COMING HOME: Mississippi native McKinney joins Merit Health as pediatrician

Published 10:21 am Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Merit Health Medical Group has added a pediatrician to its staff.

Dr. Lauren McKinney, DO, will treat children from birth through 18 years of age, while also striving to answer questions, provide education and give reassurance and encouragement to patients and parents, she said.

After receiving her medical degree from Lincoln Memorial University Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee, McKinney went on to complete her residency at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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McKinney is a native of Cleveland and said she wanted to come back to her home state to practice medicine.

“I’m a farmer’s daughter and grew up on the farm,” McKinney said, “and I came back to the Delta after residency because I love the land and the people here.”

Deciding on becoming a pediatrician was an easy decision, McKinney said.

“I became a pediatrician because I have a love for children. It started with my nieces and nephews. I love helping children to feel better,” she said.

When asked if there was one health care concern for children she would convey to parents, her response was to focus on preventative care.

“Annual wellness checks are important to try to foresee any issues that may arise in the future, and vaccination helps to protect our kids from dangerous illnesses,” McKinney said.

As a doctor with the Merit Health Medical Group, McKinney’s services will include newborn, pediatric and adolescent wellness visits; physical exams including school, camp and sports physicals;
immunizations; common illnesses including cold, cough, flu and sore throat; acute and chronic pediatric illnesses; and pediatric inpatient treatment.

McKinney sees patients at the pediatric clinic on the first floor of Merit Health River Region located at 2100 Highway 61 North.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 601-883-6001.

Same day appointments are often available.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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