For Holly Danneman, MD, her passion for the UK College of Medicine – and her Northern Kentucky community – runs deep. She is from the region, a UK medical school alumna, and a St. Elizabeth Healthcare physician.
As associate dean for the UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus, she is invested in the education of her campus’ physicians-in-training because she has “skin in the game.” This is home. As such, she takes extra time to get to know her students, address their concerns, listen to their dreams, and embed them in the community through service.
Dr. Danneman became associate dean of the Northern Kentucky Campus right before before its first-ever Match Day. It was her dream job, and it came at one of the most exciting moments in the UK College of Medicine's history. She was able to send off the first graduating class of her campus – its first cohort of doctors – into her hometown and beyond.
The moment made Dr. Danneman even more excited for what was to come in her first full year as associate dean.
In the spirit of new beginnings, Dr. Danneman’s favorite time of year is the white coat ceremony in July when she gets to welcome new students to campus. This year, she helped welcome the Class of 2027.
“It’s so nice to see the classrooms and hallways full again,” she says. “I love having our students back.”
Dr. Danneman utilizes the strengths of community partnerships to provide her students with an outstanding medical education.
The UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus opened in 2019 thanks to fruitful partnerships with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Northern Kentucky University (NKU). UK students gain in-depth clinical experience with Dr. Danneman’s St. Elizabeth colleagues and can use NKU’s state-of-the-art facilities.
“It's a gain for our community to be able to create these incredibly competent physicians. It's a win for Kentucky in general,” Dr. Danneman says. “But it also gives me satisfaction and comfort knowing that these students who I love so much are getting an education from solid physicians who I have worked with my entire career.”
Dr. Danneman is in a unique position as associate dean for a regional campus. Unlike the central campus in Lexington which has more than 130 students per class, the Northern Kentucky Campus has class sizes of up to 35 per year.
The campus uses the same integrated curriculum offered at the other UK campuses in Bowling Green, Lexington, and Morehead. The power of a smaller regional campus is found in the tight bonds Dr. Danneman can form with students as their dean.
She has the privilege of being there when her M1s complete anatomy practice; when her M2s “scrub in” for scrubbing, gowning, and gloving practice; or when her M3s and M4s start their rotations
Dr. Danneman even holds a monthly lunch with her students, an idea she got from one of her colleagues in the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Her lunches are informal and open to all students, M1s-M4s, so they have a chance for her undivided attention.
“We can discuss anything—medical topics, school, life,” Dr. Danneman says. “It helps me learn things about my students, what they’re struggling with, which I may not have had the chance to learn in a formal setting.”
There is power in being heard. This year, students spearheaded efforts to create the new Development of Clinical Skills (DOCS) Lab in the NKU Albright Health Center.
The space, which was unveiled in the fall of 2023, provides students the chance to learn, practice, and receive constructive feedback on their clinical skills from upperclassmen and volunteering local physicians.
“Every day I’m impressed by our learners, and this is a prime example of their creativity and ingenuity, which not only will help them become better doctors, but also improve the training experience here for many more generations to come,” Dr. Danneman says.
“Having an associate dean like Dr. D is like having access to an approachable Superwoman right on our campus. The safe and supportive environment she has provided has allowed me to grow and learn as an individual and as a professional. She has inspired me to look further than my perceived potential and succeed beyond what I thought I was capable of. This type of leadership comes not only from someone who has trudged this same path before, but also someone with a deep, personal passion to guide those who follow her. I am immensely grateful to experience the support of a mentor and an associate dean like Dr. Holly Danneman.”
Northern Kentucky Campus students have been encouraged to create positive change, not just within the campus, but in the greater community. Dr. Danneman has facilitated those opportunities because she knows that community engagement is key in preparing her students for the real world.
Her Northern Kentucky Campus students lead Compassionate Care Reaching yoU (CCRU) Outreach, which provides compassionate, accessible medical care, resources, and education to the underserved population in Northern Kentucky. While serving as an important resource for patients who need care, the students also receive hands-on training. An attending and a resident are always nearby to help with diagnoses and treatment.
UK students saw the world from the perspective of some of their future patients when they joined NKU nursing, social work, and radiologic technology trainees for an interprofessional poverty simulation. The group volunteered on a Saturday morning to learn challenges of living through poverty – which Dr. Danneman says was an invaluable experience for her students who want to become compassionate, well-rounded physicians.
