Born in rural Kentucky, pediatric neurosurgeon stays true to her roots
By the age of five, Dr. Randaline Barnett already knew she wanted to be a doctor, and she envisioned a future where she could be part of the solution.
Today, Dr. Barnett is fulfilling that dream as a pediatric neurosurgeon with UK HealthCare, where she is also one of a growing group of physicians who decide to stay or return to Kentucky after training.
Their stories are of great significance to Larry Goldstein, MD, who as co-director of the UK Kentucky Neuroscience Institute and chair of the Department of Neurology has devoted considerable energy to growing educational opportunities and building a welcoming environment. “We love when our own medical students consider staying,” he said. “But we also love when they come to us for medical school and go elsewhere for their training or post-training years and opt to come back. We call that voting with their feet.”
Dr. Barnett earned her bachelor’s and medical degrees at the University of Kentucky before heading to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for a neurosurgical residency. Prior to beginning her pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, she had signed her contract with Kentucky.
Considering her family roots, the decision to return was not difficult. “I have a huge family back in Eastern Kentucky and some of my best memories are the cookouts and fun we had together,” she said. “My parents still live right where I grew up, in Breathitt County, and my husband and I wanted our daughter to be close to family and have that same experience.”
But her choice was influenced by deeper factors, as well. “People always say never forget where you came from,” she said. “Taking care of the kids in Kentucky is what I have wanted to do. It was a huge driving force.”
