More than two decades after beginning her family medicine residency at St. Luke’s University Health Network, Dr. Nguyet-Cam Vu Lam continues to fulfill the mission that first drew her to the organization: caring for underserved patients while training the next generation of physicians.
Lam, who began her residency training at St. Luke’s Bethlehem Campus in 2003, now serves as program director of the family medicine residency program and practices at Star Community Health. Earlier this year, she was named the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians’ 2026 Family Physician of the Year.
The award recognizes physicians who demonstrate exceptional commitment to patient care, leadership within the specialty, ethical standards and dedication to the physician-patient relationship.
Today marks Lam’s 23rd year with St. Luke’s and her 20th year in academic medicine.
“St. Luke’s is so welcoming, and its mission of caring for and about people aligns directly with mine,” she said.
Lam’s passion for serving others stems from her own experiences after immigrating from Vietnam to California at age 16. She said her family faced significant hardships, including poverty, food insecurity and limited access to health care.
“We were very poor and uninsured,” she explained.
Those experiences inspired her to pursue a career in medicine focused on helping underserved populations and mentoring future primary care physicians.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and attending medical school through Kigezi International School of Medicine in England and Uganda, Lam matched into the St. Luke’s residency program. Although she initially planned to return to California, she decided to remain in the Lehigh Valley after finding a supportive environment at St. Luke’s.
Since becoming residency program director in 2018, Lam has helped train family medicine physicians, many of whom have remained within the St. Luke’s network after graduation.
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Lam provides preventive, chronic and acute medical care and continues to deliver babies. She said one of the most rewarding aspects of family medicine is caring for patients throughout every stage of life.
“I often have three to four generations of families as patients, so I get to know them at all ages and life stages.”
Lam also serves many Vietnamese patients, helping bridge language and cultural barriers while providing care to immigrant families facing challenges similar to those her own family experienced.
Colleagues praised Lam’s leadership and commitment to family medicine.
“You epitomize what is best about Family Medicine and St. Luke’s,” said Dr. Robert Langan, program director of the St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Family Medicine Program.
With characteristic humility, Lam credited those around her for her success.
“It’s a team effort,” she said.
Lam and her husband, Steven Nguyen, live in Center Valley and have three daughters who are studying pre-medicine. While she hopes to retire from St. Luke’s one day, she said she remains passionate about caring for patients and training future physicians.
“I’m privileged to work here with wonderful people,” she said. “Our patients, colleagues and residents–we are all part of our extended family.”
