General Info

Dr. Lela Dougherty originally grew up in Massachusetts while her father was in the Navy. She later moved to West Virginia. During her time in the state, she went on to study biology at Fairmont State College, as well as receive her MD at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. She later moved to Pittsburgh to complete her training at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital. Following that, she went on to practice medicine at a large health system in Pittsburgh for 9 years. Increasingly frustrated with the lack of transparency and the short time available to spend with patients, she left to open a DPC. In addition to working in a DPC practice, Dr. Dougherty started studying Lifestyle Medicine in September of 2018. This line of study emphasizes intensive lifestyle change over medications for certain diseases. She supports the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet, as well as regular physical activity. Patients who meet with Dr. Dougherty are invited to discuss their care in regards to Lifestyle Medicine. You can also visit her Lifestyle Medicine site and blog here. Dr. Dougherty now lives in Hampton with her husband, Joe, and two young sons.