We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joi Morgan, MD, MHA, MS a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Joi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
The most defining moment in my life that changed the trajectory was being fired from my job a week after my father’s funeral. I was working for a company and was the only black female doctor in which I was a good employee according to my boss on the job site. I would go in early and stay late. Before my father passed I informed my boss that my father was going to hospice on that Tuesday and we were told he would pass by the weekend. I asked to be off because he lived about an hour away to go see him. During that time I was called several times by my job because they were promoting me, as my siblings and I were in the mist of something unimaginable. So a promotion seemed good although I wasn’t up for celebrating. My father passed that Saturday. When I returned to work on that Tuesday I was working in my new position but was later told that they needed to fly someone in to train me and that they would revisit that position for me. I thought that wasn’t thought out too well because I didn’t even apply for the new position. So then we had my father’s funeral in which my siblings and I planned. After the funeral my sister and a friend told me that I needed to not work so hard and to stop giving this company all of my time because I was not myself. I told them both that I just needed to stack my money, but I will try not to overwork myself. When I came back after the funeral a few days later I was fired via text at 1am. On the morning I was fired I was still being the overachiever going in early but something said to check my phone after I had turned the shower on. And to my surprise, I was fired due to low production in the last few days. I didn’t take anytime off except for 2 days after his passing. My local boss was hurt and said that he didn’t want to do it because I was a great employee but his boss the head doctor who owned the company no longer wanted me there but stated that he would write me a recommendation. Well, never in my life had I been fired. And now here I am with a whole medical degree making good money and I’m fired. It was just what I needed because I was chasing the dollar and I would not have quit on my own. So after that two friends spoke life into me. They reminded me of my passion for nutrition and how I was already contracted in with the Sickle Cell Foundation in Birmingham, Al with nutrition education. After that the Nutrition Plug, LLC was birthed.
Now I operate in my purpose and I’m so happy. It doesn’t feel like work but it brings me great joy to help others live a healthier lifestyle. I’m thankful for the firing process because it keeps me humbled and if that did not happen the Nutrition Plug may not exist. God took my pain and made it my purpose.
Joi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Dr. Joi Morgan. I am a medical doctor that specializes in nutrition. As a proud Tuskegee alumna I received my bachelor’s in Biology (2006) and master’s in Nutritional Science (2010). While obtaining my master’s in Nutritional Science my thesis was titled “Fresh and Freeze-Dried Purslane Extracts Anti-Proliferative Effects on Human Prostate and Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines.” Then I attended International American University (IAU) Medical College in the Caribbean on an island called St. Lucia. I then traveled and lived in Houston, Champaign, Illinois’s, taking review courses for boards and finally Atlanta as I finished medical school. I graduated in 2020 receiving my medical degree from Georgetown American University (Georgetown, Guyana), which was based in Atlanta also. I am currently pursuing my second Doctorate, in Healthcare Administration (DHA) from Walden University, focused on Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 and patient satisfaction. From Walden, I have also received two Master’s in Management with a concentration in Leadership (2016) and in Healthcare Administration (2014).
Now I’m back in Birmimgham, Al. I started my own business called Nutrition Plug, LLC in 2021. I am a medical nutrition coach. My purpose is to plug you into healthier eating choices, mindset changes, educate, and a healthier lifestyle.
The Nutrition Plug, LLC is where Dr. Joi plugs her clients into all thing nutrition via nutritional coaching, meal plans, educational seminars, advising, and speaking engagements. I’m also a Goli Ambassador where you can use my promo code “DrJoiNutritionPlug” to receive discounts on Goli gummies and bites. I am a math and reading tutor. I’m a breast cancer advocate and volunteer Medical Advisor for Pinktopps, Inc which is in Bessemer, AL. I have been doing Nutritional Education Services for the Sickle Cell Diseases Association of America Central AL Chapter since 2020. I am also also a Clinical Evaluator for Infinite Royalty, LLC. I also works as a Special Ed/Aide at Crestline Elementary. I am one of the hosts for a show entitled “Just MD ME” on the Speak Easy App discussing medical topics. My future career goals are to have her own medical wellness spa serving my patients/clients and the community with an emphasis on nutrition. I enjoys cooking, dancing, traveling, and spending time with God, her family, and friends. One of Dr. Joi’s mottos in life is that “the race is not given to the swift but to the one that endures.”
For my clients I help change their mindset by discussing food habits, giving healthy tips, providing meal plans, through coaching, consulting, and educating. It brings me joy when clients come off their medicine, reach their goals of weight loss, or when they have those “Ah ha” moments and it clicks. After speaking engagements it may be months or days later when I didn’t even know someone was in that room and they find me saying “hey you said this and I never forgot it.”
I decided to put the knowledge from my masters in nutrition and medical degree together to start the Nutrition Plug. Nutrition is barely taught in medical school so I have an advantage that most practicing physicians don’t have. I can answer those questions that your doctor may not have the time to answer in their clinic because of the patient load. I’m here to fill in that gap between my clients and their doctor with a nutrition perspective. I have the time and resources to a healthier lifestyle nutritionally. My brand is to Plug the client into all things nutrition.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
The hardest thing on my journey was attending and graduating medical school. It took me 7 years, 2 medical schools, 4 city/states (Birmingham, Al, Houston, TX, Champaign, IL, and Atlanta, GA), 2 review courses, Ubering, lyfting, doing roadie, working in retail, patients saying I can’t be a doctor because I’m a female and black, completing 2 masters, missing family events, a failed relationship, serving in my church, and starting a 2nd doctorate all on the journey of finishing medical school. This is why my life’s motto is “The race is not given to the swift but to the one that endures.” Never give up on the end goal. Life will do what it does but we must stand the course.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
My favorite motivational speaker is Les Brown. I watch and listen to his YouTube videos for motivation.
Books and other resources:
The Bible
Repurpose Ministries (videos)-Michelle Evans
Know Your Worth eBook by Charrisa T.
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
The Entrepreneur Code by Mikah Miller
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thenutritionplug.com
- Instagram: Drjoinutritionplug
- Facebook: The Nutrition Plug
Image Credits
Black and White Photography, Inc and BWP Design Center