Dr. Mbagwu is originally from Nigeria. She came to the U.S. in 1998 with hopes of attending medical school. She attended medical school at LSU Health New Orleans and completed her family medicine education at the Baton Rouge General Family Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Mbagwu attributes her family as her source of strength and support throughout her professional journey. Her husband and four adult children remain the center of her life and continue to influence the values she brings to both her personal and professional relationships.
We asked Dr. Mbagwu why she chose Family Medicine. She states:
“I value the breadth of the Family Medicine specialty and the ability to consider each patient within the context of their overall health, family, and community. Equally important to me is the continuity inherent in Family Medicine. I enjoy developing long-term relationships with my patients, getting to know their families, and caring for them through different stages of life. This privilege of caring for individuals and families over time remains one of the primary reasons I chose Family Medicine and continues to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my practice.”
She continues by talking about her favorite aspect of family medicine. She describes it this way:
“The intellectual breadth of the specialty is my favorite aspect of the specialty. A single clinical session may involve complex chronic disease management, undifferentiated acute complaints, preventive care, behavioral health, and extensive patient counseling. That diversity requires intellectual flexibility and lifelong learning, both of which I find professionally stimulating. There is never a dull moment in my day.”
Her current practice is predominantly ambulatory and encompasses comprehensive care across a broad spectrum of acute and chronic medical conditions, with a strong emphasis on preventive medicine, risk-factor modification, and longitudinal disease management.
She continues:
“I have spent the last nine years of my career with Ochsner Health System as Senior Physician. I am also the Medical Director of Primary Care Recruitment Baton Rouge. Notably, in the past five years, I have been practicing at Brees Community Center in Baton Rouge. Being here has been formative and has provided invaluable insight into the complex interplay between socioeconomic circumstances, access to care, health literacy, transportation, and other social determinants of health in our community.
“Also, I am a Senior Lecturer with Ochsner University of Queensland Medical School Australia and an Adjunct Faculty with University of Xavier PA program in New Orleans. I find fulfillment in helping fourth-year medical students and PA students refine their clinical reasoning, develop greater diagnostic independence, and appreciate the importance of patient-centered decision-making as they transition from school to their place in health care.”
She talks about how she balances the demands of her career, leadership, family, and her own well-being:
“By remaining grounded in my Christian faith, which provides the foundation for how I navigate my responsibilities as a physician, leader, family member, and member of my community. My faith reminds me that service is both a privilege and a responsibility, while also recognizing the importance of stewardship of my own well-being. I find great fulfillment in giving my time, talents, and resources in service to others. Interestingly, the more I give, the more I find a renewed sense of purpose, gratitude, connection, and perspective. I am also intentional about creating opportunities for personal renewal. Periodic personal retreats provide time for reflection, rest, and recalibration, which gives me greater clarity, energy, and renewed purpose.”
She reflects that the most important quality a family physician should have is the capacity to listen with intention. She states:
“Clinical knowledge is indispensable, but the ability to understand what a patient is communicating—both explicitly and implicitly—is fundamental to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.”
Dr. Mbagwu loves to visit Amaigbo in Nigeria. She states:
“Returning always feels like a homecoming. It offers a restorative change of pace from the demands of medicine and an opportunity to reconnect with my heritage, family, and community. I am especially drawn to the simplicity of the natural environment, the river, jungle sounds, tropical vegetation, and abundance of fresh, locally grown foods. Time here allows me to slow down, appreciate nature, and reflect on the people and experiences that have shaped who I am.”
She values remaining true to her heritage through her great appreciation for traditional Igbo fashion and particularly enjoys wearing these fashions. She loves the vibrant colors, intricate fabrics, and elegance of the designs. She looks forward to opportunities to express a different side of herself through fashion and culture.
Join us in congratulating Dr. Edith Mbagwu as our September Member of the Month.
LAFP’s Member of the Month program highlights Louisiana family physicians in the Weekly Family Medicine Update and on the LAFP website. We feature a biography and a Q&A with a different LAFP member each month and his or her unique approach to family medicine. If you know an outstanding family physician colleague who you think should be featured as a Member of the Month or if you’d like to tell your own story, nominate yourself or your colleague by contacting Lee Ann Albert at