Corrections_Today_Spring_2025_Vol.87_No.1

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Lannette Linthicum’s incredible journey Famed medical innovator discusses her path to success By Kirk Raymond I had no idea I would ever end up in correctional medicine.” Yet Lannette Linthicum did

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and her incredible journey from inner city Baltimore to becoming the first medical doctor ever be the President of the American Correc tional Association is a marvel. Linthicum grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Baltimore City Public Schools and was influ enced by a school counselor who took an interest in the self-described “bookworm.” This led her to spending her 12 th grade year studying in France, living with a French family and studying in French, which deeply impacted her. “I can still recite the Lord’s Prayer in French,” she recalled. After returning to the U.S., she graduated from Smith Col lege, where she majored in French literature and language. A biol ogy course in college sparked her interest in medicine, leading her to double major in French and biochemistry. She faced a dilemma about studying abroad again but ulti mately decided to pursue pre-med at their mother’s request. She attended the University of Maryland School of Medicine,

“It’s been my mission and my ministry always from the very beginning wanting to serve an underserved population.”

Photo courtesy Lannette Linthicum; Background: Adobe Stock

A twist of fate

supported by a National Health Service Corps scholarship. This scholarship required her to serve in a health professional shortage area after graduation.

After she completed her resi dency in internal medicine in 1986, she thought she would be placed

Corrections Today | Spring 2025

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