W.R. Nelms, M.D. Autobiography

    I was born in Macon, Georgia in 1947. I attended public schools, graduating from Lanier Senior High for boys in 1965. In Macon at that time we were segregated not only by race but by sex as well. After high school I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in English. It was my intent to go to law school: however, a friend who was enrolled at Vanderbilt Medical School persisted in lobbying me to change my mind and attend medical school as I had planned when I initially enrolled in Vanderbilt. One problem, I hated the sciences or so I thought. I visited him at Vanderbilt Medical School, attended an anatomy lab, visited an active emergency room and I was hooked. I went back to school and took all the prerequisite science courses I was lacking and applied to medical school. I graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia in January 1975. I left Augusta and moved to Greensboro, NC and completed a three-year residency in family Medicine at Moses Cone Hospital.

All through medical school and my residency I moonlighted in emergency rooms. After finishing my residency I became a full time E.R. physician at Wesley Long Memorial Hospital in Greensboro for five years. Tiring of not having my own patients, I opened a practice in McLeansville, N.C. in 1980 and continued to work in the E.R. until 1982. In 1990 I moved to Wilson joining Bob Richards M.D. in his practice until January of 1993 when I opened my current practice. I was fortunate to have an excellent partner in the practice, Stephanie Griffin M.D. for 17 years until she left family practice to do urgent care in Greenville, N.C. I have since been joined by my two excellent associates, Jim Fitch P.A. and Tasha Harris P.A.
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Along the way I became initially a private pilot in 1976 in order to overcome a fear of flying. Later I continued training and now have single engine land and sea ratings, multi-engine rating, insturment rating, and commercial rating. i continue to fly a 1957 Birddog, a war bird tail dragger.

I am as addicted to reading now just as much as I was as a child, hence the English major. I enjoy fishing, but gave up hunting years ago. The older you get the more you respect all of life and are reluctant take it. hunting is fine for others, just not for me.

My philosophy of medicine is modeled on that of one of the finest men I have ever known, A.S. Witherington, Jr., M.D. “Dr. Sid” was a family practitioner for over 50 years in Munford, Tennessee. “Treat every patient as though he or she is a member of your family and do no more, nor any less than you would want done for them.” I have tried my best to follow his guidance.

I am asked frequently if I have plans to retire. My response each time is that I am one  of the lucky ones. I love what I do and have never considered it a job. For me it is a blessing that I have been fortunate to spend my life enjoying the challenges of practicing medicine.