Meet Dr. Tejas Desai
Dr. Tejas Desai thrives on tackling complex issues. As a gastroenterologist who specializes in nutrition, he possesses a distinctive skill set and a drive for innovation.
Diet plays a vital role in managing gastrointestinal diseases. Yet, nutrition often receives minimal attention in medical training. Research in this area is also limited because of the complicated interactions between diet, lifestyle, and genetics.
“For me, pursuing this added focus presented a chance to make a meaningful impact on my patients’ lives,” said Dr. Desai. “Digestive health issues are becoming more common in Canada. We don’t know exactly why but diet certainly plays a role, and we need to explore it more.”
Dr. Desai travelled Canada to obtain his specialized education background, including gaining his medical degree and nutrition speciality at the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children.
Dr. Desai is deeply proud of his work with children who have complex medical and nutritional needs. This includes patients who depend on tube feeding or IV nutrition. He is also an advocate for quality improvement work and efficient management of resources.
“Our health care dollars are set. Wasting resources in one area can hinder another. I’m not comfortable with that,” Dr. Desai explained. “This thought has inspired some of my most recent research projects, including one where I’m looking to improve the referral process for celiac disease and reduce unnecessary testing.”
