Faculty

Whitney Crawford, MS

Program Coordinator

Whitney Crawford earned her Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Mississippi College and has dedicated her career to student success and engagement. With extensive experience in admissions, student affairs, and program coordination, she is passionate about supporting students in their academic and professional journeys.

In her current role, Ms. Crawford focuses on developing programs that enhance student retention, leadership, and cross-cultural engagement. She is also pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Higher Education Administration at the University of Southern Mississippi, further strengthening her commitment to student development and institutional excellence.

Jerry McKnight, MD

Program Director

Dr. McKnight attended the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He completed the University of Alabama School of Medicine Family Practice Program. Dr. McKnight later taught at the University of Alabama School of Medicine-Tuscaloosa campus as Professor of Family Medicine where he authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications. He became the Chairman of the Family Medicine Department at the University of Alabama and held several hospital positions to include Chairman of the Family Medicine Hospital Department. During his time as Professor at the University of Alabama, he trained 270 family physicians. He also achieved a Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. McKnight has a passion for providing medical care to underserved populations and started a medical clinic in Appalachia which is still in operation. It is this interest in providing care to needed populations that brought about starting a Family Medicine Residency at Monroe Regional Hospital in Aberdeen, Mississippi. Dr. McKnight looks forward to making this program a success.

Leslie Smothers, DO

Associate Program Director

Dr. Leslie Smothers graduated with honors from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2014 after obtaining degrees from University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of Alabama. After William Carey, she completed her residency at the Family Medicine Residency Center in Tupelo and then worked in Brewton, Alabama. She took over for a physician who practiced 40 years. She then went on to work in Hamilton, Alabama with North Mississippi Medical Center where she did hospital, nursing home, and clinic care. From working in Hamilton, Alabama, she had an opportunity to teach new physicians at the Family Medicine Residency Center. Her passions include hospice and palliative care and preventative care, such as yearly exams and mammograms. With more than nine years of diverse experience, especially in Family Practice, Dr. Smothers looks forward to meeting your healthcare needs with a keen eye for detail and a passion for geriatrics.

Mehul Patel, MD

Dr. Patel specializes in value-based healthcare solutions with a focus on primary care physicians, improving workflows and scalability using IT and business intelligence. As an Internal Medicine physician involved in global financial risk capitation agreements with Medicare and Medicaid since 1992, and a founding partner of Medicare/Medicaid-contracted HMOs and MSSP ACOs, Dr. Patel brings deep experience in managed care—spanning financial, clinical, operational, and regulatory aspects. He excels in analyzing and leveraging claims data to develop actionable strategies that turn around underperforming practices or enhance successful ones.