Robert L. Li, MD, PhD
Accepting new patients

Robert L. Li, MD, PhD

  • Endocrinology
Average rating: 4.8
Star ratings are displayed only for those physicians who participate in UCLA Health’s patient experience survey program and have received a minimum of 30 survey responses.
Torrance Specialty Care |
3445 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 100 Torrance, CA 90505

About

Dr. Li grew up in Long Island, NY. After moving to California, he attended the California Institute of Technology where he graduated with honors as a double major in biology and computer science. He then moved to Dallas to start the NIH Medical Scientist Training Program at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. In addition to studying medicine, Dr. Li performed research on the hormone causes of obesity in the lab of Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein, joint recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1985. After graduating with both MD and PhD degrees, Dr. Li moved to Chicago where he completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In 2016, Dr. Li moved back to LA to start Endocrinology fellowship at UCLA.

During his fellowship, Dr. Li received training in all areas of clinical endocrinology and continued to perform basic science research as a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. Stephen Young. He joined the UCLA faculty in 2018 after finishing his fellowship.

Dr. Li has published in top journals including Cell Metabolism, Science Translational Medicine, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In his clinical practice at the UCLA South Bay Endocrine, Thyroid and Diabetes Center, Dr. Li aims to integrate his scientific research experience and his medical knowledge along with his compassion for patients to provide cutting edge care.

Dr. Li's practice includes diabetes, thyroid disease, metabolic disease, obesity, adrenal disease, disorders of sex hormones including testosterone and estrogen, pituitary disease, and bone disease. Dr. Li also performs thyroid ultrasounds and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations of thyroid nodules on a regular basis.

In his free time, Dr. Li enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. In addition to English, he is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certifications

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2018
Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2016

Fellowship

Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism, UCLA School of Medicine, 2018

Residency

Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 2016

Degrees

PhD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2013
MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, 2013

Locations

UCLA Health Torrance Specialty Care
South Bay

Torrance Specialty Care

Endocrinology| Endocrinology| Nephrology
+2 more specialties

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

Medical Services

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of healthcare plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.

Visit our health insurance information page for more details.

Reviews

Overall rating: 4.8
Star ratings are displayed only for those physicians who participate in UCLA Health’s patient experience survey program and have received a minimum of 30 survey responses.
437 total ratings | 309 reviews
5.0
Takes much time to answer your questions He is Kind
5.0
Dr Li is always pleasant and friendly, and he explains things carefully to make sure I understand completely. The nurse took seriously my suggestion that it would be better to take a blood pressure reading at the end of the appointment rather than at the beginning, when I had just rushed in after a 75-minute drive through awful traffic in 94 degree heat. The result was 111/73 rather than the 140+/80+ it probably would have been otherwise. Could you consider offering this option routinely? The upper number for my bp is often 30 or more points higher when I’m apprehensive at the beginning of a medical appointment than it is at the end, or at home, with the result that most of the official records show it to be concerningly high rather than actually rather lower than average. Which I don’t think is a good thing.
5.0
Appointment proceeded ON TIME! Efficient and effortless check-in.
5.0
The doctor answered all of my questions and made sure that I understood exactly what I need to do to lower my A1C.
5.0
Dr. Li is a great doctor !! He is always professional and knowledgeable! He also has a great personality!