Faculty & Staff News KYCOM dean announces retirement Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) Dean and Professor of Family Medicine Dana C. Shaffer, D.O., FACOCP dist., FAOGME, announced his retirement expected to begin on June 30. Shaffer joined the university as associate dean at KYCOM in 2013 and became the medical school’s third dean in July 2018. Upon graduating from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in 1985, Shaffer completed a rotating osteopathic internship at Des Moines General Hospital. For the next 22 years, he practiced the complete spectrum of rural inpatient and outpatient osteopathic family medicine. In addition to his medical practice, Shaffer has been involved in teaching medical students for almost 30 years.
low compared to other private D.O. and M.D. medical colleges,” said Shaffer. “We have also added several new scholarship programs that will help further reduce the financial burden placed on KYCOM students to attend medical school.”
Shaffer has received numerous awards and accolades such as Fellowship and Distinguished Fellowship from the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, Fellowship from the Association of Osteopathic Graduate Medical Education, Physician of the Year from the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association and Friend of EMS Award from the Iowa EMS Association. Most recently, he received the PCOM Alumni Association Certificate of Honor, which is the highest honor given by the PCOM Alumni Association. Shaffer says he respects and cherishes the colleagues, faculty, staff and friends made during his time in Pikeville.
Throughout his career at KYCOM, Shaffer served on committees and task forces “I am proud of many things that, focusing on health information together as a KYCOM family, we technology, healthcare reform, have been able to accomplish. graduate medical education Despite many obstacles, the Dana C. Shaffer, D.O., FACOCP dist., FAOGME and access to primary and faculty and administration rural healthcare. He has continue to provide every lectured nationally and KYCOM student with the support internationally on innovations in medical education and resources they need to complete their degree and and physician assessment, social media and technology become a quality osteopathic physician, serving the issues impacting state medical boards, and published mission that the school was founded upon,” said Shaffer. internationally on raising the awareness of low dose CT “Serving as dean at KYCOM has been the pinnacle of scanning to detect lung cancer. my career as a medical educator, and I will be forever grateful to President Webb and the UPIKE Board of Of his many priorities at KYCOM, Shaffer says the desire Trustees for giving me this opportunity.” to increase the financial scholarship opportunities for students stands out the most.
“This is the reason that we have maintained the KYCOM Advantage Program. It provides incoming students with many of the resources they need to be successful, at no cost to them, while still keeping tuition very
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Shaffer has been married to his wife, Joan, for more than 44 years and they have two children and five grandchildren, all residing in Iowa. He plans to transition into his retirement by spending quality time with his family.
