charon was born in providence, rhode island and credits her father, a physician serving the french-canadian population there, as her inspiration to go into medicine. she graduated with a b.a. in biology and child education from the experimental college of fordham university in 1970, and after working as a teacher and peace activist, attended harvard medical school from 1974 to 1978, where she obtained her md degree. she completed her residency in internal medicine at the residency program in social medicine at the montefiore medical center in the bronx, new york.