then attending an HBCU, he had a strong sense of cultural identity. Pikeville, however, offered a stark contrast.
“ It was polar opposite from what I’ d been exposed to,” he said.“ But it was a very good learning experience with the nicest people. It was truly such a melting pot.”
And one medical school experience in particular left a lasting impression. During a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, he encountered a level of need that reframed his understanding of access to care.
“ While we were doing triage and taking blood pressures, the crowd rushed the clinic … it literally looked like a zombie apocalypse,” he said.“ Those people wanted to get care so desperately.”
Now, years later, he sometimes reflects on that moment when faced with missed appointments.
“ I look at my schedules and think about how many no-shows I have in a day,” he says.“ It was very interesting to see that contrast.”
Dr. Patton went on to complete a family medicine residency in
Indianapolis at Community West Hospital and in a small program with limited personnel, responsibility came quickly and often. The experience demanded adaptability, resilience and leadership, qualities he had been building his entire life. By his senior year, those around him saw something more.
“ My co-residents kept coming up to me encouraging me to go up for Chief Resident so finally I gave it some more thought and realized, hey, maybe I can do this,” he said. He listened to their encouragement and stepped into the role.
At the same time, he was expanding his reach beyond clinical training. Working with Marian University, he helped develop a mentoring program for medical students and began speaking on success, leadership and growth. That work didn’ t go unnoticed. His research on mentorship earned first place in the 2016 National ACOFP Poster Competition.
After residency, he returned to Louisville to be closer to his daughter, a decision that reflects a recurring theme in his life: relationships come first.
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