Bradley A. Firchow, MD
Bridging bodies and landscapes through family medicine, public health advocacy, literature, and traditional craft.
A b o u t
Dr. Firchow is an Appalachian-rooted family medicine resident physician, public health advocate, author, and traditional craftsperson dedicated to the health and culture of rural America. His work bridges the gap between clinical data and human stories. As a clinician and National Health Service Corps scholar, he advocates for geographic equity and systemic healthcare access. As an artist and writer, he uses literature, painting, traditional weaving, and pottery to honor the cultural resilience and complex identities of Central Appalachia.Dr. Firchow is completing his residency training at Cheshire Medical Center - Dartmouth Health in Keene, New Hampshire. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine's Rural Physician Leadership Program and co-founder of the CATS Clinic in Morehead, Kentucky.He is a 2026 Poet & Author Fellow of the Martha's Vineyard Institute for Creative Writing and a 2026 Oak Ledge Writer-in-Residence at the Hindman Settlement School.His research focuses on rural health systems, behavioral health, and the quality of local community health assessments, with peer-reviewed work contributing to broader national and international dialogue. His writing has appeared in The Lancet, MMWR, Academic Medicine, Salvation South, and Testament: A Rural Anthology. Get in touch!
Creative Works
| Title | Publication |
|---|---|
| Past Due: Reflections after a Room Full of Light | The Canelands |
| The Creek Already Knew | Northern Appalachia Review |
| The Ring Fits The Same | Testament: A Rural Anthology |
| Your Name is In the River's Mouth | Had I a Dove: Appalachian Poets on the Helene Flood |
| Still Life, ICU: The Art of Not Looking Away | Academic Medicine |
| Quiet Emergencies | Salvation South |
| Kneeling Before the Patient | KAFP Journal |
| The Vein and the Vine | Kentucky Visions Anthology |
| Hooves and Homeplace | The Canelands |
| Glitter and Blood | Salvation South |
| Filed Under Maybe | The Examined Life Journal |
| Can the Subaltern Speak at the Free Clinic? | Auxocardia |
Critical Commentaries
| Title | Publication |
|---|---|
| A global call for family-centered ICU care | The Lancet - Regional Health Americas |
| H5N1 preparedness must integrate rural and agricultural realities | The Lancet - Regional Health Americas |
| A future rural doctor’s plea: don’t cut Medicaid in Appalachia or anywhere else | Lexington Herald-Leader |
| Understanding Rural Health through Rae Garringer's Country Queers: A Love Letter | Journal of Appalachian Health |
| Align Appalachia's Opioid-Settlement Spending with Evidence and Emerging Threats | Journal of Appalachian Health |
| Open Access in the Age of AI: The Journal of Appalachian Health and Hurricane Helene Recovery | Journal of Appalachian Health |
Scientific Works
Contact
Let’s build something together. I welcome inquiries from editors, curators, medical colleagues, and creators alike. Whether you want to discuss a publication, a visual arts commission, a rural health initiative, or simply share a story about place and community, please drop a line.
