Inspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine: Dr. Janese Laster of Gut Theory Total Digestive Care On 5 Things You Need To Create A Successful Career In Medicine

An Interview With Jamie Hemmings

Having different cultures, genders, religions, and sexual orientation allows staff to reduce biases by getting to know people outside of their own circle which allows them to have more empathy and understanding. This also allows for many perspectives to be considered when rules or guidelines are developed.

In the United States today, black doctors are vastly underrepresented. Only 5% of physicians nationwide are black. Why is it so important to have better representation? What steps can be taken to fix this discrepancy? In this interview series, we are talking to successful black men and women in medicine about their career, their accomplishments, and how others may follow their path. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dr. Janese Laster, Nutrition and Weight Loss Expert.

Dr Janese Laster is quadruple-board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Obesity Medicine and a Nutrition Physician specialist. She completed both her residency and fellowship training at Georgetown University Hospital, followed by a clinical nutrition fellowship at Nestlé and an advanced bariatric endoscopy fellowship in Madrid, Spain. She then founded Gut Theory Total Digestive Care where she specializes in uncovering the root cause of excess weight, customized weight management through evidence-based nutrition, anti-obesity pharmacology, and innovative, non-invasive bariatric endoscopic weight loss procedures.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

Of course! I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama surrounded by a large and vibrant family. We enjoyed frequent gatherings filled with food, laughter, and various activities including games and talent shows. My childhood room was reminiscent of a classroom with the alphabet and numbers on the walls and even a chalkboard in which I taught my stuffed animals. Looking back, I realized my parents instilled a love of learning in interesting ways. And I have also come to realize that in many ways, they unknowingly started me on the journey that has led to my career.

My dad maintained a small vegetable and herb garden on the side of our house — which was odd for the inner city, while my mom ensured our house was always stocked with fresh fruit. I often joked that the presence of sodas in our refrigerator meant guests were coming, as our usual beverages were water or orange juice in the morning. I grew up thinking frozen yogurt was the same as ice cream and grapes were a decadent treat! She had me fooled for sure. Despite being embarrassed about not having the popular Lunchables on school field trips, I now appreciate how my upbringing laid the foundation for my current passion for healthy living. Fast forward to years later, I now maintain an indoor hydroponic garden and counsel my patients on the importance of reducing processed foods to mitigate health issues like weight gain, and gastrointestinal discomfort. Reflecting on my childhood, I credit my parents for cultivating healthy habits as my norm and fostering a diverse microbiome that has influenced my dietary preferences, overall well-being, and career.

Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I always knew I wanted to be a physician, which fondly recalls me expressing that sentiment since the age of 4. While the medical specialty has varied over the years, during medical school I was drawn to Gastroenterology. I found the digestive system to be the most relevant to everyday life, particularly the simple act of eating. This specialty had everything — from routine clinic visits to preventative colonoscopies, and the adrenaline rush of emergent procedures. As I matriculated through my Gastroenterology fellowship, I began to notice a recurring pattern with patients presenting similar symptoms, medical diseases and struggles with excess weight. Yet, our traditional approaches seemed inadequate in addressing the root causes. This prompted me to seek additional training in Nutrition, Obesity Medicine, and Bariatric Endoscopy to combine all of my passions toward a holistic approach to patient care. This type of specialist did not exist in academic centers or private practice, but I saw a need. This led me to open my own practice. Here, I am able to offer comprehensive care that integrates nutrition education, tailored dietary plans, consistent follow-up, and where necessary, medications and procedures suited to specific patient populations. This was not the path I ever envisioned but has afforded me the opportunity to provide personalized care that I think we all deserve.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

A cherished quote from my grandmother is, “What’s for you is for you.” It’s simple but applies to various facets of my life. As both a physician and business owner, I’ve encountered a lot of rejections, which can be disheartening, especially for someone with a Type A personality, like myself, and can lead to questioning your path or quitting. But I hold on to these words to remind myself that outcomes may not always occur the way you envisioned, but have a tendency to unfold better than you could have dreamed. This perspective keeps me centered, and is a source of motivation to keep going.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

