When Dr. Nardine Messiha first began her medical journey in the underserved areas of Egypt, she had no idea that path would eventually lead her to Tryon Medical Partners’ Ballantyne location. Her unique international perspective, combined with an unwavering commitment to work-life balance and comprehensive patient care, represents everything Tryon Medical Partners stands for in modern healthcare.

Building a foundation in Egypt and beyond

Dr. Messiha’s medical career began with a profound sense of purpose. After completing medical school at the University of Alexandria in Egypt, she dedicated herself to underserved populations during her initial residency training. This formative experience in Egypt shaped her understanding of healthcare as more than just treating symptoms. It taught her that medicine is fundamentally about human connection and comprehensive care.

“The field of medicine gives me a great opportunity to help people feel better and live better, especially with primary care,” Dr. Messiha reflects. “This allows me to build a strong, long-lasting relationship with the patient.”

Her journey then brought her to the United States, where she completed her residency in internal medicine at UNC Blue Ridge Hospital. This transition from international medical practice to the American healthcare system provided her with a unique perspective on what truly matters in patient care.

The hospital years: learning what balance means

Following her residency, Dr. Messiha began her American medical career as a hospitalist, a physician who specializes in caring for patients exclusively within a hospital setting, from admission to discharge. While this work was professionally fulfilling, it came with a significant personal cost.

“The hospitalist job was not providing the balance I wanted with my family life,” she explains. 

This realization became the catalyst for her transition to outpatient care – a decision that would ultimately lead her to Tryon Medical Partners.

Her experience in hospital medicine, however, wasn’t without value. Those years gave her deep insight into acute care management and helped her understand the full spectrum of internal medicine. More importantly, they taught her what kind of practice environment she needed to provide the best care possible.

Discovering Tryon: more than convenience

Dr. Messiha’s introduction to Tryon Medical Partners began with simple geography: There was an office close to her home. But what started as a matter of convenience quickly revealed itself to be something much more significant.

“I did more research and looked into what Tryon offers physicians,” she recalls. “The autonomy and collaborative decision-making at Tryon are unique. I immediately liked that about it. Physicians can build their own schedules and not follow a fixed one. Physicians are empowered to make small decisions.”

This flexibility proved to be transformative, not just for Dr. Messiha personally, but for her patients as well. “If you have balance in your life, you are happier and have a more enjoyable and productive time with patients,” she explains. “It makes sense: If the physician is happy, patients are happy.”

Tryon provides a culture of collaboration

Beyond the scheduling flexibility and patient care improvements, Dr. Messiha found something unexpected at Tryon – a genuine sense of community among colleagues.

“Something I especially like about my clinic is that everyone is working together and is very collaborative. That’s simply the culture,” she notes. “We all really work together as a team, have a caring attitude, and help each other. Since I’ve started, I’ve had a lot of support from my coworkers.”

This collaborative environment surprised her with its authenticity. “The working environment in Tryon is good. It feels like a place of family and friends rather than just coworkers.”

Tryon maintains the standard of care she wishes for everyone

Perhaps the most telling insight into Dr. Messiha’s approach to medicine comes from how she thinks about her own family’s healthcare needs.

“If I have a family member dealing with something that requires medical help, I would want them at Tryon,” she states emphatically. “When they go elsewhere, they may not get the care they deserve. I know they would at Tryon.”

She elaborates on what this means in practical terms: “If you get a new diagnosis you don’t know about, you need guidance and help, timely prescription refills, and imaging, and at Tryon, we value those things. I provide the kind of care that I wish a family member would receive.”

Tryon patients feel the difference

The impact of this approach became evident almost immediately. Dr. Messiha began receiving feedback from patients that validated her decision to join Tryon.

“I’ve received patient feedback about how Tryon feels different,” she shares. “They don’t feel rushed in their visits, they get comprehensive feedback, and they have a way to contact and communicate with their physician. That access to physicians is critical for patients and really makes Tryon unique.

“We do something different,” Dr. Messiha concludes, and her patients at Tryon Medical Partners would undoubtedly agree.