COOKEVILLE — Dr. Sarah Worley is no stranger to Cookeville or the Upper Cumberland region, which made the decision to come home to practice a bit easier.
Born at Cookeville Regional Medical Center and raised in Livingston, Worley joined the practice in April 2020 – right as the COVID pandemic was starting to take shape.
“I always wanted to come back home,” she said. “My husband (Dr. Derek Worley, a sports medicine specialist at Tier 1 who also grew up in Livingston) and I are both avid sports fans and we always thought we’d end up in Nashville or Knoxville. This is a great place in the middle and we’re both close to our families.”
She earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture at University of Tennessee Knoxville. She went on to earn her master’s in public health from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Granada, West Indies, and then her medical degree from the same university.
She was a surgical resident at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, Weill Cornell Medical College in Brooklyn, New York; then did an internal medicine residency at Montefiore New Rochelle, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New Rochelle, New York; and another one in Lennox Hill Hospital in New York, New York.
Prior to coming to Cookeville, she was an internal medicine and primary care physician at Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga.
“As a primary care and internal medicine physician, I help patients manage a wide variety of diseases,” she said. “I also help with preventative measures, wellness exams and coordinate care with other specialists.”
She is eager to help patients get back on track, as some exams and screenings might have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’ve worked in environments where there were no other doctors or nurses in the office with me,” she said. “I enjoy having the ability to collaborate with others on how to best approach patient care.”
She also enjoys getting to see her patients in town.
“I feel like I’ve come full circle with some of my patients,” she said with a laugh. “I have some of my teachers who are now patients.”
CRMC CEO Paul Korth is excited that Worley chose Cookeville Regional Medical Center to practice.
“Her enthusiasm in helping patients is essential in overall patient care,” he said. “We’re happy to have her here.”
To make an appointment with Dr. Sarah Worley, call 931-783-4600.