Dr. Carlton Lawrence, Ryan Health’s newest pediatrician, brings both a global and local view to Ryan Health | Women and Children’s. He was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, and grew up in rural Maine before studying cultural anthropology and pre-medicine at Duke University in North Carolina.
He subsequently spent time
conducting health equity research in both Uganda and South Africa before
completing his Medical Degree and Master of Public Policy at Harvard
University. After his medical and policy studies, he moved to New York to
complete his pediatric residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, picking the city
because, as he says, “You can see the whole world in three blocks.”
Dr. Lawrence came to Ryan Health
after witnessing the organization’s commitment to reach those often left behind
by other healthcare spaces and their dedication to providing evidence-based,
equitable, and compassionate care to all. He hopes to bring his passion for
adolescent medicine and healthcare advocacy to deepen the organization’s
impact.
Too often, whether in South
Africa or here in New York City, Dr. Lawrence says, our patients feel
disrespected and disempowered by healthcare and medical professionals because
we fail to listen before we act.
“The patients know themselves
best, not us, he says. “It’s important to look inward in the medical field.
Ryan Health is doing that, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to be here,”
he says.
Dr. Lawrence’s policy training
taught him to partner with patients to think creatively together to solve their
health needs. “Medical problems are not always solved with a prescription,” he
says, and providers must work together with their patients and the broader
community to combat the larger systems that are too often the root causes of
our patients’ symptoms.
At Women and Children’s, Dr.
Lawrence sees patients daily and runs the weekly Teen Clinic. While teens can
come in any time, the Teen Clinic on Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. is a no-adult space. It’s for teens to come in for general care, reproductive and STI services, and mental health questions.
Despite being relatively new to
the city, Dr. Lawrence is loving being in a diverse space. He and his partner
enjoy the theater, Central Park, and, especially, brunch.
“You are never bored in New York
City,” he says.
