WHITESBURG — Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. (ARH), with the support of Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM), welcomed its inaugural class of six internal medicine residents July 1. The new residency training program will be based at Harlan ARH Hospital and Whitesburg ARH Hospital in Kentucky. The new class of residents includes two graduates from the LMU-DCOM class of 2019, Dr. Cassandra Do and Dr. Jane-Katherine “JK” Heinold.

“I am honored to be a part of the first class. I love the people of Appalachia and look forward to serving them for many years to come,” said Dr. Heinold.

In addition to Dr. Do and Dr. Heinold, residents in the inaugural class include:

• Dr. David L. Napier, a native of Hazard, and a graduate from the University of Kentucky, and the University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine.

• Dr. Justin D. Cozza, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, who is a graduate of The University of Pittsburgh and American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. He has family ties to Hindman, Kentucky.

• Dr. James Crosby, of Sylvester, Georgia, a graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine.

• Dr. Mary Elizabeth Kimbrough, of Mount Hope, Alabama, a graduate of The University of Alabama and Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas Campus in Spartanburg South Carolina.

Internal medicine residency programs are three years in length. ARH is accredited for 18 residents across the two locations. LMU-DCOM played a significant role in drafting the applications for institutional and programmatic approval. After months of planning and development, the program was approved April 9.

“We want our program to have the culture and the support our local communities,” said ARH CEO Joe Grossman. “It is our expectation that many of the physicians that we train will stay and practice here for many years. They will complete our program with a tremendous appreciation for rural medicine and the challenges that our people face.”

Several of the core faculty are physicians that grew up in central Appalachia. “We have assembled a tremendous team to lead this new program,” said Dr. Maria Braman, chief medical officer for ARH. “Our program director, Dr. Bernie Sergent, and associate program director, Dr. Stanley Marlowe, both have roots in eastern Kentucky.”

Sergent hails from Deane, Kentucky, and attended the University of Pikeville School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his training as an internal medicine resident in a community-based program in Norton, Virginia in 2006, and has been practicing for 13 years.

Marlowe was born in Harlan ARH Hospital. He attended medical school at LMU-DCOM, and has been teaching medical students as a preceptor for LMU-DCOM since completing his residency program, also in Norton, Virginia, in 2016. Marlowe was also awarded the 2019 LMU-DCOM Preceptor of the Year award.

“ARH has made a tremendous investment in preparing the clinical learning environment for the residents and medical students at both Whitesburg and Harlan,” said Tammy Allen, ARH residency program coordinator. “The new space includes classrooms equipped with distance-learning technology, sleeping rooms for on-call residents, as well as simulation training space and equipment.”

The ARH Residency Program helps LMU-DCOM in fulfilling its mission to serve the health and wellness needs of people within Appalachia and enhance access to comprehensive health care for underserved communities.

“Through programs like this, we aim to do our part in creating a rural primary care physician workforce,” said Dr. Brian A. Kessler, vice president and dean of LMU-DCOM. “LMU-DCOM possesses the will and the talent to assist hospitals and clinics through the residency program accreditation process. We can best improve the distribution of our physician workforce within the region if we can fully train medical students and physicians in rural communities.”