After more than four decades in academic medicine, including more than 25 transformative years at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Steven A. Haist, MD, is retiring, leaving behind a remarkable legacy defined by innovation, mentorship, and a deep commitment to medical education.
A lifelong Kentuckian and proud UK alumnus, Dr. Haist’s connection to the College of Medicine began with his MD degree in 1981, followed by residency training in internal medicine, completed in 1984. He joined the UK faculty in 1987 and completed a master’s degree in education in 1991, helping shape a career that bridged clinical excellence and curricular vision.
Dr. Haist’s impact at UK deepened with his return in 2018, when he was named the founding associate dean of the UK College of Medicine–Northern Kentucky Campus. He played a pivotal role in bringing the new regional campus to life, from guiding its early development to welcoming the inaugural class in 2019. His leadership helped lay the foundation for a program that expands access to both health care and medical education in a rapidly growing region of the Commonwealth.
In 1988, he started the standardized patient (SP) program with a five-station pilot, and the SP program expanded rapidly. The program laid the foundation of instructing and assessing UK medical students’ clinical skills and was a vital component of many research projects leading to publications.
In 2022, Dr. Haist was named associate dean for curriculum and assessment. His work helped ensure medical students across all four campuses — Bowling Green, Lexington, Northern Kentucky, and Morehead — received a consistent, rigorous, and patient-centered education.
Nationally, Dr. Haist served as vice president of test development services at the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), where he oversaw major reforms to the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and oversaw the design of more than 120 exams. He is also co-author of the Clinician’s Pocket Reference, a staple reference for generations of medical students.
His service and scholarship have earned him numerous honors, including the William R. Willard Dean’s Recognition Award in 1999. The college also established the Steven A. Haist Award for Outstanding Academic Performance in Internal Medicine in his name in 2008, the year he joined the NBME.
“Having great mentors, collaborators, and opportunities laid the foundation for a successful medical education career,” expressed Dr. Haist. “Most of all, I am indebted to the medical students and residents I worked with for providing me the daily inspiration to succeed.”
His influence spans classrooms, campuses, and careers — but at the heart of it all has been his love for teaching and his belief in the power of education to change lives. As he retires, the College of Medicine community celebrates a career that exemplifies the very best of medical education and the lasting impact of a great teacher.