Dr. Lara, Your Family Doctor

Dr. Lara’s philosophy is to offer the highest standard of care in a pleasant and caring environment. He understands the importance of the role a physician has in one’s life. It can mean the difference between health and illness, or perhaps life and death.

Dr. Lara believes that when a family member becomes ill, it affects the entire family. He is dedicated to securing not only treatment for the ill member, but for the other family members as well. It is important to understand not only the pathology of a disease, but the dynamics of how it affects relationships and the consequences of stress on the families and the patient.

As a Board Certified Physician, Dr. Lara evaluates and treats patients for a multitude of problems, including: diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, abdominal problems, back pain, joint pain, arthritis, depression, anxiety, headaches, strokes, obesity, weight loss, cardiac problems, sexual dysfunction and female health, to name a few.

Credentials & Education

Dr. Lara is Board Certified in Family Practice. He became a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1997. He graduated from The University of Iowa, College of Medicine in Iowa City with the degree of Medical Doctor in May of 1986. He received his bachelors in Biology with a minor in Political Science in 1982 from Loyola University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. He  is a Graduate of the Health Professions Program from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1981.

Dr. Lara has been a clinical instructor for the University of South Florida, College of Nursing for their Nurse Practitioner Program and was Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Illinois in the Department of Family Practice in Chicago, as well as a Clinical Instructor at Loyola University, Stritch Hospital in their Sexual Dysfunction Clinic.

Dr. Lara has admitting privileges to Morton Plant Hospital, Mease-Dunedin Hospital and Mease Countryside Hospital. He has been Chairman of the Department of Family Practice for Mease-Dunedin, Mease Countryside, and Morton Plant at different times since he started his practice in the community in November of 1991. He has been a Council Member for the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and has been on the Pinellas County Board of Governors dating back to 1996, in addition to having held leadership positions for multiple organizations related to the development of health policy and health related issues in the community.

Currently he is a Member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and the Pinellas County Medical Society.

All of this experience makes the Center for Weight Management your Best Medicine for Weight Loss!