Unimaginable By Laura Lintner

By Dr. Laura (Jarvis ‘06) Lintner 

When I arrived at Houghton, biology was my field of choice, but I had little direction beyond that. I certainly didn’t imagine working as an Associate Professor, with my days full of not just patient care, but teaching medical students, residents and fellows. I didn’t imagine that I’d go to Kenya, building friendships and schools, and providing healthcare for their runners. I didn’t imagine that it would be possible to have a career as well as be a wife, mother and friend.

Deep friendships, strong mentors and meaningful solitude mark my time at Houghton. The girls of Hazlett 34, now lifelong friends, held an MCAT party for me. They dressed up like cats and performed a hilarious, yet strangely encouraging, original poem. I don’t think I would’ve made it without them. Looking back on the classroom, I was blessed to learn from some of the most vibrant professors. Dr. Aaron Sullivan taught me about patience and simplicity. Dr. Larry Christensen opened each organic chemistry class with a pithy saying or a short story, bringing joy to learning. Professor Sunshine Leonard ’01 always reminded us that our worth was not in our grades. Dr. Cathy Freytag generously welcomed me into her life as a friend. It was also during these four years that I found a “frenemy” in distance running. During the volleyball off-season, I’d spend countless hours running the shoulders of Route 19 or dizzying laps around the old suspended track. Usually I ran by myself, with only my prayers and thoughts. Through these miles, The Lord revealed His faithfulness to me by, not only setting a clear career path before me, but by safely getting me through literal Western New York blizzards.

Escaping that winter weather, I went to Florida for medical school then onto North Carolina for residency. I knew Wake Forest Family Medicine was the place when I found some of the brightest and most content physicians. After completing my family medicine residency, sports medicine seemed a natural fit. My dad’s career was in professional sports (not to mention my mom, Linda (Clow ’76) Jarvis, and brother, Landry Jarvis ’10, were both Houghton athletes), so my childhood was full of practices, games, and injuries. Plus, my osteopathic education set a strong foundation for musculoskeletal medicine.

During my fellowship year, I was introduced to Running the Race (RTR), a missions organization with a goal of sharing the love of Jesus while providing care to local Kenyan athletes. My first trip with RTR, five years later, changed my life. I fell in love with the people of Kenya, as my eyes were opened to how big our God is. Now, I get to return year after year, bringing along residents and fellows, introducing them to my friends across the world and helping to establish sports medicine care in the “Home of Champions.”

I never could’ve imagined a job where I meet patients in their most vulnerable state of pain. If they are willing, I get to pray with them and that is a great privilege. I never could’ve imagined a life in Kenya where I work with some of the best runners in the world. I never could’ve imagined the chance to meet new residents and fellows each year; teaching and learning from each other. All of this with an amazing husband, 3 beautiful wild children, countless friends and a supportive community. It’s more exhausting and more extravagant than I could have dreamed. Nothing is perfect on this side of heaven, neither my life nor Houghton, but God faithfully works in the broken places. I’m beyond grateful to the Lord for these friends and mentors (many unmentioned) and the many miles. I’m thankful that Houghton is a willing vessel for His ways that are higher than ours.

Laura (Jarvis ‘06) Lintner, D.O., is a doctor of sports medicine and family medicine with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Family Medicine and an associate professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, both in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She holds a bachelor of science in biology from Houghton University and a doctor of osteopathy from Nova Southeastern University (Davie, Florida).