Friday, October 09, 2009
Doctor returns home with Daleville practice
Dr. Lianna Lawson
Priscilla Richardson is columnist The Botetourt View. You can contact her at 981-3430 or via e-mail.
Priscilla Richardson
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Passionate. Dr. Lianna Lawson uses that word to describe herself and her love of general family medicine and her patients. Having just opened her Daleville practice in the shopping center across from Lord Botetourt High School, she now has returned to her childhood home.
Ah yes, you recognized the name. Her mother, the late Geraldine Lawson, founder of Attic Theater, made sure she and her two brothers grew up surrounded with music. "My brothers and I did sing. We had a gospel trio and played instruments. I was four when I was in my first competition for piano on stage." Although her mother was keen on their all acting, after a few plays in high school she told her daughter "it's good you want to be a doctor, not be an actor." So she became the supportive behind-the-scenes child after that.
Dr. Lawson knew early on that she wanted a career in medicine. "Even as a child, if my brothers had a toy or stuffed animal cut or torn, I tried to fix it. I couldn't stand to see a teddy bear with a rip in it. When I went into medicine I knew I wanted to be a family doctor." So she spent time as hospital Candy Striper and volunteer at the Daleville Carilion clinic.
There she was exposed to a resident who went to osteopathic school in West Virginia, the one she would later attend. "I was so amazed at his compassion. He would learn names and put his hand on their back or just touch them." This contrasted with the air of arrogance some of the others displayed. "You would think they were seeing someone with leprosy." Out of this has come her instructions to student physician assistants and nurse practitioners. "I tell them they are no better than anyone else. I want them to have compassion."
Because of some lingering prejudice against osteopathic medicine despite its emphasis on healing mind, body and spirit, Dr. Lawson did an M.D. residency. "I take M.D. boards. I do that because I'm a kind of rebel. I'm a D.O. but I can pass M.D. boards. It gave me legitimacy."
With all this, Dr. Lawson decided to add aesthetics to her medical tool kit. This covers things like Botox injections for facial wrinkles and laser treatments for brown spots and sun damage. "A big reason: I have a large female patient population and 98 percent of aesthetic treatments are obtained by women. They would say, 'you can give a steroid injection but you cannot stick Botox in my face?'"
So she took several courses and finds it very enjoyable, a nice combination with family practice. "I like for people to feel good so why not help them to look good." Plus she wanted to offer something in Botetourt that's not currently available here.
And speaking of looks, how does the slim doctor, 40, stay that way? "I get up at 5:15 and jog for thirty minutes six days a week. I told you I'm hyper. I stay on a low fat, low sugar, high fiber diet, plenty of fruits and vegetables and just one cup of coffee in the morning. That's the way I was raised. If I'm going to tell my patients to do things I try to do them myself."
The doctor's two children are home schooled. Her father, Rodney Lawson, a retired electrical engineer, monitors her son's work. Her daughter works on her classes at the clinic. So Dr. Lawson can concentrate on her passion: making her practice a welcoming place.
Her prescription for all? "Laughter is the best medicine."
