Samuel “Jerry” King, MD, has dedicated nearly 40 years of his life to being a family medicine provider. Born and raised in Pike County, Dr. King said making the decision to return to the mountains after completing medical school and a research fellowship at the University of Kentucky was easy.
“I never wanted to practice medicine anywhere else,” said Dr. King. “This is my home, and the people who live here are like family. I get to know my patients and establish a relationship with them, so when something is wrong, we can begin finding a solution immediately.”
Dr. King says by taking the time to build a relationship with his patients, he sets a baseline for their health.
“If I know how a patient is when he or she is healthy, I can better see signs of illness,” said Dr. King. “I listen to my patients. If a patient says he is thirsty all the time, and that isn’t normal, I know we may need to test for diabetes. That is why having a family doctor is so important. Many times, subtle changes will tell you something is wrong.”
Dr. King said choosing to practice at Pikeville Medical Center was an easy decision. He explained that he was drawn to the collective drive of the administration, board of directors, and other physicians to make PMC one of the best hospitals, not only in Kentucky, but the world.
