Lauren B. Carter, MD

“My goal is to provide answers for my patients and their families. People can go a long time before they receive a genetic diagnosis, and the process can be very emotionally taxing. I strive to educate families and their child’s other medical providers to ensure we have a team of people who are empowered to provide the best possible care for their child. Finding an answer opens the door to opportunities for treatment and allows families to connect for additional support.”

Dr. Carter is board certified in pediatrics and medical genetics. She specializes in evaluating pediatric patients for genetic conditions and has a particular interest in children with birth defects.

She is involved in the multidisciplinary Atrium Health Children’s Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic, managing children with known genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome, and diagnosing people with very rare diseases. She also evaluates adults for genetic conditions, including assisting in genetic testing recommendations for prenatal cases.

She is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Specialty Center - Medical Genetics.

Dr. Carter received the Abbott Nutrition Subspecialty Research Award from the Western Society for Pediatric Research and the Henry Christian Award from the American Federation for Medical Research.

She loves taking care of children and forming a bond with the entire family. During her pediatrics training, she was drawn to children with complex medical needs and undiagnosed diseases, which led her to medical genetics.

Her current work focuses on quality improvement of genetic testing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Her prior research has focused on children with 1p36 deletion syndrome, a genetic disorder. 

She received her medical degree at Florida State University and completed residencies at Stanford University and Wake Forest University.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, playing with their dog and trying new restaurants.