Mercury Street Medical Welcomes Nikki Buck, a New Whitehall Resident & Family Care Practitioner

Nikki Buck, FNP-C, a new Whitehall resident and the newest addition to the Mercury Street Medical team in Butte, has a smile and a tone of voice that puts you at ease. This is precisely what's needed when dealing with family medicine and reproductive issues.

Buck, a family practitioner who started part-time at Mercury Street in February and began seeing patients on the first of April, is originally from Helena. In 2005, she moved to Bozeman. She and her husband have had property in the Radar Creek area since 2008, so she knew the Whitehall/Butte areas a bit before moving here. Their property at Radar Creek will serve as a nice get-away camping spot, as they have purchased a home right outside Whitehall on Highway 55.

“I’m getting to know the [Butte] community a little better; I love uptown Butte,” Buck said, adding that she’s also been able to venture to M&M Vintage and the Main Street Green on her explorations of Whitehall. “I’m really glad to be in a smaller community and get to know the people.”

Buck is a lover and healer of people of all ages. As a family practitioner, she specializes in infants and geriatrics. Though Mercury Street Medical does not currently treat infants and children, Buck hopes to eventually start seeing younger patients as she settles in.

“I hope to start seeing younger people, helping them as early as possible,” Buck said. While reproductive health isn’t always seen as falling under family practice, Buck does offer birth control assistance such as pills, insertion and removal of IUDs and implants, pregnancy diagnosis, and menopausal care. Buck stresses that reproductive care is also not just for women but for men as well - especially when looking into prostate health and possible cancers.

“As women go through different phases of life, some people aren’t comfortable talking with their primary care doctor about their needs, and then they suffer when they don’t need to. I want to be the person people feel comfortable with.”

Buck likens family practice care to the hub of a wheel. The center is the family practitioner, who is the person you come to first back to—the centerpiece, the constant in their lives. The spokes of the wheel are the specialists they refer you to, whether that’s for labor and delivery, mental health, or larger issues such as cancer treatment.

“If it’s outside our scope of work, then we refer you out, but the centerpiece of your care should be your family practitioner.”

Buck added that sometimes, as practitioners, the care becomes very task-oriented. As patients don’t usually enjoy any sort of doctor’s appointment, she makes it a point to be cognizant of what the patient needs.

“I like everyone. I treat everyone. Some health topics can be hard to talk about, depending on the culture you were raised in. When doing exams, I always make sure I'm talking with my patients, telling them what to expect and what I'm doing. I want everyone to feel welcome.”

Buck is currently accepting new patients at Mercury Street Medical in Butte. To schedule an appointment, call 406-723-1300. If you see her out and about in Whitehall, say hello!