Medicine and philosophy seem to occupy two distinct spheres, the former trained on the body and the latter attuned to the mind, but Roper St. Francis Healthcare bariatric surgeon Dr. Bryan Thomas believes the two are inextricably bound. The link is especially evident in his particular profession, where the doctor witnesses the emotional toll of weight battles daily. “Unlike gambling or drinking, which can be kept secret, obesity is a problem with a public side to it. Patients walk around feeling exposed,” he says. Unfortunately, many people still believe that obesity results from unhealthy behaviors, despite research that continues to tell us otherwise. “There’s a lot more science behind why the body holds onto weight.”
“So many of our patients have written off certain aspects of life, like exercise or finding love. The most rewarding thing for me is seeing people come back to those things,” reflects the surgeon.
For Dr. Thomas, success lies in helping patients not only achieve their physical health goals but also rediscover mental wellness. “So many of our patients have written off certain aspects of life, like exercise or finding love. The most rewarding thing for me is seeing people come back to those things,” reflects the surgeon. “All I really want is for people to have the life they want.”
The doctor embraces that same sense of personal appreciation in his own day-to-day. “I feel blessed to have this life and this work and to live in Charleston. My professional life is exactly what I envisioned it would be,” says Dr. Thomas, who’s wanted to be a surgeon since age 12. (Growing up in Greenville, he would dismantle broken electronics—a VCR, a microwave, even the dishwasher—to understand how these items worked.) Now, as a bariatric surgeon at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, he takes pride in being able to perform highly technical procedures that utilize his full range of skills.
When not working, the husband and father of two delights in family togetherness. “My wife and I met in college, and we’ve been together for half my life,” he shares. While the couple spends most of their free time juggling parenthood, Dr. Thomas also reads a great deal. “I usually choose books meant to expand the way I look at the world—novels, sure, but mostly nonfiction about art, history and philosophy.”
He recommends one in particular: The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, which he says offers a refreshingly optimistic perspective on the arc of human history. “We hear a thousand wrongs with the world today, but I think people believe things are worse than they really are. We’re so lucky to be alive now, more than we will be able to fathom in our lifetimes.” He points out that in the 1800s, a person’s life expectancy was in the 30s. “None of the Roman emperors lived as well as we do now. We have control of and influence over so many things. I see so many positives in technology and the future of the human race.”
Learn more about how our team supports people struggling with obesity in their journey toward a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life. Visit rsfh.com/medical-weight-loss.