Lacey “G Souldier” Turner
Dr. Eboni January is not just a physician—she is a force reshaping how women’s health is understood, delivered, and protected in America. Known nationally as Dr. EJ, she is an award-winning, board-certified OB-GYN, bestselling author, strategist, and widely recognized as America’s Maternal & Women’s Wellness Expert. Over the course of her medical career, Dr. January has delivered more than 8,000 babies, but her true legacy extends far beyond the delivery room.
Born in St. Louis and raised in East St. Louis, Dr. January’s roots are deeply connected to communities that have long experienced disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. Those early experiences, paired with years on the front lines of medicine, would later fuel her life’s mission: to ensure that every woman—regardless of race, income, or background—feels seen, heard, educated, and cared for.
A National Voice for Maternal Safety and Health Equity
Dr. January has emerged as a national authority on maternal safety, preventive care, health equity, and faith-informed wellness. Her work challenges a healthcare system that too often focuses on treatment rather than prevention—and overlooks the full humanity of women.
“Women’s healthcare often involves only areas that could be covered by a bikini—and that’s not enough,” Dr. January has stated. She points out that while professional guidelines recommend comprehensive screenings—mental health, blood pressure, BMI, urinary health, breast exams, and lifestyle counseling—many women leave appointments with little more than a pelvic exam and Pap smear.
Her advocacy is rooted in sobering realities: Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, and cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women. For Dr. January, women’s health is not fragmented—it is interconnected.
“Your health is your heart, your hormones, your mental wellness, your bladder, your bones, your stress response,” she emphasizes. “All of it matters. All of it is connected.”
A Calling Bigger Than Clinical Care
Despite delivering thousands of babies, Dr. January says she rarely pauses to count the number.
“When you’re in it, you’re in it,” she reflects. “I’m really big on gratitude—it’s like breathing to me.”
The moment she realized her calling was larger than clinical care came early in her career while practicing at People’s Health Center. There, she encountered women who lacked basic knowledge about their own bodies and health.
“I realized I had to help them change what they didn’t know,” she explains. “I had to start giving them the tools. From that moment, I knew I had a bigger calling.”
When Medicine, Advocacy, and Strategy Collided
Dr. January doesn’t describe her many roles—physician, author, advocate, strategist—as identities she intentionally built.
“They collided,” she says. “Medicine gave me the science, advocacy gave me the voice, strategy gave me the blueprint. Together, they formed one mission: to protect women with truth, literacy, and systems that love them back.”
That realization deepened in 2018 when she was appointed by Dr. Randall Williams, then Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, to the Women’s Council. As the youngest member in a room full of seasoned doctors, policymakers, and thought leaders, Dr. January absorbed lessons in systemic change.
“I realized it wasn’t just about individual patients anymore—it was about policy,” she says. “It was about making change at a higher level.”
Doctor EJ Consulting: Healthcare Reimagined
That vision led to the creation of Doctor EJ Consulting, a health and wellness-focused organization operating at the intersection of medicine, strategy, and social impact. Led by Dr. January, the organization specializes in healthcare strategy, culturally and linguistically appropriate care, provider and patient education, research, and policy-driven impact.
Doctor EJ Consulting is built on four core focus areas:
- Education and Advocacy: Empowering women and families with the knowledge and confidence to navigate maternal health.
- Training and Staffing: Equipping providers and organizations with culturally aware, emotionally intelligent training and top-tier talent.
- Health and Wellness: Offering holistic, evidence-based solutions that support long-term physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Community Empowerment: Partnering with leaders and changemakers to scale impact through outreach, operations, and brand growth.
Through consulting, concierge medicine, community engagement, and marketing strategy, Doctor EJ collaborates with health systems, startups, corporate teams, and mission-driven organizations—bringing together experts in medicine, public health, marketing, finance, and technology to create solutions that don’t just serve communities, but transform them.
Empowered Motherhood: Filling the Gaps
Dr. January’s bestselling book, Empowered Motherhood, is an extension of her mission. The book offers an honest, comprehensive guide through pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding—covering realities often missing from traditional prenatal care.
“The missing conversations are educational ones,” she explains. “Not just for moms, but for partners and support people. If they know what to look for, they can support mothers even better.”
She’s clear that the book isn’t just for women.
“Men should read this too,” she says. “Everyone involved needs to be informed.”
The Urgency of Now
When asked about the most pressing threats to maternal health in America today, Dr. January doesn’t hesitate.
“Delayed diagnosis,” she says. “And poor continuity of care.”
She challenges women to take an active role in their healthcare—encouraging them to interview doctors, build strong relationships, and advocate from a place of education rather than reaction.
“An educated person is the most powerful person,” she states. “Knowledge puts you in control.”
A Legacy of Prevention and Empowerment
When asked how she wants to be remembered, Dr. Eboni January’s answer is simple and profound.
“That I changed lives,” she says. “That I changed how people see their health—from a preventative standpoint.”
At the intersection of medicine, education, policy, and purpose, Dr. EJ continues to redefine what leadership in healthcare looks like—ensuring that women are no longer overlooked, minimized, or reduced to checklists, but fully supported in every aspect of their well-being.
