Sarah Kelley ’16 and Julie Teachey ’16, ’23MSN

Patients think they’re seeing double, but for twin sisters Sarah Kelley ’16 and Julie Teachey ’16, ’23MSN, it is nothing more than their collaborative effort to aid the medical field.

“It can be slightly confusing for the patients, but we make a fabulous team,” Kelley said. She is currently in UNCW’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) graduate program.

Kelley and Teachey are twin sisters who work in a small rural hospital where their paths cross during most shifts. Their shared career passion stems from their education together at UNCW.

“We never really planned our careers to align. It just happened,” Kelley said.

Despite having familiar faces and aspirations, both sisters weren’t always on the same page to begin their medical careers.

“Sarah had initially planned to be a pharmacist but changed her mind before starting college,” Teachey said. “When Sarah decided not to go to pharmacy school, I encouraged her to apply for nursing school with me. Nursing has to be something you love in order to make it a career, so it was a blessing that we both loved it and could do it together.”

For Kelley, the decision to pursue nursing over a pharmaceutical career was personal.

“The one thing that made me want to go into the medical field was watching our Nana as she was diagnosed with cancer when we were in elementary school. Her journey, and those who helped her along the way, made me want to do the same for others,” Kelley said.

In addition,a monumental moment in her sister’s life also made a memorable impression on Kelley.

“Getting to be there for the birth of Julie’s children and see it from the ‘nurse side’ at the same time as the ‘family side’ was really special.”

Kelley now predominantly works with ECU Health in women’s health, labor and delivery.

For Teachey, nursing school came with its own set of challenges. “Balancing a full-time job, children and obtaining a graduate degree is tough!” she said. Yet she credits UNCW for making the “balancing act” possible. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2016 and a masters in the nurse educator program in 2023.

Teachey currently oversees the Nurse Residency program for ECU Health where she educates newcoming nurses. 
 
“I have found great joy in guiding new graduate nurses through the beginning of their careers in acute care nursing,” she said. “I love being in any specialty that puts me in a position to make a difference.”

Though their journey to their respective careers varied, the twins’ aspirations to have an impact on others has always been shared.

“Now I walk down the hall and see the team members I teach and support impacting dozens of patients every shift,” Teachey said. “I choose to believe I have a small part in that by teaching and inspiring them.”

Kelley added, “If I can make someone smile on a difficult day, make them feel seen, heard and valued, and of course keep them safe and give excellent care, then I have succeeded.”