Artesian Valley Health System is pleased to welcome Melissa Whitney, PA-C, to our team of full-time providers. Melissa brings to AVHS her experience in rural and urban primary care, orthopedics, long term care, emergency medicine and seven years of experience specifically in cardiology. At AVHS, she’ll be providing services in Family Practice, Cardiac Care and Emergency Care.
Melissa is no stranger to Kansas, but she is a newcomer to life in a small town. Her husband, Tyson Whitney, is what brought her to Meade and AVHS. Tyson is a native of Fowler, KS, a small town just east of Meade. His parents, Judge Keith and Barb Whitney still reside in Fowler and remain heavily involved in the community.
Melissa started at AVHS the beginning of December and already feels like she’s part of the community. “Everyone has been really nice. I meet a lot of people who tell me they knew Tyson growing up,” said Melissa.
While settling in at AVHS, she’s enthusiastic about the quality of care and range of services offered at AVHS. “I see that there are a lot of specialty services readily available. We strive to meet everyone’s needs, whether that be helping them here, referring them to a specialist that comes here or directing them elsewhere to get the care that they need,” said Melissa.
As someone who has specialized in cardiac care, it’s no surprise that Melissa puts a whole lot of heart into her work. “The best part of my job is getting to know people and getting to see them get better,” said Melissa. “I’ve seen some dramatic and miraculous recoveries.”
The discovery of her passion for medicine came a bit later in life for Melissa. Even though her father is a doctor and her mother is a nurse, Melissa didn’t decide to attend PA school until her senior year at MidAmerica Nazarene University. After hours of observing and shadowing professionals during her undergraduate education, she decided to attend PA school at Wichita State. She now has years of professional experience under her belt.
“Professionally, I’m most proud for learning early on that it’s okay to ask for help,” said Melissa. “It’s important for any healthcare professional to know when to get a second opinion and learn from those around you.”
On a personal note, Melissa loves being a mom and is extremely proud of her young boys – Wesson, age 3, and Pierce, age 1. She used to be an avid soccer player and knows how to play the piano, still sneaking in some tunes here and there. Although Melissa is still adjusting to life in a small town, she says that the welcoming people here as well as the convenience of Amazon® Prime definitely help with the transition.
Melissa is currently seeing patients at the Meade and Plains Rural Health Clinics and Meade District Hospital. To schedule an appointment with Melissa, please call the Meade Clinic at (620) 873-2112 or the Plains Clinic at (620) 563-9313.