RICHMOND, Ky. — Eastern Kentucky University is seeking legislative approval to offer an osteopathic medicine program, hoping to become the fourth university in the state to offer medical doctorate degrees. 

What You Need To Know

  • House Bill 407 would let Eastern Kentucky University offer a doctorate in osteopathic medicine 

  • Nearly half of the practicing primary care physicians in Kentucky are in Jefferson or Fayette counties

  • Kentucky has three medical programs at the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and the University of Pikeville 

  • Less than 4% of applicants got into those programs last year

Julia Lilly is a pre-med student at EKU, her first step in becoming a physician, something she’s always wanted to do.

“My mom had quite a bit of illness whenever I was younger, so I always knew that’s what interested me; I always found myself wanting to know why things were happening to her and wanting to be able to explain it,” Lilly said.

Though she’s only a freshman, Lilly knows she wants to stay in Kentucky and most likely work in primary care. According to the UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health, 43 of the 120 counties are considered health provider shortage areas for primary physician care.

Lilly has seen this firsthand, working as a nurse aide at a local hospital while completing her undergraduate degree.

“A lot of times in the hospital, people will come in with issues that probably could have been treated by a primary care provider first,” Lilly said. “But since they don’t have one established or they have to worry about getting an appointment that might be six months out, they just come to the ER and we end up overflowing and not being able to give them the quality of care that a good primary care physician would be able to give them.”

Right now, Lilly and other pre-med students at EKU only have three in-state options to continue their path toward getting their white coat: the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and the University of Pikeville. EKU President David McFaddin said last year, less than 4% of applicants got into those programs.

“Over 13,000 applicants for the three med schools in Kentucky last year and only 500 students got in so there is ample desire for students to go to a medical school, there’s just not enough spots for everyone,” McFaddin said.

House Bill 407 would allow EKU to offer doctor’s degrees in osteopathic medicine, becoming the fourth university to have a medical degree in Kentucky. McFaddin said the university started seriously considering offering the degree during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So many people (were) trying to find hospitals, trying to find beds and physicians who could support them. I think that really prompted us to think about there’s a major issue here,” McFaddin said.

McFaddin said EKU continues to grow and is already offering nursing, occupational therapy and other health care-related degrees.

“We’re number one for serving Kentuckians, we’re number one for our graduates going back to work in our local communities and we got 100 years of experience in delivering outstanding health care programs,” McFaddin said.

For Lilly and other students, the possibility of an EKU medical school opens more opportunities to follow a passion.

“I think those people from the smaller communities would feel more comfortable here rather than applying to UofL or UK,” Lilly said.

The bill passed the House unanimously last month. HB 407 has been assigned to the Senate education committee, but no action has been taken yet.

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