“I just want to help people,” he said, his voice soft and calming.
It’s the voice you’d like to hear making small talk while taking notes about the issues that brought you to the emergency room. When you’re in the hospital, your mind wandering in and out of confusion and anxiety, it’s the patient presence of one who genuinely cares about you. And when someone you love is in skilled care, it’s a familiarity reflected in the latest report on your loved one’s health and conversations about things in your life, big and small. It’s Charlie Burk and others like him who have found health care their home and calling.
Burk just wants to help people, and he’s committed to pursuing the training and education to do so.
He said, “It makes me feel good to help other people; just knowing that I’ve made a positive impact on somebody else’s life is something I value very closely. It’s something that has always meant a lot to me. I’ve also been blessed with two amazing parents, and they’ve been very active in my life, showing me what kind of person I need to be and what kind of person I want to be. I attribute a lot of that to them as well.”
With a natural inclination to help others, Burk began exploring various careers that would allow him to make a difference.
“I didn’t realize until my senior year of high school that health care is what I wanted to do. It was kind of random, but I definitely think it was directed by God,” he said with conviction. “It’s definitely been a growing experience, but getting to help people is something I value and try to do in every way I can.”

The 2022 graduate of Fayetteville High School took a decisive step forward in December of his senior year by earning his certified nursing assistant license through a program at NHC HealthCare Pulaski during Christmas break. This accomplishment marked the beginning of his health care journey. Shortly after, he started working at Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg on the med-surg floor.
“What I valued at Marshall was getting quality time with patients who were there for a long period of time — getting to build relationships with them. They open up and share stories about themselves and their family,” he explained.
But Burk’s aspirations didn’t stop there. In January 2024, he transitioned to the emergency room (ER) at Fayetteville’s HH Lincoln Health, where the volume of patients treated is much greater while his time with them is much shorter.
“It’s a lot faster-paced environment than on med-surg, so you don’t have as long to bond with the patient, but I still try to get to know them as much as I can for the short time they’re there,” said Burk. “The most stressful part is the volume of people you see at any given time. And, of course, for each person, whatever they have going on is the most emergent thing. That’s definitely when you have to work on keeping your composure. I try to look at it from the point of view that they came to seek help from us, so it’s our responsibility to give them the help they were looking for.”
Lessons he learned on the baseball diamond shaped his composure in challenging situations. Just as a pitcher must maintain composure when things aren’t going their way, Burk applies this same mindset to the ER’s fast-paced, often unpredictable environment.
“There’s a lot of life lessons that can be learned from sports. People often look at failure as what it is, but a lot can be learned from failure. Playing baseball, I pitched. Things aren’t always going [to go] your way. You’re not always throwing strikes every time you get up there. So being able to keep your composure is a big part of being a pitcher, and I think that’s something that, over time, I developed, and I’ve tried to make a conscious effort to work on,” he shared.

Now enrolled at the University of Tennessee Southern for his bachelor’s degree in nursing, Burk is preparing for his next career chapter. He aims to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist and return to his hometown of Fayetteville.
“I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities that broaden my horizons,” he said, emphasizing how each role has equipped him with valuable skills and insights.
As Burk continues his education and works toward becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist, he remains committed to serving his community. He takes pride in caring for people he knows personally, seeing it as an opportunity to give back to the place that shaped him.
Burk said, “There have been people that I’ve had the opportunity to take care of who I know personally. For some people, it can be a little awkward sometimes, but I take pride in taking care of the people that I love and know from my community.”
He encourages those who enjoy helping others and are considering their career path: “There are so many different ways you can impact a person’s life. It’s not just being a nurse or a doctor; it’s even down to the people working in the dietary department or physical or occupational therapy. There are so many ways in the medical field that you can impact a person’s life. If that’s something you’ve identified that you want, I feel there’s somewhere within the medical field that fits your specific personality and how you like to go about things.”
Burk’s journey from a high school senior unsure of his path to a dedicated health care professional exemplifies the impact one person can have when they follow their calling to help others. His story inspires those who might be considering a career in health care, reminding us all that sometimes, the most profound way to help is simply to show up, stay composed, and care deeply for those in need. GN