Raquel Harrison has lived in New Canaan for 11.5 years with her husband, Scott, who grew up in New Canaan, is a New Canaan High School alumnus, and works and volunteers locally. They have three daughters in the New Canaan schools, with one at South School and two at Saxe Middle School.
Dr. Harrison is the daughter of Cuban refugees and was born and raised in Southern California. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College, and completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
She is a physician with experience spanning emergency medicine, academic medicine, and lifestyle medicine. Dr. Harrison served for five years in academic medicine as an Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine and Assistant Residency Program Director, where she helped lead the transition of first-year residents from a traditional education model to an adult learning model, with a focus on evaluation and feedback. She also worked for five years part-time in Emergency Medicine at Bridgeport Hospital, including on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, Dr. Harrison’s clinical work focuses on Lifestyle Medicine. She holds a second board certification in Lifestyle Medicine, emphasizing prevention and disease reversal through nutrition, sleep, exercise, social connection, stress reduction, and avoiding risk behaviors. She is also active with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
In New Canaan, Dr. Harrison has been an active volunteer in the schools and town sports. She is a former New Canaan High School girls basketball coach, having served as JV Head Coach and Varsity Assistant Coach. She also served for two years on the Health and Human Services Commission, co-founded New Canaan Unplugged, and has lectured on Lifestyle Medicine at the New Canaan Library and for New Canaan Cares.