Samaritan Welcomes Nicole Tucker, DO September 29, 2022 Play Video Nicole Tucker, DO, has joined Samaritan Palliative Care, a multidisciplinary team that supports patients with serious illnesses. Dr. Tucker earned a bachelor’s degree at University of San Diego and a medical degree at Rocky Vista University. She completed family medicine residency training at Mountain Area Health Education Center and a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at Providence Alaska Medical Center. Dr. Tucker comes from a medical family. Her father was a pediatrician, her mother was a surgical nurse, her brother is a pediatric hospitalist and her grandfather was an obstetrician. She learned the value of quality of life when one of her close friends growing up had terminal cancer. During college and medical school, she worked at a nonprofit organization for kids with cancer and their siblings. “I feel very passionate about making sure that the medicine and route my patients choose align with their hopes and goals,” Dr. Tucker said. Her approach to patient care is to take time getting to know people and applying that information to help them navigate through serious illnesses. She compared her role to that of a co-pilot. “The patient should be the pilot,” Dr. Tucker said. “I’m there to help guide them. But ultimately, it’s a partnership.” Dr. Tucker said she chose Samaritan because it is a nonprofit organization that matches her community values. She is excited to become a Pacific Northwest resident. “I like smaller towns with seasons and cool vibes,” she said. In her free time, Dr. Tucker enjoys being outdoors, hiking, stand up paddleboarding, gardening, watching baseball and attending live country, bluegrass and folk music events. She is also training her Bernedoodle to be a therapy dog. Dr. Tucker can be reached at Samaritan Palliative Care at 541-812-5020.
