Meet Dr. Way

Dr. Denise Annie Way, MD, MS, F.A.A.F.P., is a board-certified family medicine doctor with 20 years of medical practice experience caring for patients. She is dedicated to providing high quality, patient centered, holistic care to each one of her patients regardless of race, religion, socio-economic status, gender identity, or sexuality. She has joined the direct primary care movement which makes health-care more affordable and accessible. She strives to be inclusive of all people and looks forward to caring for you and your family.

Dr. Way is originally from upstate New York and now resides with her family in Charlottesville, VA. When she applied to medical school, she had one goal: to be a family doctor that offered compassionate medical care to families. Earlier in her life, she was a professional dancer based in New York City and traveled the world. Though dance and art continue to be a large influence in her life, her love for science and medicine led her to cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, obtain her master’s degree in molecular and cell biology, and later attend medical school near her hometown at Albany Medical College. Dr. Way completed her residency at the University of Virginia Department of Family Medicine.

Knowing that prevention and lifestyle are key to good health and medical management, Dr. Way pursued and completed an integrative medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona. In addition, she is a certified yoga teacher and yoga therapist and incorporates these ideas to help patients improve their well-being when applicable. Regardless of her understanding of integrative approaches to medical practice, she is firmly grounded in her training to follow evidence-based medical principles and sticks to the hippocratic oath concept of “first do no harm.”

Recently, Dr. Way spent seven years on faculty at the University of Virginia department of family medicine where she was fortunate to have incredible colleagues. Many of her UVA colleagues have guided her into Direct Primary Care and she is thankful for their mentorship. At UVA she was a resident preceptor, lecturer, clinic director, assistant clerkship director, co-lead for the medical yoga therapy initiative, and founder of the UVA Cancer Survivorship Clinic.

When away from work she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves many performing and visual arts and you will find her at theater shows and museums. She is often happy reading historical fiction, and she has many hobbies such as singing, dancing, bird watching, zumba, gardening, yoga, travel, film, hiking, and swimming. She is married to husband and artist, Warren Craghead, and has two wonderful daughters, Violet and Ginger. She also has two chi-poo pups, Coco and Zip, who follow her around everywhere.