To meet need for Kentucky doctors

ASHLAND, Ky. — Doctors, nurses and staff gathered in a conference room at King’s Daughter Medical Center in Ashland on Thursday to hear the announcement by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine of an expansion to meet the need of doctors in the state.

The university’s initiative, which is in partnership with Morehead State University, Western Kentucky University, St. Claire Regional Medical Center, King’s Daughters Medical Center and the Medical Center at Bowling Green, is set to begin in 2018.

The announcement was simulcast between the schools and King’s Daughters, whose president and CEO, Kristie Whitlatch, was in attendance at the event on the Lexington campus.

Kristi Lopez, the public relations director for the University of Kentucky’s medical campus, said Kings Daughters is one of the partner sites where students will get clinical training in their third and fourth years of education.

The UK College of Medicine is at its capacity in Lexington and the college can’t expand enrollment without the help of regional partners, according to a news release from the university.

UK President Eli Capilouto told the audience that Kentucky has some of the highest rates in the nation for cancer, diabetes and heart diseases and that the expansion will fill the need for more doctors and physicians.

“Through our partnership, we can do more and be more than we can do now,” he said.

He said there is no shortage, however, of those seeking to enter the profession.

“Our applicant pool runs deep with qualified candidates,” he said.

He said the expansion would provide 30 percent more students, per class “committed to healing Kentucky families.”

“More students who, through their love of medicine, can demonstrate their love of humanity,” he said.

Bowling Green President Gary Ransdell said he is eager for the expansion to take place.

“I’m very excited to see what we can put together in coming months,” he said.

While Morehead State University President Wayne Andrews, said the school was “delighted” to have the opportunity to deepen their partnership.

“We’re going to grow our own through this program and attack these health disparities,” he said of the need for more doctors.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine currently enrolls 521 students, including 139 in its most recent class. Revenue generated by new students will offset the costs associated with implementing the satellite programs.

“We are very proud to be a part of this collaborative effort and we are committed to building programs that support our communities and their future health care needs,” Whitlatch said in an earlier news release. “We are also committed to retaining our local talent and providing them with the ability to remain in our communities for their educational experience and hopefully for their entire career as a physician. An alliance with the University of Kentucky College of Medicine will be beneficial in recruiting physicians of all specialties so we can keep our health care local and ultimately improve the health of the communities we serve.”