Twin Doctors Commit To Rural Healthcare In WNC Amid Provider Shortage

(ABC News 13, Neydja Petithomme) — The shortage of medical providers in rural Western North Carolina has been a long-standing challenge.

At least 34 physicians, dentists, and pharmacists plan to remain in Western North Carolina after completing their residency or fellowship training, according to the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)

Among them are Dr. Kaydie Murphy and Dr. Krystie Murphy, a pair of identical twin sisters from Colorado who have completed their three-year residencies in internal medicine.

They decided to stay in the WNC area to practice hospital medicine.

“We grew up in a rural community ourselves and are outside of town, away from medical hospitals, primary care provider hospitals and we saw the kind of deficit it does to a community,” said Kaydie Murphy. “We are one of three residents who signed a contract where we not only work at Mission Hospital but the rural associated hospitals as well, so we’ll be able to impact those communities as well.”

The sisters began their internal medicine residencies at MAHEC in 2022 after earning their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees.

“Depending on the staffing needs is where we will be sent and right now, it’s looking like McDowell might need that,” said Kaydie, “We’ve been told at this point somewhere between 50% and 75% at Mission Hospital and the rest of that will be in the outlying communities, as they need us. On every other week basis, every few weeks, we will be in those communities.”

Krystie said the sisters plan to start their hospitalist position at the end of September. They will join 134 continuing trainees already at various stages of their medical education.

Out of the 16 graduating doctors specializing in internal medicine, 10 of them have decided to stay in Western North Carolina, including Kaydie and Krystie.

The ceremony was held at MAHEC’s educational building on Hendersonville Road, Asheville, in the Blue Ridge classroom on Friday, June 13.