Laura D. Rhaney, M.D., M.P.H.

Laura D. Rhaney, M.D., M.P.H., is a senior associate consultant in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She provides care through Executive Health and the Diagnostic Breast Clinic, with a focus on preventive medicine, lifestyle medicine, and whole-person health. Dr. Rhaney helps individuals optimize health, prevent and manage chronic disease, and maintain vitality, function, and independence throughout life.

Before joining Mayo Clinic, Dr. Rhaney served as a family medicine physician and medical director in the United States Air Force, where she developed a strong foundation in preventive care, chronic disease management, and leadership. She is board certified in family medicine, lifestyle medicine, and preventive medicine.

Areas of expertise

Dr. Rhaney partners with individuals to create personalized, evidence-based plans that address both prevention and management of chronic conditions. Her clinical interests include:

• Preventive care and health optimization: Comprehensive evaluations and personalized strategies to optimize wellbeing, reduce risk, and manage existing health concerns.
• Healthy aging and healthspan: Supporting vitality, independence, and function across the lifespan.
• Metabolic health: Prevention and management of obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and related conditions.
• Cardiovascular health: Prevention and management of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiometabolic conditions through lifestyle, nutrition, and evidence-based medical interventions.
• Breast health: Evaluation and management of benign and malignant breast conditions, breast cancer risk reduction, and survivorship care.
• Nutrition and lifestyle medicine: Evidence-based approaches for chronic disease prevention and management, including whole food plant-forward nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress resilience, and other lifestyle optimization strategies.
• Executive health: Personalized health optimization, comprehensive risk assessment, and management of existing and emerging health conditions.
• Cancer risk reduction: Evidence-based strategies to reduce cancer risk and support long-term health.

Research and professional highlights

Dr. Rhaney is passionate about education and helping patients and clinicians translate evidence into practical, sustainable health behaviors. She teaches medical students, residents, patients, employees, and community members on topics such as plant-forward nutrition, breast health, cancer risk reduction, and healthy aging. Her work includes national presentations on breast cancer survivorship, cancer risk reduction, and plant-forward nutrition.

Her training includes an M.D. from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, a fellowship in preventive medicine at Mayo Clinic, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Prior to Mayo Clinic, she served as a Major in the U.S. Air Force, where she earned honors including the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air and Space Commendation Medal.

Personal note

Dr. Rhaney's care philosophy is: "Meet people where they are, but don't leave them there. I partner with patients to identify practical, evidence-based opportunities that support not only better health today, but also the vitality, function, and independence needed to keep doing what matters most throughout life."

Outside of medicine, she enjoys time with her husband and two young boys, who inspire her to make healthy living fun and family friendly. She seeks out creative plant-forward cuisine and restaurants that make healthy eating both flavorful and celebratory, while helping shape communities and environments that make wellbeing more accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable.