Pediatrician - New Grads Welcome | Partnership Opportunity, Western NC

Peachtree Pediatrics | Murphy, North Carolina

Quick Facts

About the Practice

Peachtree Pediatrics is a patient-centered medical home in Murphy, NC, providing comprehensive pediatric and adolescent care from birth through age 18 to families across western North Carolina and the neighboring North Georgia communities. The practice is NCQA-recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, its physicians are board certified, and it is affiliated with Murphy Medical Center. About 3,500 children count Peachtree as their medical home, and it is the only pediatric practice serving a two-county area.

You would join an established, close-working team:

• Physician: Two part-time physicians, who will welcome a full-time colleague.
• Nurse practitioners: Three general pediatrics NPs and one psychiatric NP, so behavioral health is built into the practice.
• Clinical and support staff: A nurse, five certified medical assistants, and dedicated billing and reception teams.

You will not be starting from scratch. Dr. Waggoner, who has practiced at Peachtree for 30 years, will personally onboard you and help you ramp up your schedule, and the team and patient base are already in place.

Why This Role

Peachtree is a busy, high-need pediatric practice that serves families across two counties, and most of its patients are on Medicaid. Right now, kids are waiting. Infants under six months and children who need medication management for ADHD and depression are the most affected, and the practice needs another pediatrician to reach them.

• Clinical autonomy. You will practice in a physician-led practice where you make the clinical decisions for your patients, without layers of corporate protocol between you and the kids you treat.
• Real work-life balance. A manageable schedule, light call, and a community built around the outdoors mean you get to have a life outside the clinic.
• A manageable day. You will see roughly 18 to 28 patients per day, which leaves room to practice real pediatrics and actually know your families.
• Call that respects your life. About 10 days per month, with no labor and delivery call.
• Meaningful scope. Newborn and infant care, well visits, acute care, chronic condition management, and behavioral health medication management are all part of the work, and the practice is built to support you in it.
• A partnership opportunity. The practice is open to a long-term partnership and ownership path for the right physician.
• Pay that stands on its own. $200,000 base, a $25,000 sign-on bonus, relocation assistance, and up to $300,000 in student loan repayment for those who qualify.

Your benefits package includes:

• Medical and prescription: Choice of a PPO or an HDHP with a health savings account, with an employer-funded $500 health reimbursement arrangement, plus telemedicine and a healthcare concierge service.
• Dental and vision: Two dental plan options with preventive care covered at 100%, plus a vision plan with exams and an eyewear allowance.
• Employer-paid protection: Life and AD&D insurance at 2x annual salary, plus short-term and long-term disability, at no cost to you.
• Tax-advantaged accounts: HSA, medical, limited-purpose and dependent care FSAs.
• Well-being and extras: Employee assistance program with confidential counseling, plus optional legal and pet insurance.
• Retirement: 401(k) plan.
• Provider benefits: Malpractice coverage and a CME allowance to support your continuing education.

Why This Practice

Peachtree was founded to break the cycle of poverty and addiction for kids in Western North Carolina. That mission still drives the work. Care here is about the whole child and the whole family, and the clinicians who thrive are the ones who want their work to matter beyond the exam room.

In the words of Dr. Kathy Waggoner, who has practiced at Peachtree for 30 years:

“Thirty years ago, I came to this community as a single mom with my six-year-old son and began working at Peachtree Pediatrics. This community welcomed us and embraced us. It became much more than a place to work. It became our home.

These are good, salt-of-the-earth people. When someone is hurting or in need, others are quick to step forward and ask, ‘What can I do to help?’ As the only pediatric practice serving a two-county area, we have a great responsibility. A community like this gives you a platform, and it is up to you how you use it.

At Peachtree Pediatrics, we strive for excellence in evidence-based medicine, from well-child visits and acute illnesses to mental health care. We want every family to receive excellent medical care and to feel valued and respected, from the first person they meet at the front door to the last person they see at checkout.

There is nowhere else in the world I would rather work. I came here thirty years ago, and I have no desire to leave. This is home.”

Dr. Kathy Waggoner, Peachtree Pediatrics

Peachtree is also joining the Community Care Physician Network (CCPN), the largest integrated network of independent physicians in North Carolina. Founded in 2015, CCPN includes more than 3,000 clinicians, over 760 of them pediatricians, and has practices in 97 of the state's 100 counties. It is physician-led, its board is made up entirely of practicing physicians, and it is not backed by outside investors. In practical terms, that means:

• Independence with backup. Your practice stays independent while you have the strength of a statewide network behind you, including contracting and performance support.
• Free care management. CCNC's RN and social work care managers help with patients who have complex needs, connecting families to community resources and supporting medication adherence, at no cost with CCPN membership. That is a real asset for a practice serving a high-need, rural population.
• Data and practice support. You get quality improvement, coding and billing, and EHR specialists, plus a dashboard that shows where you can improve patient outcomes right now.
• A path to loan repayment. CCPN is working with the practice toward Rural Health Clinic certification and the state and federal loan repayment programs.

If you want a role that is mission-driven, clinically broad, and close to the community you serve, you will feel at home here.

Why Now

• Patient demand is outpacing capacity. Families are waiting for appointments, especially for the youngest patients.
• Behavioral health need is high. ADHD and depression management is a large and growing part of the work, and with a psychiatric NP on the team, a pediatrician with that interest will have real support.
• Loan repayment is in play. The practice is pursuing the state and federal programs that support rural and underserved sites, so candidates with student debt should ask about eligibility early.
• The practice is growing its team and its future. Joining now means helping shape how Peachtree grows, and it puts you in the room for the long-term partnership conversation.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) with a completed pediatric residency; graduating residents are welcome to apply
• Board certified or board eligible in pediatrics
• Eligible for, or holding, an unrestricted North Carolina medical license
• A genuine interest in serving rural and underserved communities

Why Murphy

Murphy is a small mountain town of about 3,000 people in a rural county of about 30,000, and it is easy to love. Think of the childhood many of us remember: safe streets, kids outside until dark, and neighbors who know your name. It is also roughly two hours from Asheville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta, so a big-city weekend is always within reach.

• Outdoors at your doorstep. Lakes, whitewater on the Nantahala and Ocoee, hiking, fishing, and the Appalachian Trail are all close by.
• Culture, too. The John C. Campbell Folk School, a nationally known center for craft and folk art, is nearby, with classes in pottery, weaving, and more.
• Schools with small class sizes. Cherokee County offers small classrooms and the Tri-County Early College, where students can earn a two-year degree alongside their high school diploma.
• Housing that goes a long way. Established homes are available, and new construction on one to one and a half acres in gated communities typically runs about $400,000 to $500,000. Space, privacy, and a mountain view cost far less here than in a metro area.
• Connected where it counts. Fiber internet has expanded significantly in recent years, with Starlink available for more remote properties.
• Work for two. Spouses and partners can find opportunities in healthcare, education, the trades, local businesses, and remote work.

This is not a booming city, and it is not trying to be. It is a place for someone who wants a small-town feel, space for their family, and a community that is glad they came. The trade-off is that some conveniences come by delivery truck instead of down the street. For many families, that is a trade worth making.

A local community ambassador will be available to show finalists the area and talk through housing during a site visit.

Equal Opportunity Statement. Peachtree Pediatrics is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.