Ryan Canter, MD
I am a current second year combined adult/pediatric endocrinology fellow at the University of Utah. Originally from the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, I attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland for college, and studied history, with a focus on the history of medicine. I was fascinated by the evolution of the physician-patient relationship throughout time, trying to understand how we came to our modern medical system. This drew me to explore opportunities in clinical medicine. In 2019, I graduated with my medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, where I spent time outside of the classroom working to connect our medical school with the greater Norfolk, VA community. In 2023, I completed my medical residency in combined internal medicine/pediatrics at the University of Utah.
During residency, I loved my time during endocrinology rotations, and appreciated the deep, caring relationship that the endocrinology providers developed with their patients. I recognized that the transition period between pediatric and adult care can be a challenging time for patients and providers alike, and this pulled me towards pursuing further training in endocrinology, with a focus on the transition period for patients with type 1 diabetes. Multiple endocrinologists have been influential in my decision to pursue this career, including Dr. Vana Raman, Dr. Kathleen Timme, Dr. Deepika Reddy, and Dr. Marie Couldwell.
During fellowship, I have gained further insight into the challenges of the transition period. Dr. Allison Smego has been instrumental in helping me develop quality improvement leadership skills, and we are actively creating a more streamlined and thorough transition process for our patients leaving the pediatric diabetes clinic and entering the world of adult diabetes care. My current research is centered around investigating differences in the transition period between rural and urban emerging adults living with type 1 diabetes in Utah. Nothing excites me more than seeing a patient living their life to the fullest, and I look forward to how we continue to support patients in the future!