DUNN — Campbell University, its health science programs and the City of Dunn celebrated another partnership Tuesday that should lead to the treatment and improved health of tens of thousands of Harnett County residents annually.
The University cut the ribbon and cheered the opening of its second health center at 608 Tilghman Drive in Dunn — within walking distance of Betsy Johnson Hospital. Physicians at the new facility in Dunn will offer services in geriatric medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine, sports medicine and spine and back treatment.
Health Center Director Dr. Nicholas Pennings led Tuesday’s ceremony and kicked it off by sharing his own experiences in osteopathic medicine — a practice he was unaware of when applying to medical schools, but one he soon discovered was the right fit for him as he sought a career in family medicine.
“I found out about osteopathic medicine and how it embraces primary care, and I immediately knew it was right for me,” Pennings said. “Osteopathic medicine has been right for Campbell University and it will be right for Harnett County, delivering the type of health care we need — one that is focused on improving health, improving wellness and delivering primary care services in the area.”
As is the case of Campbell’s first health center on the main campus in Buies Creek, the Dunn center will be manned by personnel made up of Campbell faculty, staff and students (four physicians and two health administrative personnel on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Dr. John Kauffman, School of Osteopathic Medicine founding dean and chief academic officer, said the campus health center has treated more than 38,000 patients since opening in 2013. Also in that time, the medical school has graduated its first class of doctors and has been approved for 17 residency and fellowship programs throughout the state.
Dunn Mayor and Campbell alumnus Oscar Harris praised Campbell’s presence in his city, while Chairman of the Board of Trustees Thomas Keith lauded the University’s growth in the decade since his father graduated from Buies Creek Academy in 1916.
Compared to them, Justyne Murphy, a second-year med student and director for the student-run clinic at Campbell for the past year, is a newcomer to the Campbell community. But she said Tuesday that in her short time, she’s become by Campbell’s health care presence in Harnett County.
“The appreciation I see on patients’ faces have made a lasting impression on me,” she said. “No matter what happens in a given day, when a patient gives you a sincere handshake and says ‘thank you’ for taking care of them, it really stays with you. Those small acts have reinforced why I chose a career in medicine.”
Campbell University Health Center | Dunn
608 Tilghman Drive, Dunn, N.C.
Phone: (910) 893-7777
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Campbell University Health Center | Buies Creek
129 T.T. Lanier St., Buies Creek, N.C.
Phone: (910) 893-1560
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Campbell University Pharmacy | Buies Creek
129 T.T. Lanier St., Buies Creek, N.C.
Phone: (910) 893-1560
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.