Athens physician established local connection as Franklin undergrad

Chemistry major and Spanish minor Luci Cotten developed her love for Athens alongside her medical expertise. Now an internist with St. Mary's Medical Group, Dr. Lucia Cotten spends her days helping patients from the Athens area manage chronic medical conditions including diabetes, osteoporosis and thyroid disease.

Her journey to medical school and beyond – a dream for so many – began with the combination of learning and campus community experience that makes a UGA Franklin education so enduring:

Cotten’s support for those in her care is only enhanced by her love for Athens and her deep connections to the local community. She arrived in town as a University of Georgia undergraduate student and quickly got involved. While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a minor in Spanish, Cotten volunteered with several local care providers.

After completing her degree in 2013, she chose to continue her education at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership based 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.”

As a student, Cotten served as the AU/UGA Medical Partnership’s community service chair, conducted health screenings at the Salvation Army and completed rotations with St. Mary’s Trinity Health.

Throughout her time as a student, Cotten gained both medical experience and a deeper understanding of the type of work that she enjoys best — building long-term relationships with her patients.

“I taught Dr. Cotten in medical school, and she was a hardworking student who cared deeply about medicine,” said Dr. Molly Bond, an AU/UGA Medical Partnership faculty member. “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 went on to pursue advanced medical training, completing residency training in internal medicine at Emory University followed by fellowship training in endocrinology at Duke University. She returned to Athens in 2023 as a physician who is board-certified in internal medicine and in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She also is a certified Spanish language medical interpreter. She joined St. Mary’s Medical Group to practice with Endocrine Specialists of Athens.

Continue reading about this Franklin alumna making a difference in or community.

Image: Dr. Lucia Cotten (Photo by Chamberlain Smith/UGA)