Many people in Currituck County don’t have a doctor.
So when local resident Michelle McPherson’s newborn daughter became deathly ill, she packed her up in the car and drove hours away for help. Once her daughter’s condition stabilized, Michelle decided to fix the doctor shortage in her North Carolina hometown.
By becoming a doctor.
Though she had no money and she wasn’t sure she was smart enough, she worked her ass off.
Despite all obstacles, this single mom of two went to med school. Since she didn’t get accepted in the US, she trained in the Caribbean. (She was married at the time she applied to school, but the pressures of med school destroyed her marriage).
She traveled by plane and overnight bus to North Carolina every other weekend during her last two years of medical school—just so she could come home to see her kids for a few precious hours—all while working outside jobs to pay for airline tickets and bus fare.
Her mother picked her up at the bus station or airport (driving hours round trip to get her). Her mom also helped helped raise her kids while she was away, plus she helped rent out part of Michelle’s home to vacationers to help pay her mortgage. At one point, Michelle was working four part-time jobs while attending med school to pay for these trips—and to keep the bank from repossessing her home. Despite such extreme efforts, she fell further into debt.
Then she was attacked by a dog, had a ruptured hemorrhagic ovary, and got into a car accident. She was hospitalized three times during training with a copay of $6000. Plus she had to then care for her mom undergoing cancer treatment. Medical bills destroyed her credit. Student loans piled up. Now $500,000 at 8% interest. She couldn’t get a start-up loan.
But Michelle is 100% country tough—a devoted Christian woman who refuses to give up on her dream. She’s also extremely compassionate and devoted to the people in her town. She’s the perfect doctor for Currituck County—and has gone through hell and back to finally get to come home and care for the poor folks in her hometown.
Thirteen years have passed since Michelle’s medical journey began. Now she’s just a few months from opening her dream clinic—in an old farmhouse. Contact me to view our webinar on how to launch your farmhouse clinic.
She’ll treat everyone who needs her—newborn to elderly—regardless of ability to pay. Womb-to-tomb care via barter and trade—from chickens to roofing shingles. No two-hour waits in this farmhouse clinic. If patients must wait, they’ll relax in a rocking chair on the wrap-around porch. Next she plans a gym, a yoga studio, then fitness and cooking classes, even an organic grocery stocked by local growers.
Want to a launch a farmhouse clinic in your town? Contact Dr. Wible.
While her colleagues are signing on as physician employees in big-box clinics, Michelle is relentless in pursuit of her dream. She already got a waiting list—hundreds of patients (before she’s even completed her training)! She’s got so many patients signed up (not including the ones walking up to her on the street) she’ll have a full practice on day one!
Yet she’s been warned over and over that it is impossible to start her own clinic. She’s been advised she’ll never survive financially. She’s been lectured about how she must have support staff and special testing, a lab, and so many other items that she doesn’t think she needs.
Yet Dr. McPherson is fearless in her faith.
“You’ve reported on successful ideal clinics that don’t conform to these ‘industry stereotypes,’” Michelle told me. “You’ve been a lighthouse that has kept my sights on the fact that it IS possible to do exactly what I am setting out to do. You have given me the strength to withstand the trials of residency that I have endured because I know they will be short lived and that my Ideal Clinic… My Dream… IS POSSIBLE.”
Since Michelle is unshakeable, her residency training program decided to finally get behind her dream. They even made a promotional video about their one-of-a-kind doctor and her soon-to-be farmhouse clinic.
I was so inspired by her spirit and perseverance that I invited Michelle to our physician retreat on scholarship. And while she was here, I made an announcement. Each year I award a $10,000 scholarship to a visionary woman in medicine who inspires me. Here’s what happened when Michelle got the $10,000: (watch her mom’s face)
Now she’s got the $8,000 dollars to transfer taxes for purchase of the farmhouse. Renting the upstairs to vacationers will help support the building expenses. The extra $2,000 will be used for the building insurance and electricity so she can open her clinic on her 40th birthday—July 2, 2018.
Feeling inspired by Michelle? Pledge your support here.Want to spend your next vacation in her farmhouse clinic (and get your physical with the coolest doc in the county)? Contact Dr. McPherson.
Want to sponsor ideal clinics in rural America? Contact Dr. Wible.
Are you a doctor who wants to launch your ideal clinic? Attend our upcoming retreat.
Dr. Wible is always looking for the next $10,000 scholarship winner. Come join us!
Awww..very heartwarming. I met this kind woman this past weekend and she sure is sweet! Good, good luck!!!!
And sure is determined too!
Thank you so much Debbie!!
Michelle and Pamela, there IS no question! You are both “one of a kind”!!! This is a moment when I wish for something, ordinarily, I wouldn’t: $10,000+……to give to each of you as it is for certain you would use it for the best of purposes.
