The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is excited to welcome 201 new medical students after a successful white coat ceremony across its sites in Bowling Green (30 students), Lexington (124), Morehead (12), and Northern Kentucky (35).
Among the Class of 2027, more than 77% of students are Kentucky residents, and nearly 30% of the total class is from rural Kentucky. About 54% of the class is female, and 10% are first-generation college students.
Continue reading below to meet some of the incoming students at our campuses.
Mollee Flannigan, Morehead, Rural Physician Leadership Program
Among our new class of students is Mollee Flannigan, a graduate of Morehead State University and a native of Vanceburg, Ky.
Having grown up in a medically-underserved area of eastern Kentucky, Flannigan was inspired to pursue medicine because she wants to help people who don’t have access to health care. Her dream of becoming a physician is about becoming a part of the solution to the health needs of her neighbors, friends, and family.
“I don’t have to leave the area where I’m from to become the doctor that I want to be and to help the people I want to help,” she said.
So, our Rural Physician Leadership Program in Morehead was a natural fit for her when choosing medical school: it is quality medical education with a focus on rural health, and it is close to home for her. Flannigan will spend her first two years of medical school in Lexington, and during the last two years, she will be in Morehead for clinical training.
Grace Holmes, Lexington
To Grace Holmes, being a physician will combine her love of science with her passion for service. “I want to solve problems, think critically, and provide compassionate health care to all individuals,” she said. “I want to not only gain the tools and knowledge to treat patients, but to be able to treat them with kindness, respect, and dignity.”
Holmes grew up in Florence, Ky., and found it important to attend medical school close to her family in the communities that helped raise her. “I know the struggles of these communities, and over the years, I have learned that, although rural communities face barriers to accessing health care, they foster a sense of togetherness and resiliency that is inspiring,” she said.
She was drawn to the UK College of Medicine for its commitment to community health and diversity. Training in her home state, she will gain the skills and opportunities to create lasting and meaningful relationships with residents and pursue important research endeavors. And with UK initiatives like the Salvation Army Clinic, she will be able to continue her work with underserved populations.
Deja Miller, Northern Kentucky
Deja Miller is an incoming medical student from Huber Heights, Ohio. She attended Wright State University for undergraduate training and graduate school.
She has wanted to be a doctor since elementary school, but she couldn't ever answer why. “I just knew I needed to do this,” she said. However, the “why” became clear after seeing her dad's health care team work tirelessly to care for him.
“I want to be a doctor to give families like mine as much time as they can to make memories together,” she said. “I want to give the next daughter that extra year of love with her dad like I got with mine.”
In addition, Miller is very passionate about representation and diversity. “I want to become a doctor to show the next person of color, or kid who didn't grow up with rich parents, that they too can do whatever they set their mind to. Nothing can hold you back!”
Joshua Ramirez, Bowling Green
Joshua Ramirez will join the UK College of Medicine-Bowling Green Campus this fall. He is from Villa Park, Calif., and attended California Baptist University in Riverside.
Ramirez has been heavily involved in medical mission trips and community outreach. “These experiences pushed me to pursue a field that seeks to aid its community and the underserved,” he said of becoming a doctor.
There was one medical mission trip in Peru that changed his whole outlook on serving others and what that could mean. “As a young man with aspirations to work in the medical field, I was quickly humbled when witnessing hundreds of Peruvian children with cleft palate deformities,” he said. “This experience provided me the chance to witness the power of medicine and how it transformed the lives of these children. I felt honored to be able to make a modest contribution to the lives of these children and their families.”
He said he is “truly blessed” to have witnessed so many individuals selflessly volunteer their time, ability, and effort to help these children. Through experiences like these, “being able to assist and guide people in health and wellness, I have found the utmost joy, and this is where I find my purpose and calling,” he said.