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With flu season just around the corner, Dr. Jesse Samuel and Dr. Jeffrey Lawrence are ready to tackle all of the symptoms that might plague the students of Oklahoma Christian University.
Lawrence and Samuel are beginning their fourth year in the Family Medicine practice.
“My mom was a nurse, so I was always around healthcare,” Samuel said. “We went to India the summer after I graduated high school and I just saw a lot of people suffering for no reason. For example, my uncle ended up dying while we were there because of a procedure that could’ve been done that’s very simple here, but not there at the time. And so I decided I would try to help people through medicine.”
Samuel earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Central Oklahoma and his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Lawrence discovered his call into family medicine while attending Oklahoma Christian.
“I went to college undeclared and didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Lawrence said. “My dad had been a doctor, so I kind of wanted to do something else so I didn’t seem like I was just copying him. Eventually, I just decided that I wanted to work with people and have an impact on their lives. I felt like I could do that with a stronger influence for Christ as a doctor.”
Lawrence is an Oklahoma Christian alumnus, earning his bachelor’s degree in biology before going on to earn his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
“I was in the science program [at Oklahoma Christian] … and I felt really prepared when I started medical school,” Lawrence said. “Retaking anatomy was kind of like a review for me because I had already gone through cadaver anatomy [at Oklahoma Christian] with Dr. Miller. It really prepared me for medical school, but it also prepared me for the rest of my life.”
After graduating from medical school, Lawrence and Samuel were able to continue their medical paths together.
“Technically, you’re a doctor after medical school,” Lawrence said. “We graduated medical school in 2010 and both went to residency, which was three years, at Saint Anthony hospital. And then we started up here in July.”
Following residency, Lawrence and Samuel both stayed in Edmond with the Mercy Clinic.
“I really liked that Mercy was a faith-based organization, so that was one of the main things,” Lawrence said. “Secondly was the location. I’ve been in the Edmond area since high school and I go to church here in Edmond. So I really wanted to remain in this community. I felt like Mercy had a strong presence and good reputation in the community.”
Similarly, Samuel wanted to stay in Edmond to practice family medicine.
“I lived here in Edmond and went to high school and college here,” Samuel said. “Mercy has a very good reputation in the community for having high-quality doctors and providing good medical care. So that was part of it, along with the Christian aspect. I think a lot of the big healthcare facilities – Saint Anthony’s, Integris and Mercy – are all pretty faith-based. It seemed like a lot of doctors that I knew at Mercy were Christians and I liked that.”
Mercy Clinic opened a permanent location, called Mercy Clinic at OC, on the Oklahoma Christian University campus earlier this year to serve the medical needs of the students in a convenient and easily accessible location.
“We’re thankful to be here and we’re thankful to OC for letting us be here,” Lawrence said. “Also, to Mercy for finding us such a nice clinic for us to practice in when it was kind of a last-minute type of thing.”
After the Mercy Clinic on I-35 was struck by a tornado in May, Samuel and Lawrence joined the Mercy Clinic at OC to serve the students and surrounding community.
“I think us being teamed up with Oklahoma Christian is a great opportunity, not only for us, but for the students to have practicing doctors that are available for them pretty much all the time,” Samuel said. “We can talk to them about preventative healthcare to help them know for the future and prevent major illnesses.”
As word of mouth brings new patients, Mercy Clinic at OC is getting good reviews around campus.
“About a week ago, I really wasn’t feeling all that great … and could tell that I wasn’t getting any better on my own,” sophomore Kirby Allen said. “That was when I decided that I should see a doctor, and the Mercy Clinic on campus was just the most convenient for me and my schedule.”
Mercy Clinic at OC is located next to the Jimmy John’s on East Memorial and walk-ins are always welcome Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“With such a great first experience like this, I would go back to the Mercy Clinic on campus to be treated for any illnesses,” Allen said. “It is truly a blessing to have this clinic and its amazing staff on our campus.”
Like all the staff at Oklahoma Christian, Lawrence and Samuel have the students’ best interest in mind.
“We want students to know that we’re available to them and to know that they’ll have complete patient confidentiality when they come here,” Lawrence said. “Our main goal is always to provide excellent care so we’ll try to go above and beyond to make sure they’re accommodated and that they get proper treatment.”
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