College of Medicine Health Disparities Research Training Fellowship announces 2026 fellows
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 6, 2026) — Two University of Kentucky College of Medicine students, Carlie Arlinghaus and Riya Patel, have been chosen for the Health Disparities Research Training (HDRT) Fellowship.
The Department of Behavioral Science created the fellowship, which is supported by its Council on Community, Engagement, Research and Training (CONCERT), to enhance medical students’ understanding of health and health care disparities experienced by disadvantaged and underserved populations.
Over the course of 18 months, each fellow will work with a behavioral science faculty mentor on a research or community-engaged project that addresses these patient populations.
Arlinghaus will be co-mentored by Darlingtina Esiaka, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Science, UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging and primary faculty of the Center for Health, Engagement and Transformation, and Matthew Bush, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Arlinghaus will examine the predictors of unequal access to hearing care and follow-up for children in Kentucky’s Appalachian region. The project’s goal is to identify modifiable barriers and inform strategy development to reduce loss of follow-up care, enhance early intervention and improve long-term health outcomes in rural communities.
“I was drawn to the HDRT Fellowship because my previous research in health disparities has shown me how structural and geographic barriers can delay or prevent access to care in rural communities,” said Arlinghaus. “I hope to identify modifiable factors that reduce loss to follow-up and support earlier intervention.”
Patel will be mentored by Elizabeth Rhodus, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Department of Behavioral Science and primary faculty of the Center for Health, Engagement and Transformation.
The overall goal of Patel’s project, “Improving ADRD Care in Kentucky by Evaluating Telehealth Program Outcomes and Engagement,” is to determine how geography and resource availability influence engagement with the Harmony Dementia Care program.
“Through my project evaluating telehealth engagement within the Harmony Dementia Care program, I am excited to learn how research can inform more inclusive models of care and translate into tangible improvements for the communities these programs serve,” said Patel.
Fellows receive a stipend and will present their projects to the campus community in spring 2027.
Learn more about the Health Disparities Research Training (HDRT) Fellowship.
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