Check Out Dr. Jennaire Lewars’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jennaire Lewars.

Hi Dr. Lewars, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I developed an interest in medicine at the early age of 12 years old. My mother was a nursing student at the time.

She prompted me to be productive during summer vacation and handed me one of her anatomy books. The organ system that culminated my interest was the heart and since then I’ve been pursuing Cardiology.

I was born in Jamaica and relocated with my family to Canada at a very early age. With a predominantly Caribbean upbringing, the importance of educational prowess, academic success, and being steadfast in the face of adversity remnant throughout my family. However, in addition to this, my family also instilled a very significant capacity for care and love for others as displayed by both my parents. They continue to be very rather altruistic people, now and throughout my upbringing. They served as examples of those in society who looked out for others. With them as my role models, it was easy to recognize how my interest in medicine aligned with my interest and yearning to help others thus my desire to be a doctor.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Throughout my childhood, there were numerous instances that reinforced my desire to want to be a doctor and particularly a cardiologist. Some of these included family members and friends passing away from heart-related comorbidities, and also instances of family encounters within the hospital setting by which I felt uninformed. There were times that we found ourselves at the end of the healthcare system by which we lacked insight as to what was taking place with our own family member, along with little information being disseminated by the medical practitioners involved in my family member’s care. At that point, I recognized the importance of holding my own insight into how to help as well as to recognize signs of health compromisation. I then also developed a desire to want to learn more, but also to teach others including patients and their families in order to reinforce their informed decision-making.

My family was not rich or wealthy, but we were fortunate. Growing up in the west side of Toronto, there were not many resources at the time to propel me towards medicine, nor did I see physicians that looked like myself. It was an uphill battle for my goal. In order to pursue my dreams, I was required to travel from Canada to other parts of the world in order to take advantage of my opportunity at medical school. With the burden of cost prohibition in attaining a medical education, living away from all of my family, in addition to the grueling study regimen as well as the lack of diversity in medicine which left me feeling less supported, I had to be self-motivated to push through. I graduated medical school as the Valedictorian/commencement speaker of my class and have since started my career as an Internal Medicine Resident Physician, still working towards specializing in Cardiology.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an Internal Medicine Resident Doctor, with plans to specialize in Cardiovascular Disease.

My main platform is on Instagram as @dr_jaii. I am known for my role of being a physician, but I also use my platform to convey messages of motivation and enlightenment. I try to utilize my journey to transitioning into a physician as a source of positivity and reaffirmation of the importance of being dedicated to one’s goals.

I have been fervent about reinforcing the notion of the pursuit of dreams, in that I believe that you shouldn’t just follow your dreams, you need to chase them. No matter your ethnic background, societal construct, or any hurdles that stand in your way, I believe there is always an opportunity to pursue your dreams if you are determined, hopeful, and prayerful.

Additionally, I strive to be a small portion of those representing the minority population in medicine and aim to promote continued efforts of increasing the number of minority physicians in medicine. So far, I have been in commercials for recruitment of minority physicians to my hospital, and have been featured in a documentary, Black Men in White Coats produced by actor Hill Harper, and interviewed by Future Prospects on Rogers TV Canada in order to promote other diversity and inclusion efforts. Additionally, I am an advocate for research and have been a presenter at the American College of Physicians annual conference as well as the annual American College of Chest Physicians conference for various cardiovascular research efforts.

In terms of what I am most proud of, being a positive role model for my young siblings as the eldest of the family, and also ensuring that my parents’ sacrifices throughout my life were not taken for granted are the two things I’m proud of. I’m most grateful for the opportunities to care for my patients and to be a part of a trusted group of individuals that hold the responsibility for the improvement and preservation of lives.

We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I believe that success is based on the manifestation of happiness out of the effort. I don’t believe that success necessarily requires grandiose achievement. Being able to express joy in your own victories and achievements no matter how small they may seem is reminiscent of success.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Dr_Jaii