Thank you for each being who you are. You inspire us all, whoever and wherever we find ourselves.I, too, am below the national poverty line and fighting to make my dreams a reality so I have a heartfelt sense of appreciation for each of you and the journey you are taking. I will not lose faith and keep putting in my best effort.
Thanks Virginia! :)) Super happy to share your support with Michelle.
Thank you so much for your kind words Virginia!! I wish you all the best in making your dreams a reality!! Feel free to message if you feel there is anything I could help with 🙂
To Dr. McPherson: I was so inspired by your journey, and it brought me to tears. I am a Christian Scientist, and we heal through prayer alone, so I do not use medical treatment for myself. But I have no doubt that God has led you to the place you are in, answering your pure, unselfish love with this opportunity to bless your community. I believe that the love that comes from God is the true healer, and that the deep love you obviously have for your neighbors will bear abundant fruit, and meet their needs in even more ways than you have envisioned. Much love and blessings for your endeavors.
I cried my way thru her video myself.
Thank you so much Marcia! I do love my community so much and I’m so very excited to be able to come back and help them live healthier and happier lives!!
Wow!!! So inspiring, Michelle! Way to help someone live their dream, Pamela. The patients in that county and state will be blessed to have great medical care in a safe, comfy setting.
Thank you so much for your support Ann!! I’m super excited to get started and Pam has definitely helped me to live my dream!!!
Congratulations to Michelle!!! From an independent physician to another. I have my clinic for 19 years and I am sooooo glad. For the last 10 years more or less, every conference I went the speaker will ask” who is in solo practice?, my lonely hand up and then the same ” solo practices are dinosaurs. ????????. I finally quit going. There is so much misinformation from the ” experts” so choose carefully and become your expert. Thanks so much to you and Pamela for sharing !!!❤️
Way to go Aracelia!
Thanks for that information and encouraging personal experience. It’s scary to hear “experts” say you are doing it all wrong so it is great to hear if your success!!
Congratulations Michelle! It IS possible to be solo, as after 10 years in factory medicine, I have my own practice for almost five years now. I make my own hours, after the normal work hours and start on my time. My patients are very appreciative and understanding, and I now WANT to go to work!
Thank you for the encouragement Diane! It is definitely great to hear about success stories!
In a world that seems inundated with negativity, you are both shining examples of positive, inspirACTion, being inspired, taking action for as long as it takes. Thank you for inspiring me this morning!
Thank you so much for your support, Rita!!!
I will do anything I can to help with the progress..I am not a nurse or anything close… but I have a passion for helping people..if I can help in any small way please let me know.
I am 74 yrs young healthy and I have lots of energy. I’ll even do the cleaning.
Where do you live? I’m sure I can hook you up with an ideal clinic or ideal doc :)) LOVE to have you on board!
Miss McPherson was my physical science teacher in high school!!! She is an amazing woman with a caring and compassionate heart! You go miss McPherson!!!!! Praying and believing in you 100%!
Thanks so much Jillian!! I miss teaching a lot and especially miss my “kids” but I’m super excited about being able to come back home and be their doctor!!
Congratulations Michelle! You have always had a heart of gold! Good ‘ole Currituck needs a new doctor who doesn’t just want to rush people in and out. Wishing you all of the success you so rightfully deserve.
Thanks you so much Angie!! I’m very excited about getting back to ctuck and definitely am not planning on rushing anyone out the door. 🙂 Good medicine comes with a relationship and relationships only come with spending time with your patients!
Currituck County is so ready for this Michelle! As a holistic health practitioner here in the county, thank you for bringing back the humanity in health care! And I am already registered as a patient!!!!
If we had banks that are owned and operated by the state like the State Bank of North Dakota, it would be a lot easier for doctors to start their own practice and therefore, prevent them from being slaves to the HMOs and not worrying about staying in business and being thrown out of business by the HMOs.
Amazing how these HMOs wouldn’t provider medical services in areas like Currituck County despite the fact there is a supply and demand that they are ignoring as business peopple; however, they fight against single payer system and then proclaim: 1) the private enterprise and free market will fix the problem 2) government should not be picking winners and losers.
Michelle is such an awesome woman and I’m sure an inspiration to everyone who hears her story. Her children have a perfect role model to teach them to follow their dreams and help those in need. I wish her much success with her clinic & pray that her mom has fully recovered from cancer. The right person was chosen to receive this generous reward. I’m glad that I read this article, because it proves that there is hope for this world.
Hi Dr.Wible, I’d like to personally thank you for giving my mother a shot at her dream and I know you have saved us a lot of hardships, thank you so much for giving her a shot and I wish you success in your work!
Oh we are not done yet! I’m with you are your mom all the way. Please reach out if you ever need anything at all!!!
I worked with this woman and her mom along time ago. I have always known she is driven and very smart. Good luck
I’m very happy to know about Dr.Wible and Dr.Mc Pherson. They have done good work in helping the sick and poor.
Her mom works at the clinic and is so super laid back and sweet and smart.