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Carriston Hendricks, FNP-C
Carriston Hendricks, FNP-C:
Years of education, on the job experience
and desire culminate in new Center clinic
AT A GLANCE
WHAT:
Priority Family
Healthcare
WHO:
Locally owned and
operated by Carriston
Hendricks, FNP-C
WHERE:
1743 Southview Circle
Center, TX 75935
WHEN:
Monday-Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
PHONE:
(936) 590-4708
FACEBOOK:
@Priority-Family-Healthcare
WEBSITE:
PriorityFamilyHealthcare.com
Carriston Hendricks, FNP-C has had
a long-time yearning for a career in
a field where she could help people
while being an entrepreneur.
The culmination of that strong desire recently
was realized with the opening of Priority Family
Healthcare in Center. To arrive at the point
of being a business woman has taken years of
professional education, and gaining knowledge
while working as a nurse in a variety of settings.
Carriston, FNP-C, graduated from Panola
College in 2005 with an ADN, and went on to earn
her Bachelor of Science degree at The University
of Tyler in 2008. She graduated with her degree
of Family Nurse Practitioner at The University of
Tyler in 2016.
“I’ve always had the dream of having
something of my own, and I just felt like the
timing was right,” she says. “So, on a wing and
lots and lots of prayers, I decided to start checking
into things.”
In the ever-changing medical world, rural
areas like Shelby County have always had
available resources for healthcare. “You know, 20
years ago here you had six or seven very strong
doctors’ offices,” she says. They were all wellknown
and established. “I feel like now, not only
being female and young, I have big shoes to fill,”
Carriston says, moving into her future.
While opening any new business is
challenging, opening a start-up enterprise in the
medical field during the coronavirus pandemic
has many more hoops to jump through to comply
with state and federal regulations.
Carriston says it took about a week just to
complete the Medicare application, and going
through the process gave her a renewed respect
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE ELSWICK
for what it takes to strive for her goal.
“It’s been a challenge, but we’ve all learned
a lot,” she says of herself and her support team.
“I’ve learned more than my brain thought it could
handle.”
Throughout the process she had a lot of help
from friends, her new staff and her husband, Luke.
He has expertise in the computer field, and helped
secure the hardware and software needed to serve
needs of the clinic and provide the security which
both patients and the government require.
“It’s been overwhelming and definitely
challenging, but it’s been very rewarding too,”
Carriston says. Providing emotional support have
been a couple of close friends, Heather Moody
and Heather Harbison, who are both young
female business operators themselves.
Carriston says the decision to take the
plunge was not easy, but was made easier with
the support and words of encouragement she has
received. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for support from
family and friends, I wouldn’t be here,” she says.
To carry out that longtime desire to help and
serve others, Carriston feels the motto selected for
Priority Healthcare is fitting — “Your health is our
priority.”
The young business opened its doors on
July 13.
The clinic is located at 1743 Southview
Circle in a building which has been completely
renovated and redecorated. Hendricks said she
was over-whelmed with the show of support.
“My most important aspect here is to be able
to serve Shelby County,” she says. Being able to
help the community and give back brings great
joy to my heart.
While walk-ins are welcome, appointments
32 Business MATTERS | 2020 Fall Edition