Dr. Ritha Belizaire is a double board-certified colorectal and general surgeon with eight years of practice experience. After completing a 7 year residency in general surgery, she pursued a one-year fellowship in colorectal surgery, refining her expertise in complex colorectal patient care. As the owner of Houston Community Surgical and single mother of two, Dr. Belizaire is dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible healthcare solutions that genuinely meet patients’ needs. Her commitment to excellence and innovation brings a practical, patient-centered approach to the medical field.
Q: When did you know you wanted to be a physician?
I can’t remember because my father is a retired vascular surgeon and my mom was an ICU nurse. I’ve always known I would be a physician, particularly a surgeon, because I got to shadow my dad and I thought it was so cool that he would just ask for things and people would hand it to him in the operating room. Haha. Turns out there’s more to it than that, but that part is fun too.
Q: How did you select your specialty?
I chose surgery because it was modeled for me by my dad. He was so good, so well loved by everyone in the hospital and just an extraordinarily compassionate human. In medical school, I learned that I really liked the instant gratification of being able to solve a problem with my hands. As someone who likes to think I’m more of a sprinter/dopamine seeker rather than a marathon runner, surgery fits in perfectly with my personality. I chose colorectal surgery because I wanted to be able to take care of both benign and malignant disease, do major and minor operations and also be able to treat women who often ignore their GI health because they’re embarrassed.
Q: What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Oof… real answer: Insurance companies. They make it nearly impossible for patients to get treatment. They deny coverage for necessary medical treatment even though patients are paying them monthly for health coverage. The other challenging part is dispelling misinformation and separating myself from work when the day is over.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Ever since I opened my own practice, I have really enjoyed getting to know my patients as people. They have some of the coolest stories and professions. I sometimes find myself talking to them about something completely unrelated to the reason why they came to see me… which is why I am often behind schedule. I also LOVE love love operating on the robot. It’s so fun. I can take out someone’s entire large intestine (when indicated) with 8 millimeter incisions.
Q: When you aren’t at work, where might we find you?
I don’t understand the question? Just kidding. You can usually find me picking up toys in my living room or chasing my girls down trying to get them in the bathtub or asking them to sit down and eat their dinner “for the last time” for the 15th time. In my former life I was an athlete, so I’d play soccer and volleyball in adult sports leagues. These days, I find myself spending a lot of time in my head, thinking about the next entrepreneurial venture or how I can grow my practice. My dream is to take my girls on two international trips per year.
Q: Favorite guilty pleasure.
This one is embarrassing but… anything about cults. TV shows, movies, podcasts, documentaries… I know. Don’t judge me. You should totally listen to “Was I In A Cult” podcast.
Q: What is your most marked characteristic?
This is a hard one. I’m going to ask chatGPT, BRB.
Wow. ChatGPT is going to make me cry….
Q: What quality do you most value in your friends?
I like to think my closest friends are incredibly authentic, kind and interesting. And funny.
Q: What’s the most common misperception about anorectal health?
That you should be embarrassed by it and not talk about it. Problems with the anus and rectum can genuinely ruin people’s day to day lives but no one wants to talk about it.
Q: What’s one thing you wish all your patients would do for their health?
Not demonize food, do all things in moderation and not think of health as “all or none.” Mostly, I wish people would not listen to ridiculous misinformation, but it’s not really their fault because the people putting it out there will claim to be experts.
Q: Last song played on your Spotify playlist.
Oh geez… this is really embarrassing. The last 700000 songs are children’s songs, mostly anything Lion King related these days. The last song intended for anyone past puberty was one I recently heard called Grateful by St. Finnikin. Two songs I listen to frequently when there are no kids in the car are Unstoppable by Sia and Iko Iko by Justin Wellington.
Q: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Seeing my girls living happy and healthy lives, feeling personal and professional autonomy, having a close community of friends and family. And pepperoni pizza.