Finding a Voice in Obesity Medicine

For years, Alicia Shelly, MD, DABOM, built meaningful relationships with patients through primary care, helping them navigate life’s challenges and celebrating their successes along the way. Today, as a board-certified internal medicine physician and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, Dr. Shelly practices obesity medicine full-time, helping patients through comprehensive and compassionate obesity care.

Dr. Shelly currently practices within Wellstar Medical Group in Douglasville, Georgia, where she is part of a comprehensive weight management program.

Looking back, Dr. Shelly’s path to obesity medicine feels like a natural progression of what first drew her to healthcare.

Called to Healthcare

Even before becoming a physician, Dr. Shelly knew she wanted to help people.

“When I was a little kid, and my mom was sick, I would try to bring her soup and feed her. I was doctoring on toys, pets, family,” she recalled. “It was just something I enjoyed doing.”

She was equally interested in the intellectual side of medicine. She knew she wanted to provide medical care to patients but also liked the challenge of solving problems and the ever-evolving aspect of healthcare.

When she was younger, she aspired to be an OBGYN. But once she entered medical training and delivered her first baby, she realized that it wasn’t quite the right fit. Dr. Shelly had a passion for talking to her patients and taking the time to get to know them. She found just that when she moved into primary care.

Dr. Shelly has since spent 13 years building long-term relationships with her patients.

"I just love the relationship you have with a patient and seeing their transformation over the years.”

Meeting Patients Where They Are

Dr. Shelly recalls one patient who left a lasting impression. During a routine physical, he told the doctor that he would never stop drinking or smoking, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Instead of pushing the patient, Dr. Shelly simply replied, “I’m here for you; let me help you when you’re ready. Two years down the line, he said, ‘Okay, now I’m ready’.”

Moments like that reinforce what she loves most about medicine: meeting patients where they are and seeing their transformation.

Discovering Obesity Medicine

Her path to obesity medicine looked a bit different. Her interest wasn’t purely professional; it was also personal.

Dr. Shelly shares that she has lived with obesity and dealt with weight fluctuations her whole life. At the time she attended medical school, obesity medicine did not exist as a formal specialty. However, her mentor was doing obesity research, sparking an early interest in the field. After graduating, she joined a private practice where obesity treatment was offered, but she quickly realized something was missing.

She found herself prescribing obesity medications without an actual understanding of the disease and what proper treatment looked like. "We were providing a service, but it wasn’t enough,” she shared. “I needed more information to treat the patient."

Everything changed when she attended an OMA Fundamentals of Obesity Treatment course. "It changed my perspective. I had no idea that obesity was a chronic disease. It opened my eyes to obesity medicine, what it is and what it could be."

She realized there were significant gaps in her knowledge of obesity and immediately began pursuing additional education. On top of furthering her education, Dr. Shelly earned ABOM certification, allowing her to offer the addition of obesity medicine to her primary care patients.

However, managing both practices eventually became too time-consuming, and she had to pick one or the other. To her, the decision was clear.

Replacing Shame with Hope

Today, one of the most rewarding parts of her work in obesity medicine is helping patients understand that obesity is more than just a matter of willpower. For many of them, that narrative is life-changing.

“Some people really need to hear that, because they have all this stress and all this shame. To be able to unburden people and say, ‘hey, we can help you’ is an awesome opportunity.”

Dr. Shelly sees many patients who enter her practice feeling defeated after years of dealing with the disease and the shame that accompanies it.

“When they first come in, maybe they feel dejected, like they couldn’t do this or they felt like they were a failure. Being able to pour into them and say, ‘This is more than willpower; we’re battling biology here.’ Being able to alleviate that shame is really rewarding.”

She shares one patient story that continues to remind her why obesity medicine matters.

A young patient came into her practice weighing over 700 pounds. When she asked what their motivation was for treatment, they had one answer: “I don’t want to die.”

Through medication management, personalized lifestyle interventions, and comprehensive treatment, the patient has lost more than 400 pounds. Dr. Shelly is particularly hopeful about the number of growing treatment options available today.

"We’re giving people their lives back,” said Dr. Shelly.

Finding Her Voice in Obesity Medicine

Looking at her professional endeavors, the COVID-19 Pandemic prompted Dr. Shelly to re-evaluate what was most important for her. She realized that she needed to have a voice in the medical world and to share her message beyond just her patients.

She started her own podcast on how to achieve healthy weight loss and get back on track. That led her to speaking at the OMA’s Annual Meeting in 2022 and on weight regain after bariatric surgery.

“If you would have told me in 2019 that I would be talking on an OMA stage, I would have thought you were lying.”

Being able to share her expertise with an audience proved to Dr. Shelly that all voices matter in the obesity medicine space.

“I would say to my OMA colleagues: know that you have a voice, and we need to hear what you’re experiencing and learn from it.”

Lessons Beyond the Clinic

Outside of obesity medicine, Dr. Shelly draws inspiration from her patients every day. Many share stories about traveling, pursuing new hobbies, and accomplishing goals they never thought possible due to struggles with their weight.

“The one thing that really stands out to me is the importance of living life to the fullest,” she shares. “I see my patients taking trips or skydiving or something I would never think about.”

These experiences have encouraged her to step outside her comfort zone and try new things. This month, she is taking on one of her biggest adventures yet: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

“It’s amazing to see their transformation but also my transformation from getting encouraged by what they’re saying.”

Dr. Shelly is a testament to how the impact of comprehensive care is never one-sided. While physicians like Dr. Shelly work so hard to transform the lives of patients, they often are transformed in return.

As OMA celebrates Member Appreciation Month, Dr. Shelly’s story reminds us that obesity medicine is about more than just weight loss. It’s about creating hope, empowering patients, and helping people get their lives back.