Family medicine lets him ‘do it all’ and expand patient access

As a student, Barning was elected national exchange officer for the Federation of Ghana Medical Students Association, serving as the organization’s liaison to the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). The role expanded his world, connecting him with student leaders across the globe through international conferences.

“At my first IFMSA conference in Kopaonik, Serbia, I signed one of the largest exchange agreements between Ghanaian medical students and medical students across Europe and North America,” he said. “Our tropical medicine experience was exceptional, and the expeditions my committee organized made Ghana a sought-after exchange site.”

Shortly after his term ended, a group of American medical students arrived at his teaching hospital in Kumasi to conduct sickle‑cell research funded by an NIH grant. Among them was the woman who would later become his wife.

Doing it all in family medicine

After graduating in 2004, Barning completed a two-year rotating internship in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, and surgery. When he later moved to the United States to join his wife, choosing a residency specialty proved challenging.

“I had been trained across four specialties and enjoyed all of them,” he said.

His wife, Maame Aba Coleman, MD, EdM, now an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, helped him see the common thread.

“She told me, ‘You enjoy procedures, you enjoy talking to patients, you love caring for society’s most vulnerable and you like seeing kids,’” he said. “I realized I wanted to do it all. That was family medicine.”

Childhood inspiration led to medical career

Long before he knew family medicine existed, Barning knew he wanted to be a doctor. As a child, he spent afternoons accompanying his grandmother to her monthly appointments for congestive heart failure.

“Even though it was a child’s mindset, I thought that if I became a doctor, my grandmother wouldn’t have to spend so much time in clinics and pharmacies,” he said. “That desire to help her never left me.”

Years later, that memory guided a pivotal career decision. After residency, he was offered two positions: a higher-paying private practice focused on cosmetic procedures, or a primary care role caring for underserved communities. He chose the latter, guided by the same values that had influenced his career choice.

“I asked myself, ‘What would have happened to my grandma if her doctor hadn’t been there for her?’” he said. “I knew I wanted to give back in the same way. The best way to do that is to teach learners the importance of primary care and prevention, and serve communities that need it most.”

The son of two teachers, Barning embraced medical education early. He now serves as an associate professor and associate clerkship director at Baylor.

“Teaching is one of my passions,” he said. “We strengthen our own understanding when we teach others.”

Expanding access to care

Since 2018, Barning has also been the medical director for four Harris Health Same Day Clinics affiliated with Baylor. Under his leadership, the clinics expanded their scope to include procedures.

“I realized some patients were waiting in emergency rooms for hours just to have a laceration repaired,” he said. “I’d already been doing procedures in my previous clinic. Transitioning those services into our Same Day Clinics helps decompress our ERs and provides timely care for patients.”

Though currently designated as Same Day Clinics due to limited on-site diagnostics, all are moving toward full urgent‑care status, he said.

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