Alumna Spotlight: Dr. Carolyn Matthews '73

5/6/2026

Communications Department

Dr. Carolyn Matthews is a distinguished physician whose career has spanned over three decades, marked by a deep commitment to gynecologic oncology and a pioneering approach to integrative medicine. A proud alumna of Highland School in Warrenton, Virginia, Dr. Matthews has consistently bridged the gap between high-tech surgical intervention and holistic patient wellness.

Dr. Matthews’ connection to Highland was both academic and personal; her mother served the community as a beloved 4th-grade teacher at the school. This environment of educator-led values clearly left a mark. After attending Highland for her 7th and 8th-grade years, she went on to achieve elite academic honors, serving as the Valedictorian of her high school class before graduating Magna Cum Laude from Williams College.

At Williams, Carolyn balanced her intellectual pursuits as an English major with the physical rigors of being a competitive varsity rower. She eventually earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia (VCU), followed by a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a prestigious fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Matthews joined the faculty at Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC) in Dallas in 1991, where she spent the next 31 years as a leader in her field. Her contributions to the institution were vast, including:

Director of the Residency Program: She led the OB/GYN residency program from 1993 to 1999, shaping the next generation of physicians.
Integrative Medicine Pioneer: In 2010, she became the Director of the Integrative and Functional Medicine Center at Baylor Scott & White. She was the first to lead such a hospital-based center in North Texas, focusing on how nutrition, sleep, and exercise optimize health during cancer treatment.
Medical Leadership: She served as the Medical Staff President and the Cancer Center QA Director, earning a reputation for clinical excellence.

Dr. Matthews is known for her "whole-person" philosophy, holding board certifications in Gynecologic Oncology, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and Integrative Medicine. She often emphasizes that while medical records are vital, the patient is the "ultimate decision-maker" in their care.

Outside of the hospital, she remains connected to her rural Virginia roots. She and her husband manage a family farm in Hume, Virginia, where they raise purebred, grass-fed Red Devon cattle. Following her retirement from Baylor in 2022, she returned to Virginia to continue her practice with UVA Health, serving the community near her original childhood home.

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