As a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Dr. Lai served first as an aircraft maintenance officer and ultimately as a physician. He graduated from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, where he received his medical degree.

Dr. Lai completed his residency in anesthesiology through the San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) in 2010 and was immediately deployed to Afghanistan as the Chief of Anesthesia. Upon his return, he was awarded with subspecialty training in pain medicine at U.T. Health Science Center. He was the Assistant Chief of the Department of Pain Management at SAMMC and was the Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General from 2013-2019.

He retired from the military in 2019, after 24 years of service.

Dr. Lai and his family have lived in San Antonio since 2006. When not compassionately relieving the pain and suffering of our veterans and local area patients, he enjoys trips and family activities with his wife and five children.