The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is excited to welcome Allana Oak, DO, to the leadership team of the Northern Kentucky Campus.
Dr. Oak will serve as assistant dean for clinical education effective Sept. 16. The new role will involve collaborating with faculty, staff, and students to support and strengthen clinical experiences at the campus.
“As a physician and mentor, Dr. Oak is committed to our students at the UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus,” says Holly Danneman, MD, associate dean for the campus. “Her contributions so far have made a difference for our campus in its first few years, and her leadership will make a lasting impression for the years to come.”
In 2021, Dr. Oak joined the UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus faculty as an assistant professor and co-site director for the OB-GYN clerkship. Since then, she has mentored many students as a course director for OB-GYN, a Transition to Residency co-site director, a house advisor for our learning communities, and a representative of the UK College of Medicine Student Progress and Promotion Committee.
Since 2000, Dr. Oak has been a physician at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, a leading regional hospital system that partnered with the University of Kentucky to establish the regional campus and provides current UK medical students with hands-on clinical experiences.
Dr. Oak directs St. Elizabeth’s family medicine obstetric fellowship and leads its laborist group. She was an assistant director of the hospital’s family medicine residency program for more than a decade. Prior to St. Elizabeth, Dr. Oak practiced family medicine and obstetrics at UK St. Claire HealthCare in Morehead, Ky.
She has been recognized with multiple teaching and clinical service awards including the UK College of Medicine Distinguished Teacher Award (2023, 2024), the OB-GYN Distinguished Teaching Award (2023,2024), the Gold Humanism in Medicine Award (2024), and the Kentucky Perinatal Association’s David H. Adamkin, MD, Founders Award (2024), and the Tom Pauly, MD, Community Service Award (2017).
After receiving her Bachelor of Science in biology from Georgetown College, Dr. Oak went on to earn her medical degree in 1995 from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating with honors. She completed her residency in family medicine followed by an obstetric fellowship at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Ky.
In addition to her work with the College of Medicine, Dr. Oak is passionate about maternal-child health and safety in maternity care. She serves on the board of the Kentucky Perinatal Association.
As we welcome Dr. Oak into this position, the college thanks Meredith Landorf, MD, for her valuable leadership of the campus’ clinical education during the past three years. Dr. Landorf will be transitioning into a new role as a regional advanced development director, through which she will oversee all acting internships and electives in the Advanced Development (final) phase of the curriculum for the Northern Kentucky Campus. The director is responsible for ensuring that each course meets the college’s competencies, entrustable professional activities, recommendations of the curriculum committee, and relevant national guidelines directed to their specialty. The director is also responsible for career counseling, advising students on residency applications, and participating in Careers in Medicine activities organized by the assistant dean for career advising.
About the Northern Kentucky Campus
The UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus welcomed its inaugural class in 2019, in partnership with Northern Kentucky University (NKU) and St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Accepting up to 35 students annually, this regional campus provides students in northern Kentucky with all of the experiences that the UK College of Medicine has to offer – the integration of basic and clinical sciences, interactive lectures and labs, and community engagement opportunities. Clinical rotations, which occur during the third and fourth years of training, allow students to interact directly with practicing St Elizabeth physicians and strengthen their clinical skills.
About St. Elizabeth Healthcare
St. Elizabeth Healthcare is one of the oldest, largest, and most respected medical providers in the Greater Cincinnati region. Founded with one small hospital in 1861, St. Elizabeth Healthcare now operates six facilities throughout northern Kentucky and more than 115 primary care and specialty office locations in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.
Learn more about the Northern Kentucky Campus and our clinical partnerships on our website.