From Great-Grandparents to Grandchildren: Four Generations Find Care at PMA–Smiths Station
January 21, 2026
For one local family, Primary Medicine Associates – Smiths Station isn’t just a clinic. It’s a trusted partner in health care for four generations.
Located just off Highway 280, PMA-Smiths Station offers comprehensive primary care for patients of all ages. Leading the team is Samantha Lawson, D.O., a board-certified family physician and Smiths Station native.
“Being able to provide quality health care to the community I grew up in is incredibly rewarding,” Lawson said.
That commitment drew Clayton and Janice, the family’s great-grandparents, to PMA about six months after the clinic opened.
“Clayton and I were looking for a new general practitioner, and Dr. Lawson was recommended by a friend,” Janice said. “The staff cares about their patients and can tell an emergency when they see one.”
Their daughter, Candy, became a patient at the clinic after seeing the care her parents received.
“I started going with my parents to their appointments and was amazed by the personalized level of care Dr. Lawson and staff showed,” Candy said. “When I’m at the office—either with my parents, my grandson or for myself—I’m treated as a person, not a number.”
Caitlyn, Candy’s daughter, became a patient in 2023 after hearing positive reviews.
“Every single interaction is positive,” Caitlyn said. “Dr. Lawson and the entire staff genuinely care about their patients and always ask about the others in the family when seeing one of us.”
Even the youngest generation is part of the PMA family. Everett, Caitlyn’s son, has been a patient since birth in March 2025.
For Candy, that continuity brings peace of mind.
“Knowing that Dr. Lawson and staff have the family medical history from my side of the family is a comfort to me for the care of my child and grandchild,” she said.
Caitlyn agrees, stating, “It means a lot to have multiple generations under the care of PMA. I have complete confidence in the quality of care we will receive for many years to come.”
Primary Medicine Associates – Smiths Station is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care for families across the community. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit the PMA-Smiths Station page or call 334-528-3662.
-###-
About East Alabama Health
East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 316-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.
