WEPPA Physician and Medical Director Dr. Megan Kirk Named to Triangle Business Journal’s 2026 40 Under 40
Wake Emergency Physicians, PA (WEPPA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Megan Kirk has been named to the Triangle Business Journal’s 2026 40 Under 40 list, an annual recognition honoring outstanding young professionals who are making a significant impact through leadership, innovation, and service across the Triangle.
Dr. Kirk was recognized for her exceptional leadership in emergency medicine, commitment to advancing patient care, and dedication to mentoring future healthcare providers. This honor reflects a career defined by service, collaboration, and a passion for improving healthcare both inside and outside the emergency department.
Excellence in Emergency Medicine
Dr. Kirk serves as an attending physician with WEPPA and as the Emergency Department Medical Director for UNC Health Johnston, where she oversees emergency services across two campuses serving more than 82,000 patients annually.
Throughout 2025, Dr. Kirk led several initiatives to improve patient care and emergency department operations despite significant population growth and increasing patient volumes. Working closely with nursing leadership, she implemented process improvements that enhanced timely patient care while also collaborating with UNC Health System personnel to strengthen behavioral health and complex care workflows. She has remained deeply committed to mentoring WEPPA’s Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), helping develop the next generation of emergency medicine clinicians.
Leading with Purpose
Since joining the leadership team at UNC Health Johnston as Assistant Medical Director in 2021 and being appointed Medical Director later that year, Dr. Kirk has played an integral role in overseeing clinical operations and fostering collaboration among physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing staff, and hospital leadership.
She serves as the supervising physician for multiple physician assistants and nurse practitioners and is an active member of WEPPA’s APP Quality Improvement Committee, which supports excellence in advanced practice provider performance.
Within UNC Health Johnston, Dr. Kirk also serves as Vice President of the Medical Staff and Chair of the Peer Review Committee, helping uphold high standards of patient care while strengthening communication between physicians and hospital administration.
Serving the Community
Dr. Kirk’s commitment to service extends well beyond the hospital walls.
In 2025, she joined the Johnston Health Foundation Board, supporting initiatives that improve the health and well-being of residents throughout Johnston County, including programs such as Healthy Kids, Project Access, and the Angel Fund.
She also enjoys sharing her passion for medicine with future generations. During a local preschool Community Helper Day, Dr. Kirk introduced children to healthcare using hands-on demonstrations with medical tools, including stethoscopes and otoscopes. As a Girl Scout volunteer, she has led activities focused on nature, basic lifesaving skills, and even introduced scouts to the fundamentals of ultrasonography.
Looking Ahead
In addition to her clinical and leadership responsibilities, Dr. Kirk has contributed to medical education as a speaker at the REX Heart and Brain Conference, a lecturer for medical students at Campbell University, and an invited panelist for an eastern region UNC Health symposium on artificial intelligence in medicine.
Because of her outstanding leadership and continued dedication to WEPPA’s mission, Dr. Kirk will soon begin serving as WEPPA’s Regional Medical Director, providing leadership and support for emergency departments at UNC Health Nash, UNC Health Lenoir, UNC Health Wayne, and UNC Health Johnston alongside WEPPA physicians and hospital leadership teams.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Kirk is an avid runner who has completed one full marathon and several half-marathons. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two elementary-aged daughters exploring Clayton, hiking at Clemmons Educational State Forest, and gardening.
Congratulations, Dr. Kirk, on this well-deserved recognition!