There have been many interesting stories — but one that comes to mind is in 2019, I took a leap of faith to train in bariatric endoscopy (non-invasive weight loss procedures) with an expert in Madrid, Spain. This is not common practice — as typically, physicians from overseas actually come to the U.S. to train. But this was all in pursuit of opening my practice. As we know, in 2020 — the world changed, and it hit Italy and Spain pretty hard. Everyone in the U.S., told me I should pack up and come home immediately, but I didn’t. I stayed, meditated, journaled, and continued to plan for my practice despite it all. And soon, the hospital re-opened for nonemergent procedures and we were back on track!

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Focus and determination — To perform anything difficult will take being steadfast, because the road is hard, and it is always tempting to try an easier and more traveled path.
2. Resilience — Things will not always go the way you planned, and you will need to be able to pivot without breaking
3. Vision — You will need strong conviction of your plan and goals to see them to fruition

Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. This might seem intuitive to you, but it would be helpful to articulate this expressly. Can you share three reasons with our readers why it’s really important for there to be more diversity in medicine?

There are so many studies that discuss the importance of diversity in medicine for staff and patients alike!

1. Having different cultures, genders, religions, and sexual orientation allows staff to reduce biases by getting to know people outside of their own circle which allows them to have more empathy and understanding. This also allows for many perspectives to be considered when rules or guidelines are developed.
2. For patients, this improves communication and increases the likelihood that instructions are understood and the treatment plan will be followed
3. It also improves patient satisfaction in that patients feel seen and heard. They feel that they are able to communicate during their visits freely, without fear of being judged. Certain cultural nuisances, vernacular, or shifts in body language may not be recognized by someone unfamiliar or perceived negatively.

As things stand today, what are the main barriers for black men and women to enter the medical field?

1. Finances — It is expensive to even take practice courses for the MCAT, in addition to the cost of actual exam, and applying to medical school.
2. Access — There is often little access to mentors for guidance on the application process or which classes to take.
3. Lack of representation — It is difficult to imagine yourself achieving higher education career goals if you have never seen anyone who looks like you succeeding in that field.

From your perspective, can you share a few things that can be done by the community, society, or the government, to help remove those barriers?

1. More community programs that provide free practice courses along with aid to take the MCAT exam and apply to medical schools
2. Gathering a directory of Black physicians to be mentors and provide free sessions on how to apply, provide contacts for shadowing, and research opportunities.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started my career in medicine,” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1 . You will never know everything — you will always be a student, and that is okay!

2 . You can’t make everyone happy, no matter how hard you try — but always do your best.

3 . You have to set time aside for yourself and prioritize mental and physical well-being.

4 . You will miss important life events of your family and friends.

5 . Life is short; cherish it and don’t get caught up in achieving goals and the next step. Stay in the present and enjoy the ride.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Rosalind Brewer — Fellow Spelman Alumna & prior CEO of Sam’ Club, Starbucks, and Walgreens. Because she is a prior Spelman alumna, I’d love to have a day to discuss our Spelman days and her journey to becoming a CEO as well as have the ability to peak behinds the curtain of major companies to learn and grow my own.

Maria Toler Velissaris — founder of SteelSkye Ventures, a VC firm focused in women’s healthcare. This one is a no-brainer; she is a Black woman who built one of the largest funds focused on women’s health! We know that Black women business owners have a hard time obtaining capital, and I am no different! It has been a major challenge so I would love to be able to pick her brain about my goals for this space and ask her what funds like hers are looking for from healthcare practices to provide capital.

How can our readers best continue to follow your work online?

Instagram — @dr_janeselaster

X- @gutdoc18

Blog- www.guttheoryhealth.com

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.