A native of Nashville, TN, Dr. John C. Canon received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences in Memphis in 1982, and performed his internship and residency at bowman Gray School of Medicine at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. N.C.

He has worked in urgent care and emergency departments since 1985, most of it in Western North Carolina in both small and large hospitals from Murphy to North Wilkesboro. His career in emergency medicine has included working for several emergency room management companies. From 1988 to 1995 he practiced in Brevard as part of Brevard Family Practice  He currently works as an independent physician contractor in emergency medicine at Wilkes Regional Medical Center, Haywood Regional Medical Center and Pardee Urgent Care Center in addition to Highlands-Cashiers Hospital.

He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the NC Academy of Family Practice, the NC College of Emergency Physicians, and a past member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

He is board certified in both family practice and addiction medicine.