PORT ST. LUCIE – Doctors Kelly Maloch and Amber Allen both grew up on the Treasure Coast. They both knew they were going to medical school at the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. And they were both familiar with HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital in Port St. Lucie. But the two didn’t know each other until they met right before leaving for Kansas City. Now, they work at the same hospital, sometimes in the same operating arena.

Maloch grew up in Stuart, attending Jensen Beach High School. Her father, Dr. Steven Langer, had been an anesthesiologist at St. Lucie Hospital for more than thirty years and her mother is a retired nurse. Maloch even volunteered at the medical center in high school. While she always knew she wanted to go into medicine, she was initially torn between anesthesiology and emergency medicine. Eventually, she decided to follow in her father’s footsteps.

Allen grew up in Port St. Lucie, graduating from St. Lucie West Centennial High School. She attended the University of Central Florida followed by the University of South Florida. She is a Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Physicians to Women in Port St. Lucie.

“We met right before going off to medical school and decided to be roommates,” Malloch said. “My dad had attended medical school using the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) and I decided to do the same.” HPSP is a military scholarship that covers medical school tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend in exchange for a service obligation. She told Allen about the program and they both signed up, committing to 3 years to the U.S. Air Force. “Amber says I got her into the military, but she’s the one with military experience. I didn’t even know how to salute.” Allen was in the ROTC for 4 years at Centennial High School.

Allen and Maloch were in the inactive ready reserves while they were in medical school, but attended Officer Training School over their summer break between years 1 and 2. “We went to boot camp (OTS) and when we got off the bus, she was in front of me and I was right behind her, so we got the same room,” Allen said. “It was nice to know somewhere there,” Maloch said. “Especially for me since I didn’t know how to do anything military.”

They also had to satisfy a one-month requirement of rotation at an active-duty military hospital during their third and fourth years of med school. Malloch went to San Antonio Military Medical Center for two years, while Allen went there for one year followed by a year at Portsmouth Virginia, where they had an OB/GYN program.

Eventually the two roommates parted ways and did their residencies at different locations. Once they finished school, Maloch fulfilled her active-duty commitment at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, while Allen went to Eglin Air Force base in Niceville, Fl.

Years later, both doctors came full circle and now practice at St. Lucie Hospital. But according to Malloch, it was no surprise. “Seeing that we both grew up here and both our families are here it wasn’t that outrageous of a plan that we would both end up here.” Allen said she always knew her friend would end up here. “I just always figured she would be here and take over her dad’s legacy.”

Not only do they both work at the same hospital, they often work together frequently in the operating room, on GYN cases and C-sections.

Allen said she knows her patients are getting the kind of care she wants them to have.

“Kelly is kind, she cares, when she’s talking to the patients, I can hear her compassion.”

Both doctors like working together, what they each bring to the table.

One person who is happy the duo is working together is Maloch’s father, Dr. Steven Langer. “It feels fantastic having my daughter back, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Allen and Maloch are both happy to have come full circle and to be where they are, married, with kids and family, back on the Treasure Coast. “It’s great to be back in the community where we were raised, giving back to our community in the best way we can.”