University of Kentucky's Rural Family Medicine Program

04/23/2026

Celebrating the success of UK St. Claire Research Day in Morehead, Kentucky, on April 22, 2026!

Over 20 research posters showcased the outstanding scholarly work of UK St. Claire faculty, Family Medicine residents, fellows, medical students, and PA students—each presentation reflecting a shared commitment to discovery, collaboration, and improving the future of health care.

We are grateful for the inspiring words from Dr. Rebecca Todd, Dr. Todd Cheever, and Provost/Co-Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at UK HealthCare, Dr. Robert DiPaola. Their support reinforces the importance of cultivating an environment of inquiry, encouraging lifelong learning, and strengthening metacognition across every stage of medical education and practice.

Research Day was more than an event—it was a powerful reminder that curiosity, scholarship, and mentorship are thriving at UK St. Claire. Congratulations to all who presented and helped make the day such a success!

03/20/2026

🌿🩺 MATCH DAY IS HERE! 🩺🌿
Congratulations to the UKFM Rural MATCH Class! 🎉💙

To our Class of 2029: You are the answer to rural Kentucky's healthcare needs. The future of family medicine in rural communities looks incredible because YOU are in it. 🌄

🎓 Welcome to the next chapter!

03/19/2026

⏳ 1 DAY. ONE. MORE. DAY. ⏳

The countdown is almost over. 🌟

Tomorrow — Friday, March 20, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET — the moment we've ALL been waiting for finally arrives. N**P Match Day results drop, and the journey of a lifetime gets its next chapter. 🩺💙

We are BEYOND excited for our incredible future residents matching into rural Family Medicine right here in the heart of Eastern KY 🏔️🌿 — at UK St. Claire — 💙 Rural Family Medicine — where roots run deep and care runs deeper.

To every applicant who chose to answer the call of rural medicine: you are exactly who Eastern KY needs. 💙

Hold onto that sign. Tomorrow, you get to raise it HIGH. 🙌

02/27/2026

Happy Thank A Resident Day from the hills of Eastern Kentucky!

Today we're pausing to shine the spotlight on our incredible residents here at the UKFM Rural.

These are the people who wake up before sunrise, stay long after sunset, and show up for the people of rural Kentucky — day in and day out. They deliver babies, manage chronic illness, treat your neighbor's knee and your grandma's heart — often the same afternoon. 🏥🌄

Rural medicine isn't just a specialty — it's a calling. And our residents answer it every. single. day.

To our UKFM Rural residents: Thank you for choosing this community. Thank you for choosing this work. We see you, we're proud of you, and Eastern Kentucky is better because of you!

Drop a ❤️ to show our residents some love, or tag a resident who deserves a shoutout today!

12/21/2025

May this holiday season illuminate your path, warm your heart, and fill your life with boundless joy and love. Season's Greetings from the UKFM Rural! ✨🎄

12/09/2025

🌟PROGRAM LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Meet our Associate Program Director, Marie Dennison, MD!
Hometown: Salyersville, KY
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Residency: University of Kentucky Rural (Morehead) Family Medicine Program

Why did you join UK St. Claire?
I always knew I wanted to come back home to practice in eastern Kentucky after residency. I felt confident our residency would equip me with the skill set I would need to comfortably enter practice after graduation. During residency I realized how unique our program is in regards to the relationships residents form with their Family Medicine attendings and specialists. I appreciated the range of procedures I could do here and the generational care I get to practice. By graduation I hated the idea of giving up my work family, the families I care for in clinic, or my scope of practice here, so I joined as a faculty after my graduation in 2017.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?
I’m really proud to see our residents grow from nervous interns who need guidance to independent clinicians by graduation. It’s rewarding to see how far they’ve come and to reflect upon how many patient lives are impacted for years to come by our program

If you weren’t in medicine/healthcare, what career path would you have chosen?
I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. As a kid I did say I might be an astronaut or rockstar on the side. I did take a course in Hawaii during college and would love marine biology

What’s your spirit animal, and why?
Definitely a dog. Fiercely loyal? Check. Wary of strangers? Check. Easily distracted? Check. Aways up for a fun adventure? Triple check! More specifically, I’m a mutt- my hobbies are all over the place, love all music genres, same for my decor and clothing, on top of, of course, going into the medical field with the most variety. Just call me a Heinz 57 dog!

