Meet Ian Taras, M.D. | Boutique Gynecologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ian Taras, M.D. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ian, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Many medical offices closed when CoronaVirus pandemic caused California to shutter non-essential business on 3/19/20. I turned to my staff who were committed to stay open and keep patients with gynecology issues out of ERs and urgent cares. We never closed even one day! In the first 7 days, amongst many other routine cases of bladder and yeast infections, we diagnosed an abnormal bleeding uterine cancer as well as a breast cancer early enough that neither of those two women needed chemotherapy! That early detection is directly attributable to an amazing office-family who stuck together and stepped it up in a time of crisis!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community? What sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart? TLC: A Tradition of LISTENING & CARING! Patients continue to humble me with their stories and the only way to hear those stories is to LISTEN. Too many physicians have their hand on the door, tell you what they think and then leave. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth and should use them in that ratio! Not only have I listened to patients in the exam room but over the last 2 decades our office has raised nearly 3/4 of a million dollars for breast & ovary cancer research through our office-led run/walks. One year I took my TESLA, wrapped it in PINK and gave a sharpie to sign the car if you donated just $5! WOW the cathartic caring stories I was privy to hear!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A week in So Cal: Sounds like a lot but there is sooooo much to do that I will miss a bunch so suffice it to say that it would be a blend of nature (you can be in the Pacific Ocean and 90 minutes later you can be skiing) and man-made only-here stuff (Hollywood, Beverly Hills & Championship LA Sports with a shout-out to the LA Kings). Also, I think that sometimes we loose the forest for the trees in that there is so much to do in the small communities that are sprawled out all over southern California that you can find dinner-theatre, street-fair, roof-top movies, boutiques and so many other places that showcase the entrepreneurial spirit of So Cal! Just ‘crack-open’ a recent edition of VoyageLA.com (& that was an unsolicited plug)!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We all stand on the shoulders of giant(s) who came before us! My father was the first in his family born in North America and first to graduate high school. Against adversity he went to med school, moved from Montreal to Hawaii with my Mom and then settled in Los Angeles. While my Dad has since passed away, his name will always be on the door of my practice as his life lessons are too numerous to name! My mom, a Neonatal ICU nurse, also taught me so much including compassion, caring and encouragement! At 47 yo she was diagnosed with breast cancer and a new chapter opened teaching me strength & hope; she’s alive and well today! My wife is a an amazing woman who has shown amazing resiliency while she continues to be an awesome mother and wife as well as continues to lead by example when it comes to love and compromise! Recently, one of my Ob/Gyn residency attendings, Dr. Ronald Wu (Glendale, CA) passed away. Dr. Wu was a mentor who showed me how to be a patient advocate, fighting for patients and procedures even when there was a tidal wave of critics and giving in would make it easier on you but not on the patient. He helped foster faith and perseverance!

Website: www.BestGYN.vip
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtaras_tesla/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/DrTaras
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrTaras
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/818GYN
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ian-taras-md-woodland-hills-3
Other: Favorite hashtag: #DoGoodHaveFun