Cook Children's Team Health Spotlight: Foster Lerner, D.O., MPH

Meet Foster Lerner, D.O., Medical Director of Team Health Services at Cook Children's Health Care System. 

Dr. Lerner supports the health and well-being of the organization's workforce. He also holds a faculty appointment with the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Learn more about our newest team member below: 

Where did you study medicine?
I earned my Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University’s Kiran Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Florida, after completing undergraduate and master’s studies in biology at Baylor University. I trained in family medicine in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and in carceral medicine back in Florida. I then came back to Texas, completing residency in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UT Tyler, where I also earned my Master of Public Health. I am board certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and in Lifestyle Medicine. 

What inspired you to do medicine?
My mother. She hurt her shoulder moving a heavy garden pot and went on to develop a frozen shoulder. I watched her work her way back with physical therapy and the right medications, one small gain at a time. Seeing her get her function and her independence back inspired me to become a physician who helps people recover, and who helps them stay healthy in the first place through education and smart interventions.

What is a hobby or talent you have outside of medicine?
I direct sacred choral music at my church. There’s something special about bringing many voices together into one sound, and it’s a joy to share that each week. I also love being outdoors. In Tyler, I led a “Walk with a Doc” group and started a community project at the Tyler Nature Center.

What drew you to Cook Children’s?
Cook Children’s is known for taking care of its people as well as its patients. Everyone here supports the health of children and families, and I wanted to help make sure our team members get that same level of care. I was also excited by the opportunity to serve as faculty with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and participate in groundbreaking research that brings a strong academic foundation to the care we provide. Being able to help lead employee health at a place that so clearly values its people was something I couldn’t pass up.

What is one thing you’d like employees to know about Team Health that they may not know already?
We’re here for much more than paperwork and checkboxes. Team Health supports you from your first day onward, with immunizations, TB screening, respirator clearance, care after a workplace injury or exposure, and help returning to work safely. We also help team members with disabilities or health conditions find workplace accommodations, so they can do their jobs well and feel supported. If you have a question about your health and your job, reach out to us at teamhealth@cookchildrens.org. We’re on your side.

What goals do you have for Team Health in the next five years?
I’d like Team Health to be known as a true partner in every team member’s well-being, not just a stop for clearances. Over the next five years, I hope to make our services faster and easier to use, strengthen injury prevention and safety across the System, and grow wellness and lifestyle medicine programs that help people feel their best at work and at home.

Beyond your title, what would you like employees across the System to know about you?
I believe in being proactive, which is why I pursued board certification in Lifestyle Medicine. To me, wellness promotion is prevention of injury and illness. When people understand how their habits, their work and their health connect, they can make informed choices and enjoy their work more. My goal is to put that knowledge in your hands. Please stop and say hello if you see me around!