What's your favorite quote or mantra that you live by?
The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.

11/21/2025

Last Friday we broke out the Aqua Net, Pac Man and leg warmers, throwing it back to the 80’s to celebrate the Northeast AHEC’s 40th Anniversary and honor our amazing regional preceptors! 🎉✨

A huge congratulations to Dr. Nancy Henly (UK St. Claire Pediatrics) on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of dedication to educating future healthcare leaders. 🙌💙

We also celebrated one of our own, Dr. Nathan Kaufmann (PGY-2), for his incredible commitment to helping students explore health career pathways through hands-on training and skill development. 👏🩺

What an unforgettable night and thank you to all of our regional preceptors and the Northeast AHEC! 💫

11/14/2025

Kentucky’s rural communities deserve great doctors close to home — and that’s exactly what UKFM Rural is building.

We’ve been named to the Rural Medical Training Collaborative’s 2025 Rural Recognition List, honoring programs that train physicians who choose to serve rural communities. 💙🏥

UK HealthCare UK St. Claire Rural Family Medicine Residency earns national recognition By Crystal Staley Nov. 5, 2025 of MOREHEAD, Ky. (Nov. 5, 2025) — The University of Kentucky Rural Morehead Family Medicine Residency, located at UK St. Claire, has earned national recognition for its proven succ...

11/14/2025

🌟PROGRAM LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT 🌟

Meet our Program Director, Craig H. Burrows, MD, FAAFP!

Hometown: Newfane, New York (one stop light & plenty of farmland!)

Medical School: State University New York Jacobs College of Medicine and Biomedical Science at Buffalo

Residency: Saint Vincent Hospital - Erie, Pennsylvania

I spent my childhood helping neighbors with their cows, picking potatoes, loading hay, tending our family’s large garden, and riding my bike down country roads to friends’ homes.

In high school, I balanced academics with athletics and the arts, playing baseball, basketball, and golf while performing in school musicals, competing on the academic team, staying active in Boy Scouts, and attending church regularly.

In 1996 my National Health Service Corps commitment brought me to St. Claire Regional Medical Center's Menifee Clinic in Frenchburg, KY. I’ve been here ever since.

At UK St. Claire, I practice full-spectrum family medicine—from inpatient and outpatient care to obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, home visits, and sports medicine. This broad scope of practice is the reason I came to Morehead and it is the reason I’ve stayed. Developing our residency program and training future family physicians has become one of the most meaningful aspects of my career.

Outside of work, I enjoy running, mountain biking, golf, time on the lake, and an array of outdoor activities. Above all, I love spending time with my wife, our four children and their spouses, and our six grandchildren, who continue to be the greatest joy of my life.

10/31/2025

🎃 Halloween Spirit at UK St. Claire! 👻

UKFM Rural brought the Halloween fun to a very special patient on our inpatient service! Led by our inpatient attending, Dr. Bri Ishmael, and PGY-2 resident Dr. Hayden Ton, our amazing residents and staff at UK St. Claire came together to make trick-or-treat happen — right in the hospital!

Thank you to everyone who helped bring smiles, laughter, and a touch of spooky cheer to our patient’s day. 🖤🧡🥷

10/30/2025

This week UK St. Claire is shining the spotlight on our Associate Director of Osteopathic Education, Dr. Tyler Dittmann!

Through his leadership, Dr. Dittmann helps bridge the gap between clinical care and osteopathic philosophy—ensuring that residents at UK St. Claire graduate with both technical skill and a compassionate, holistic mindset. His work strengthens the program’s mission of improving rural health outcomes across Eastern Kentucky, where osteopathic principles have long played a vital role in comprehensive family medicine.