For Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Spanish and pre-med graduate Evan Singleton, ’17, the path to becoming a physician may have led him away from home, yet his goal has always been to return. He went on to earn his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati and after completing his residency in family medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, he hopes to bring his expertise back to his hometown in Rockcastle County, Kentucky.
Though he always had an interest in medicine, it wasn’t until he shadowed a primary care physician during his time at EKU that he realized his true calling. Inspired by the physician’s impact on the community, he decided that providing primary care in Rockcastle County would be the best way to serve his community. However, his journey to becoming a doctor required difficult choices—particularly when it came to selecting a medical school.
“Quite frankly, I chose to go out of state for medical school because it was the most affordable option for me,” he said. “I wanted to minimize my educational debt so that I would have an easier time coming back to Kentucky and going into primary care.”
EKU is currently pursuing plans to establish the first public College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kentucky. With in-state tuition, the medical degree program at EKU would offer an affordable and accessible option for the state’s aspiring physicians.
“Our greatest goal with a College of Osteopathic Medicine is to recruit, train and retain physicians in rural Kentucky,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “In 2023, Kentucky’s three medical schools received 13,416 applications but enrolled only 510 students. This means many of our talented students have no choice but to go out of state to achieve their dream of a medical degree. Meanwhile, our state’s residents continue to suffer from a lack of healthcare access. EKU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine can solve these issues, offering a win-win for Kentucky and our students.”
According to the Kentucky Physician Report, most physicians in the state practice in urban areas, and only 16.2% practice in Appalachian counties. Additionally, Kentucky ranks 40th among the United States in its primary care physician workforce per 100,000 people. The feasibility study on EKU’s proposed program, conducted by Deloitte Consulting, highlighted EKU’s strong ties to rural communities—positioning EKU to train and retain doctors where they are needed the most. With a College of Osteopathic Medicine, Singleton also believes the university could play a crucial role in addressing Kentucky’s physician shortage.
“I’m excited to come back and practice in my hometown here in a couple of years, but I think that EKU opening up the College of Osteopathic Medicine will help remedy that shortage much faster. We know that when people are able to see primary care sooner and more often, they have better outcomes,” Singleton said.
His hope is that EKU’s new medical school will give future students the opportunity to stay closer to home for their education, ultimately leading to a stronger healthcare system for the state.
“I grew up in Rockcastle County. My parents grew up in Rockcastle County. All four of my grandparents were born there and lived there their entire lives,” he said. “I’d like to come back and serve the community that helped raise me and educate me so that others have opportunities for years to come.”
In addition to primary care, Singleton also wants to help people with addiction, which is “something that’s really impacted our community,” he said.
In closing, Singleton said, “I’m really proud to have gotten the excellent training that I have. I only wish I didn’t have to go out of state to do that.”
EKU is currently seeking approval from the Kentucky General Assembly to offer a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree program.
By A’Mya Kendrick
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