the evolving landscape of vascular and cardiometabolic health.
Across every platform, my mission remains steady. I blend medical precision with human connection and translate complex science into practical insight that supports lasting change for patients, professionals, and systems alike.
Credentials
Board-Certified: General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Obesity Medicine
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic
Residency, University of Virginia
MD, University of California, San Diego
MPH, Johns Hopkins University
BA, Princeton University
25+ Peer-Reviewed Publications
National Leadership Roles in Vascular and Cardiometabolic Health
What I Do Today
I continue to practice as a vascular surgeon; my clinical work remains the foundation of everything I teach, write, and advocate for.
Speaking: I work with organizations, clinicians, and leaders to confront disconnection in medicine and rebuild cultures of clarity, purpose, and trust.
Medical-Legal Expertise: I provide clear, unbiased analysis of complex medical issues, and present what the evidence shows—and what it does not—in clear, straightforward, medically accurate terms for legal evaluation.
Writing & Thought Leadership: I write to expose the crisis of disconnection in healthcare and to point toward a future defined by prevention, clarity, and humanity.
Podcast: Journey into metabolic health, and metabolic health in general
Media: I serve as a medical explainer for media teams—offering accurate, accessible insight on high-stakes health issues—while building my own platforms through a growing YouTube channel and forthcoming podcast focused on clarity, nuance, and evidence.
Credentials
Board-Certified: General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Obesity Medicine
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic
Residency, University of Virginia
MD, University of California, San Diego
MPH, Johns Hopkins University
BA, Princeton University
25+ Peer-Reviewed Publications
National Leadership Roles in Vascular and Cardiometabolic Health
What I Do Today
I continue to practice as a vascular surgeon; my clinical work remains the foundation of everything I teach, write, and advocate for.
Speaking: I work with organizations, clinicians, and leaders to confront disconnection in medicine and rebuild cultures of clarity, purpose, and trust.
Medical-Legal Expertise: I provide clear, unbiased analysis of complex medical issues, and present what the evidence shows—and what it does not—in clear, straightforward, medically accurate terms for legal evaluation.
Writing & Thought Leadership: I write to expose the crisis of disconnection in healthcare and to point toward a future defined by prevention, clarity, and humanity.
Podcast: Journey into metabolic health, and metabolic health in general
Media: I serve as a medical explainer for media teams—offering accurate, accessible insight on high-stakes health issues—while building my own platforms through a growing YouTube channel and forthcoming podcast focused on clarity, nuance, and evidence.
Featured In
My Journey
I’ve seen what happens when a system built to heal starts to harm the people inside it.
I’ve watched great physicians burn out under impossible demands and patients dismissed when all they wanted was to prevent disease before it became irreversible.
Over time, I began to see that surgical precision belongs outside the operating room as much as within it. The same clarity, judgment, and empathy that save lives in the OR can also heal the fractures between people, systems, and truth itself.
That realization changed everything.