Well, how did you end up in Newberry?

Almost all of my visits end with the same question from my patient.

“Are you from Newberry?”

“No, but I’m from South Carolina. I grew up in Walterboro.”

“Are you still in medical school?”

“No, I graduated from residency in Massachusetts in June.”

“Well, how did you end up in Newberry?”

Excellent question. I spent my entire adult life in Charleston until moving to Massachusetts. Having four seasons and being close to Boston was nice, but my wife and I were ready to be back with our family. So why not go back to Charleston, or at least Walterboro?

Because there’s something special going on here in Newberry County. Family medicine is all about variety, and what you get to do depends on where you set up shop. As for me, I wanted to do everything, take care of kids, help grandparents with their high blood pressure, and deliver babies. I wanted to be able to take care of my patients in the office and the hospital. I wanted to be like Dr. Oscar Lovelace, who spoke to my class in medical school and helped me realize that family medicine was for me. Well, the only places you’re going to do all of that in South Carolina are with the residency programs at MUSC or Prisma, or in Prosperity at Lovelace Family Medicine. Let me say that again. What we have going on here in Newberry County can only be found at the largest hospitals in the state.

The care at Lovelace Family Medicine is so unique that some folks call us unicorns. I’d agree with that. It’s not common to have a doctor’s office where we do our own blood tests, all of your pregnancy ultrasounds, and then take care of you in the hospital. It’s not common to have a team filled with people that honestly love their job and give it their all. But what else would you expect from a place where the mission is to provide compassionate, quality care to the glory of God?

I always dreamed of taking care of hard working people in a small town, and to do it just as well (even better) than what they’d get driving to the big cities. I wanted to take care of people that remind me of my family and friends. I wanted to show the love of Christ in how I take care of others. Believe it or not, I found it all in Newberry County, aka Unicorn Country.

Some of you are already Lovelace patients, and maybe you asked me how in the world I found Newberry. Some of you may be searching for folks that will listen to you, explain what’s going on, and be with you through it all. Either way, I’d love to see you down at the office and I know the rest of the team will, too. Check us out at https://lovelacefamilymedicine.com/ or call us at 803-364-4852. We can’t wait to be your doctors for life.

Dr. Lance Braye, MD, MPH is a family medicine physician who practices in Prosperity. He grew up in Walterboro and attended Colleton County High School where he participated in band, football and track. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, before attending the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). While at MUSC, he took a year away from medical school to earn his Masters in Public Health in Health Behaviors and Health Promotion. After graduating from MUSC, he completed his residency in family medicine at Lawrence Family Medicine Residency in Lawrence, Mass. with a concentration in Health Systems Leadership. Professionally, Dr. Braye is interested in finding ways to improve the health system for all, addiction treatment, and nutrition. Personally, he loves sports, gardening, cooking, and spending time with his wife, Paris and their cat, Obi.