Meet Dr. Stephen Rees, Physiatrist

Where are you originally from?

I am a proud descendant of my Breaux Bridge family. Because my father was a Marine Corps pilot, my 11 brothers, sister and I initially lived in Hawaii and the DC area. After I graduated from high school in 1974, my parents picked up all 12 kids and moved to Acadiana. After graduating from USL in 1978, I was blessed to be a high school teacher and coach at Fatima and then at St. Thomas More. Making a career switch at 29 years old, I attended LSU Medical School in New Orleans, graduating in 1989.

Why did you choose OGHS?

After completing my Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency program in New Orleans, I was fortunate to spend the next 15 years serving as a Physiatrist in the Opelousas area. Although primarily now located in Lafayette, I have been fortunate to come back to my roots on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at South Campus in May 2021. I am blessed to continue to work with a phenomenal team of nurses and therapists as we help our patients regain their functional independence.

What is your favorite thing about working at OGHS?

I love being back in Opelousas. I have always considered this community- the wonderful patients, healthcare workers, and Opelousas residents to be my medical home. I look forward to continuing to serve the area north of Lafayette for years to come.

What do you enjoy most about being a physician?

I enjoy the wonderful patients, their families, and great medical personnel that I have been graced to get to know through the years.

What would you like everyone to know about you?

I am the proud father of two grown daughters and two grown sons, who up until this point in time have neglected to give me grandchildren, but I remain optimistic.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my time away from work, I love being outdoors either camping, kayaking, sailing, or just hiking. I was fortunate that I was able to continue to play the games I grew up with football, basketball and baseball well into my late 50s and early 60s. However, like many, the ravages of gravity and time have caught up with my joints- probably time to buy golf clubs.