There’s no place like home. And two of Emporia’s newest doctors are returning to their roots in Emporia to practice in their hometown.
Christina Faulkner and Trish Miller-Wood have returned to Emporia to practice gynecology and obstetrics at the Medical Arts Clinic, 1302 W. 12th Ave. Suite 400. Both are natives of the area and took the opportunity to come home to give back to the community that gave them their roots.
Faulkner, daughter of Doug and Dar Wilson, grew up outside of Americus the daughter of Doug and Dar Wilson. Her parents own Masters Mechanic and Orange Door Storage. Faulkner attended Americus Grade School and graduated from Northern Heights High School. She and her husband, David Faulkner, have two children, 2-year-old Ava and 6-month-old Lilly.
Faulkner came back to Emporia to be near family.
“I think it’s a good place to raise kids,” Faulkner said.
Miller-Wood grew up in Emporia, the daughter of George and Ruth Miller. She attended Victory Christian Academy and later graduated from Emporia High School. She has an 11-year-old son, Parker Wood. Miller-Wood said her father was a supervisor at Wolf Creek and her mother a massage therapist. Both still live in Emporia.
Miller-Wood said the idea of being near family drew her back to Emporia as well. She said her father provides a positive male role model for Parker.
“They fish and build go-carts,” she said with a smile.
Miller-Wood and Faulkner said they plan to stay in Emporia.
“We want to stay and be happy and retire here,” Miller-Wood said.
Both Faulkner and Miller-Wood decided early to go into obstetrics and gynecological medicine.
“I always knew,” Miller-Wood said. “This is what God put me on the earth to do.”
Faulkner said she wanted to be in the field since the fifth grade. When Faulkner worked in obstetrics in medical school, she knew for sure that she was in the right place, she said.
Miller-Wood agreed.
“You’re just born with an obstetrics-gynecology compass,” she said, as Faulkner nodded.
Both new doctors said they find joy in the field. They were in the same residency program at the University of Missouri Kansas City and had the opportunity to deliver hundreds of babies.
“We came from a very busy residency program,” Faulkner said. “We’ve gotten lots of experience in the operating room.”
Miller-Wood said obstetrics-gynecology gives her the opportunity to be a part of a wonderful time in a woman’s life.
“We get to be a part of some of our patients’ (best) experience of their live,” she said.
On the flip side, it’s not always good news either, Miller-Wood said.
Faulkner said she really enjoys women’s health.
“I love pregnancy, labor and delivery,” she said. “I feel like I have empathy with the patients. It’s a place where I get to use my knowledge.”
It’s not all about pregnancy and delivering babies for Faulkner and Miller-Wood. They also do surgeries including hysterectomies, laparoscopies, some urology surgeries and vaginal repair surgeries.
Both doctors said it’s good to be home.
“I’m happy to be here,” Miller-Wood said. “I’m excited to be part of the community.”
Faulkner wants to give back to the community.
“I’m excited about finding ways to be a part of the community,” she said.
rdgrey (anonymous) says...
Congrats to them both and glad you are both coming to Emporia.
August 9, 2008 at 1:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
welcome back home :)
August 9, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jenah (anonymous) says...
Congratulations, ladies!!! It's great to have you in Emporia!!!
August 10, 2008 at 8:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )