Family PRACTICE
You might say the Thompsons are a UPIKE family. Marcia Slone Thompson graduated from Pikeville College in 1981, her husband Randy attended, and four of their six children graduated from UPIKE’s healthcare professional schools. Yes, that means there are four doctors in the family. When asked why so many members of their family pursued medicine, Ashley Thompson, a 2015 graduate of the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, says, “I think the reason is pretty simple. The term doctor, derived from the Latin word ‘docere,’ literally means ‘to teach.’ My mother, aunt and grandfather were all teachers.” Ashley, who’s completing a pulmonology/critical care medicine fellowship at the University of Kentucky, continues, “They were first-hand examples of the dedication and discipline that accompanies learning a new skill, as well as the reward of sharing your knowledge with others. My decision to pursue a career of lifelong learning stems from roots planted by the great educators in my family.”
Marcia, a native of Hindman, taught band and chorus until her retirement in 2012. Describing teaching as “a joy,” she returned to the profession in 2013. She and Randy, a former judge-executive in Knott County, also own the radio station WKCB, which is fitting because music has played such a significant role in her life and the lives of her family.
“My father, Ray Slone, was an algebra teacher, but his hobby was music. His parents made him a banjo out of coffee cans and groundhog skins,” Marcia says with a laugh. “He played the fiddle and mandolin and became acquainted with Bill Monroe at festivals. Our family folk band played on the Grand Ole Opry twice while I was in high school.”
Music and Medicine
Marcia’s daughters continued the family tradition. They credit their musical backgrounds with helping prepare them for careers in medicine. 34
UPIKE MAGAZINE | SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Four sisters begin their journey of service and healthcare at UPIKE by michelle Goff
Jessica, who recently graduated from the Kentucky College of Optometry, says, “Playing an instrument isn’t an easy task. It takes great time and patience, along with eye-hand coordination. Many times, while in the clinic, I must maneuver a slit lamp while simultaneously using forceps to remove a metal object from an eye. Playing different musical instruments definitely assisted in the development of my eye-hand coordination skills to perform such tasks.” “I think music impacted my medical career by teaching me to be dedicated to something while also being creative and having to think outside of the box, which is necessary for patients with complex medical problems,” says Alicia, a 2019 graduate of KYCOM and a first-year resident in internal medicine at UK. Tiffany Thompson-Strouth, a 2012 graduate of KYCOM and an obstetrician/gynecologist at Pikeville Medical Center, agrees with her sisters.
“I feel like the ability to play the piano or a stringed instrument helps my dexterity, especially when performing advanced surgical procedures. Musical performance builds confidence, which is essential in delivering outstanding medical care.” Music also introduced Tiffany to UPIKE.
“Every week, my parents would bring me to piano lessons at Pikeville College. All of us took lessons, so you would wait on the other sibling to finish while you were waiting for your turn. I would work on homework during that time, but I would also walk around Condit Hall to look out the window at the campus. I can remember the construction occurring with the Armington Learning Center to prepare for the medical school. It was such an extraordinary project to think about as a child; this is a place where physicians are going to be made.” Years later, Tiffany and her sisters would take classes in Armington.
“All of our classes were held in (Armington’s) Chrisman Auditorium,” Ashley recalls. “I remember the construction and groundbreaking of the new state-ofthe-art Coal Building and the transition into the new
