NEWS RELEASE – June 23, 2026
ARH Internal Medicine Residency Program Celebrates Graduation of Fifth Class
Lexington, Ky. – The Appalachian Regional Healthcare Internal Medicine Residency Program celebrated the graduation of its fifth class of residents on Friday, June 12, 2026, during a ceremony held at the Lexington Marriott City Center.
This year, eight residents completed the three-year Internal Medicine Residency Program, marking another milestone for ARH’s continued commitment to graduate medical education and the future of healthcare in Appalachia.
The 2026 Internal Medicine Residency Program graduates are:
Dr. Brendan Whittaker, DO
Dr. Anusha Tipparthi, MD
Dr. Amna Khan, MD
Dr. Jordan Kirk, DO
Dr. Mustafa Turab, MD
Dr. B. Clay Nickles, DO
Dr. Shivendra Tangutoori, MD
Dr. Mahera Hasan, MD
“We are deeply grateful to our residents for trusting ARH with this important chapter of their medical training,” said Tammy Allen, Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for Graduate Medical Education at ARH. “It has been a privilege to support them over the past three years and witness their growth into skilled, compassionate physicians. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and look forward to the impact they will make in the lives of their patients and the communities they serve.”
The ARH Internal Medicine Residency Program is designed to train internal medicine physicians who are prepared to meet the unique healthcare needs of the Appalachian population. Through hands-on clinical training, critical thinking, lifelong learning, and a strong emphasis on community-centered care, the program equips residents to provide high-quality, compassionate care throughout their careers.
Among this year’s graduates, one resident will remain with ARH to practice as a hospitalist at Highlands ARH, continuing to serve patients in the region. Three graduates will pursue fellowship training in specialized areas of medicine:
Dr. Shivendra Tangutoori will complete a Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship at BronxCare in New York.
Dr. Mustafa Turab will complete a Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Kentucky-Bowling Green.
Dr. Amna Khan will complete an Infectious Disease Fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.
The graduation ceremony recognized the dedication, perseverance, and clinical excellence of the residents, as well as the faculty, staff, and mentors who supported them throughout their training. “Graduating an internal medicine residency is always a milestone, but doing so here in Appalachia is a victory for our communities. These physicians haven’t just mastered medicine; they’ve earned the trust of a region,” said Dr. L Bart Francis, ARH Internal Med Program Director. “As they step forward, they carry the clinical expertise and deep compassion needed to heal where it matters most. I’m so proud of our graduates.”
As ARH continues to expand access to care across Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia, the Internal Medicine Residency Program plays an important role in preparing physicians who understand the communities they serve and are committed to improving health outcomes through education, engagement, and empathetic care.
Appalachian Regional Healthcare congratulates the 2026 Internal Medicine Residency Program graduates and wishes them continued success as they begin the next chapter of their medical careers.
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About Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH)
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) traces its roots back to 1955, when the United Mine Workers of America opened the Miners Memorial Hospital system – a network of 10 hospitals dedicated to providing care throughout the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Seventy years later, ARH has grown into a 14-hospital not-for-profit health system that serves more than 500,000 residents of central Appalachia each year. ARH hospitals in Barbourville, Harlan, Hazard, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky, and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, ensure that residents, tucked away in even the most remote areas, can access the highest quality of care without traveling hours from home. ARH’s hospitals, clinics, multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores, retail pharmacies, and medical spas boast more than 6,700 employees with a network of more than 1,300 providers, making it the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.