Lifelong Taylor County Residents Return Home to Provide Healthcare

by Katherine Lybarger


Posted on Jun 27, 2024


Mercer Medicine Taylor County is welcoming two Taylor County natives to its primary care team.

Colby Nelson, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C joined the Mercer Medicine care team as a primary care nurse practitioner in June and Thomas Callier, IV, MD will join as the lead physician in August.

NP Nelson graduated from Taylor County High School, where he was an all-state football player, and is the son of Randy and Faye Nelson. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, NP Nelson practiced as a registered nurse in a variety of hospital settings. In 2018, NP Nelson earned his Master of Science in Nursing from South University in Savannah and gained experience in hospice, psychiatric, and primary care. Most recently, NP Nelson has been practicing addiction medicine at Georgia Recovery Campus. He is also a certified adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, specializing in the care of older adults.

"I am passionate about caring for older generations. I have so much respect for them and the knowledge and wisdom they share," said Nelson. "To be able to come home and care for the community that made me who I am is a huge honor."

Dr. Callier also graduated from Taylor County High School and is the son of Thomas and Natalie Callier. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, completed post-bachelor studies at Columbus State University, and graduated from Morehouse School of Medicine in 2019. During his academic career, Dr. Callier received achievement awards and academic honors while also participating in community service projects. Dr. Callier recently completed his residency in family medicine at Houston Healthcare in Warner Robins, where he served as Chief Resident. He is looking forward to providing his home county with high-quality care for the whole family.

“It was always my dream to return home to serve Taylor County,” said Dr. Callier. “I remember it being a major challenge for my grandmother to take my grandfather to his doctor’s appointments because the specialists were so far away. I want to help the Taylor County community have access to the high-quality health care they deserve.”

Speaking at the clinic’s ribbon cutting ceremony in December 2023, Mercer University School of Medicine student Emily Hartley, who was born and raised in Butler, said, “I’m blessed to have been born in such a wonderful county full of supportive and loving people. It makes me so proud, as not only a Mercerian but a citizen of Taylor County, that an institution that I hold near and dear to my heart has chosen to serve these wonderful people.”

The Mercer Medicine Taylor County clinic opened in October 2023 at 57 Martin Luther King Drive in Reynolds and offers primary care services to Taylor County and surrounding communities. Mercer Medicine Taylor County offers walk-in and scheduled appointments for outstanding, patient-centered primary care with a highly qualified staff. Other services include point-of-care lab testing, immunizations, and telehealth services, with X-ray coming soon. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (478) 825-3317 to schedule your appointment today!

This article also ran in The Taylor County News on Thursday, June 27.


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