Nashville, Tenn. (TN Tribune)-Professional experience and insight gathered from years of practice often play a key role when a medical professional is preparing a treatment plan for a patient. In addition to writing prescriptions and recommending remedies, Dr. LaTonya Knott has incorporated her personal story as part of caring for her patients, making a point to let them know that where they’ve been does not inevitably determine where – or how far – they will go.
“Once I spend time with them and share my story – share where I’ve been – it can make a difference in their lives,” she said.
Dr. Knott grew up in Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA)’s CWA Plaza Apartments and Parkway Terrace. She looks back at her childhood with fond memories of the communities.
“I always had someone to go outside and play with, and all the parents looked out for all the kids,” she said.
Dr. Knott had her eyes set on practicing medicine from the time she was only 5 years old. She went to the emergency room at Nashville General Hospital with a suspected broken toe after swinging on a door frame. She recalls the calming presence of her doctor.
“I remember thinking, ‘I want to be like him,’” she said. “So that’s what I set out to do.”
Not only did Dr. Knott meet her goals – she exceeded them. Named valedictorian of her graduating class at Maplewood High School, she went on to graduate from both Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee State University with multiple degrees. After earning her medical degree in 2000 at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, she chose to return to Nashville to complete her residency at Meharry Medical College.
“I could have gone to any place, anywhere, but I chose Meharry,” Dr. Knott said. “I wanted to take care of the people who look like me.”
“I could have gone to any place, anywhere, but I chose Meharry,” Dr. Knott said. “I wanted to take care of the people who look like me.”
Upon finishing her training, Dr. Knott was hired as a physician at the United Neighborhood Health Services Southside Clinic, now named Neighborhood Health, located within walking distance of MDHA’s Napier Place and Sudekum Apartments. There she helped oversee daily operations at the facility and provided comprehensive care for families in communities similar to the one she grew up in.
“Our clinic was a place for kids to go,” Dr. Knott recalled. “They knew they could come in the clinic and get anything they needed, not just medical care.”
In 2016, Dr. Knott was hired as an internal medicine and women’s health physician supervisor and provider at the Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley health care clinic in Nashville where she cares for those who have served our country. She continues to give back to MDHA communities by volunteering countless hours of personal time to philanthropic endeavors through her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. She is also passionate about teaching women’s health topics to teens and being a resource for them.
“I’ve been there,” Dr. Knott said. “I want to be the person that young women can ask any questions of if they don’t feel like they have anyone else in their lives to ask.”
Additionally, she has worked with MDHA staff to encourage residents to pursue professions in the medical field, even providing financial support to those participating in practical nursing programs.
“The whole goal was to change the trajectory of their lives,” Dr. Knott said. “I like to give if I have the means. Never give to your detriment, but if you’re able, it always comes back.”
While proud of her field, Dr. Knott advises that one doesn’t have to be a doctor to make a difference in someone’s life and help them achieve success. It just comes down to having a good listening ear, treating people with respect and, ultimately, caring.
“How often do people hear, ‘You can be this, you can do this?’” she said. “I want to be the person they hear that encouragement from.”
“How often do people hear, ‘You can be this, you can do this?’” she said. “I want to be the person they hear that encouragement from.”