Suzanne "Suzy" S. Schultze, FNP-BC, CCDS

Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, I spent seven years at the bedside as a cardiac intensive care nurse (ICU) nurse. Those seven years provided invaluable wisdom and experience. Now, as a nurse practitioner, I work to approach every person’s health care journey with empathy and grace. Outside of work, I love to spend my time outdoors with my husband and our three dogs. You can usually find me gardening or growing cut flowers in my spare time.

I became a Nurse Practitioner in 2018 after gaining experience in both the inpatient and outpatient settings as a Registered Nurse. I knew I wanted to continue to provide direct patient care, especially to oncology and hematology patients who may be facing some of their most difficult days. I'm passionate about cancer care, particularly the field of research and clinical trials. I previously worked on clinical trials, and I saw firsthand the impact patient participation can have on future outcomes for other patients. Many of the immunotherapies we now use routinely were part of the clinical trials I helped manage just a few years ago. In my short career thus far, I've seen significant paradigm shifts in cancer treatment thanks to research and clinical trials. Outside of work, I've really enjoyed spending time with my family and learning about Rocky Mount. We moved here from Washington, DC in 2021, and it has been a great change for our family. My husband and I have two young sons. The restaurants and breweries at the Mill and the Farmer's Market and Children's Museum downtown are some of our favorites. I look forward to providing you unparalleled care! I approach each patient as if they were my own family member. Having open and honest discussions about your health and goals ensures you're receiving the best care possible. It's my honor to be part of your healthcare team.

I became a nurse practitioner because I wanted to maximize how I cared for my patients by caring for them in a completely well-rounded aspect. After learning more from Dr. Ashley Strickland about spine and spine surgery, I began to merge my passions into the orthopedics and spine specialty. I also have a passion for family medicine in general, so I do try to talk to my patients about their health in its entirety at all appointments. My approach to patient care includes treating patients as if they were one of the members of my own family. I do not treat health and patient care like a game, and I endeavor to create trust and maintain transparency with my patients. I know that my care for the patient may be the deciding factor on whether or not they are comfortable disclosing additional information and maintaining the current treatment plan. When I am not at work, I love gardening, spending time with family and outdoors, running and watching Law and Order.