The Milestone Pediatric Clinic LLC celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting and open house Wednesday.

Owner and Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Ashley Hickman and her team have been seeing patients since Aug. 3, but delayed the opening celebration due to COVID concerns.

Hickman, a Brookhaven native and Brookhaven High School graduate, attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College before earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. A stint in the UMMC pediatric emergency department helped shape her future.

“I developed a love for working with pediatrics in the medical field,” Hickman said.

So she returned to school and completed a master’s program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to earn her pediatric nurse practitioner degree.

Hickman worked in Texas as a CPNP before returning to Brookhaven to work for King’s Daughters Medical Center. After six years, she decided to branch out on her own. Dr. Blaine Britt is her collaborating physician.

“It’s something I always wanted to do and it was always in the back of my mind,” she said.

The idea came into focus this year as she recovered from the birth of her third son, Cade — her other boys are Preston, 9, and Peyton, 7 — and different opportunities opened up for her and a building came open at 224 South Church St.

“As a mom, that’s my whole perspective,” Hickman said of her practice. “We’re keeping it small and close-knit between staff and patients. We know you by name and you’re more than a patient — more like family.”

When patients call or come in, they will always see or talk to Hickman, she said, or her staff Stephanie Smith and Beth Evans.

Another way Milestone aims to be different is with same-day availability for appointments when needed, and a reliance on established clientele and positive, word-of-mouth reviews.

“This has been something that I’ve always wanted, but never thought that I would reach that goal,” Hickman said. “With family and friends pushing me and helping me make that decision, I was able to put stepping stones together and start to open a pediatric clinic.”

Milestone Pediatric Clinic LLC is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Wednesday and Friday until noon.