Dr. Khyati Mehta leads pediatric GI lab care at LLUCH

This story first appeared in the 2025 Fall edition of Leaps and Bounds.

For Khyati Mehta, MD, director of the Pediatric GI Lab at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, caring for children is more than a profession. It’s a calling. 

“During my medical school rotations, I felt energized being around children and walking alongside them through their illness,” Mehta said. “That joy and satisfaction carved my path into pediatrics.”

Finding a Calling in Pediatric Gastroenterology

Drawn to the intricate connection between nutrition and healing, Mehta was fascinated by the “puzzles” of pediatric gastroenterology cases. Her passion led her from a pediatric residency to a competitive fellowship, where she found her place in a specialty that balances critical thinking with hands-on procedural care. “I loved the thrill of procedures and the ability to instantly fix a bleeding vessel or remove a polyp that was causing obstruction,” she says. Today, Mehta leads one of the region’s academic centers, a high-volume pediatric GI lab, equipped to handle a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal conditions and procedures. From inflammatory bowel disease and liver disorders to celiac disease, feeding disorders, and complex motility issues, the GI physicians team diagnoses and treats them all. In addition to routine GI procedures like Upper Endoscopy and Colonoscopy, the GI lab performs cutting-edge procedures such as Transnasal Endoscopy,  EndoFLIP, and video capsule endoscopy. These tools allow for precise, minimally invasive care under Mehta’s guidance.

READ MORE: Children's Hospital is only hospital in Inland Empire offering transnasal endoscopy without sedation

Leading Advanced Care for Children

Mehta’s role extends far beyond the procedure room. As lab director, she ensures patient safety, implements evidence-based clinical protocols, and leads efforts to innovate and improve outcomes. She mentors residents, nurses, and GI lab technicians in both the science and art of the field. “Our work is only possible because of the incredible collaboration between our physicians, nurses, GI lab technicians, dieticians, social workers, and support staff,” Mehta says. Despite juggling a demanding clinical and administrative load, Mehta finds daily fulfillment in her work. “Seeing kids with chronic GI conditions go from pain and poor growth to thriving is incredibly rewarding,” she says. “Those moments are what I live for.

To learn more about pediatric gastroenterology, visit online.