Michael Lay, MD

Hello, my name is Michael Lay. I was born and raised in South Central Illinois. I grew up with five siblings, in a small town where I enjoyed playing basketball, golf, and baseball. I followed in my dad's footsteps and attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, majoring in Physiology. Throughout undergrad, I got involved with mentoring students with disabilities as well as partnering with St. Jude for fundraising events on campus.

Growing up in a town with few physicians helped spark my interest to give back to a small community in the future. When it came time for medical school, I chose to go to the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford to participate in their Rural Medical Education Program to receive additional training in caring for smaller communities, which is also where I met my wife. I am excited to continue with my training at CoxHealth and become the best family physician I can be.

In my free time, I enjoy golfing, hiking, running, spending time with family and friends, managing a fantasy football team every fall, and watching March Madness every spring. My wife and I have a rescue dog we enjoy spending time with as well.