“Experiences like these extend beyond textbooks, enhancing the academic foundation with practical insights,” Dr. Danneman says. “They enable our students to navigate the complexities of health care by fostering teamwork, empathy, and a nuanced understanding of social determinants.”
Knowing her students’ drive for compassionate care, Dr. Danneman joined the Office of Community Advancement to provide students free access to CanopyLearn, an online medical Spanish program.
Students like Whitney Weinschenk embraced the opportunity. She has already volunteered in the community using her newfound knowledge, and she thanks Dr. Danneman for helping lead the charge.
“I was looking for schools that offered medical Spanish and UK didn’t when I started. But I talked to Dr. Danneman about it, you know, because it’s offered across the river. Why can’t we have this at UK? Immediately, she asked ‘What can I do to help?’ And she was like a bullet. We sent out surveys to assess interest, and we found that there was a lot of interest.”
In the Northern Kentucky Campus Class of 2027, 23% of students are underrepresented in medicine.
Dr. Danneman and her team want their students to connect early and often with doctors and alumni in the community so they are prepared to make a well-informed decision about their career path.
The Northern Kentucky Campus held its first-ever career fair in February, bringing local doctors to campus to share more information about their specialties.
“The event was a testament to our commitment to nurturing the future of health care,” Dr. Danneman says.
Dr. Danneman knows she can’t support her students alone. A core part of providing well-rounded education is her faculty, staff, and students who work as a cohesive team alongside other campuses to prepare students for success.
She strives to keep the atmosphere lighthearted and encouraging when possible so that all who work and train at her campus feel valued for their contributions.
The great work of her campus took center stage at the University of Kentucky as President Eli Capilouto paid a visit in the fall.
Students greeted the president and his team, guided them through a tour of the facilities, and demonstrated clinical skills. The event was followed by an open forum and large reception with students, staff, and St. Elizabeth Healthcare faculty and leadership.
Dr. Danneman says her students were “bursting at the seams” with excitement, jumping to volunteer and participate.
“His visit signified the University's commitment to their regional campuses,” she says. “They showed us that they truly consider our campus as the core of UK and the College of Medicine.”
The white coat ceremony may be Dr. Danneman’s favorite part of the year, but Match Day is definitely a close second. Her year as associate dean came full circle as she was able to celebrate another class of matching students in March.
Across all UK campuses, 192 students participated in the match, with 73 students matching in Kentucky residency programs and 59 continuing their training at UK. About 42% of the students matched into a primary care specialty.
The Northern Kentucky Campus had 57% of its class match into a residency program in Kentucky or Ohio, with many remaining in the nearby Greater Cincinnati region.
But to Dr. Danneman, every match at her campus represented not only the fulfillment of a dream, but also the embodiment of resilience and excellence.
“In that moment, amidst cheers and tears of joy, I was reminded of the immense privilege of guiding these aspiring physicians on their journey. It is truly an honor,” she says.
Because Dr. Danneman is so close with her students, graduation is a tearful goodbye. But for many students, it’s more of a “see you later,” whether they remain at UK, a nearby institution, or maintain the connection as alumni.
Witnessing her students being hooded at graduation is an incredibly poignant moment for Dr. Danneman. It fills her with a deep sense of fulfillment and pride. She says each newly minted doctor embodies years of dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance, representing the culmination of their educational journey.
“Knowing that each of them will go on to touch countless patient lives fills me with profound gratitude, and to have played even a small role in their journey is an honor beyond measure,” she says.
Dr. Danneman knows that her students, faculty, and staff are doing amazing things. Now she wants the greater Northern Kentucky community to know it. She remains determined to show citizens and stakeholders what her campus is capable of.
Dr. Danneman meets monthly with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and mentors rising female leaders in the community. She is on her community’s Board of Health.
She also helped bring Northern Kentucky Campus student scholarships from generous benefactors and secured a substantial Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant, opening doors for aspiring medical students who wish to pursue a career in primary care.
The expanded reach of her campus is important to her, and it will be a major focus of her future years of leadership.
The investment will be worth it.
“My family is here. My friends are here. People I truly love are here. You want to create a health care system that’s going to care for the people you love, right?” she says with a smile.
“It makes me feel confident knowing that when I pass the baton, these folks are going to be in good hands.”
College of Medicine
William R. Willard Medical
Education Building, MN 150
Lexington KY, USA 40536-0298
2024 University of Kentucky College of Medicine | An Equal Opportunity University | Accreditation | Privacy Policy | Accessibility