Dr. Lucia Cotten, who currently treats patients in the Athens area for chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and thyroid disease, has a long-standing connection to the local community. Cotten first came to Athens as an undergraduate at the University of Georgia (UGA), where she studied chemistry and minored in Spanish. During her time as a student, she volunteered with several local care providers.
After graduating in 2013, Cotten chose to further her education at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus. “I wanted to stay in Athens. I loved Athens and the AU/UGA Medical Partnership’s case-based learning curriculum,” Cotten said. “Then, I had a great experience in medical school and was happy to come back to practice.”
While at the Medical Partnership, Cotten served as community service chair, conducted health screenings at the Salvation Army, and completed rotations with St. Mary’s Trinity Health.
Shelley Nuss, founding dean of UGA School of Medicine and campus dean for the AU/UGA Medical Partnership, stated: “The Medical Partnership has strived to cultivate talented leaders in health care who practice a love of medicine with a humanistic touch. Dr. Cotten is an excellent example of the quality physician we produce here in Athens, and she will be making an impact on the health care in our community for years to come.”
Cotten’s clinical experience deepened during her studies as she discovered that building long-term relationships with patients was her preferred aspect of medicine.
Dr. Molly Bond, a faculty member at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership who taught Cotten in medical school, said: “When she worked with patients, she was thoughtful about how a single symptom or condition impacted their overall health. I’m excited to see students like Luci return to Athens to care for our community.”
Cotten continued her training with a residency in internal medicine at Emory University and then completed a fellowship in endocrinology at Duke University. She returned to Athens in 2023 as a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine and endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. Additionally, she is certified as a Spanish language medical interpreter and joined St. Mary’s Medical Group’s Endocrine Specialists of Athens.
Beyond her professional work, Cotten is active within the community alongside her husband by attending local sports events and concerts. She also contributes to clinical education by hosting medical students from the AU/UGA Medical Partnership during their third-year rotations.
Looking ahead to UGA’s planned School of Medicine, Cotten remarked: “Across Georgia there has only been one public medical school that offers in-state tuition, and the UGA School of Medicine will give students more options. It also lets us tailor the school to the needs of our community and our students.”
Nuss emphasized that physicians like Cotten are vital for educating future doctors: “Medical schools cannot exist without dedicated community faculty members such as Dr. Cotten. Their tireless efforts allow students to get hands-on clinical experience and assist them in solidifying a passion for their future specialty,” Nuss said. “Having Dr. Cotten return to her alma mater as one of our community faculty members is a rewarding result from a successful career that started right here at the Medical Partnership.”
