Dr. Kevin Thompson, an Oklahoma native whose studies have led him everywhere from Birmingham to Charlotte, N.C., has begun filling the orthopedic void at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital.

“I practice four days a week in Tuscaloosa currently,” Thompson said, pointing to a rigorous practice schedule that will see him spend time at the Demopolis-based clinic on Thursdays.

Thompson, who is also associated with University Orthopedic Clinic, got his first exposure to the southeastern United States as a child.

“I spent some time in Auburn growing up,” Thompson said. “So I was used to living in college towns. I’ve enjoyed living in Tuscaloosa.”

Thompson completed his residency in Birmingham and his fellowship in sports medicine in Charlotte.

“All during residency, I took care of a lot of the high school teams in the Birmingham area,” Thompson said of the origin of his affinity for sports medicine. “I really enjoyed that. The other good thing about the fellowship in Charlotte is that one of my other interests is shoulder and elbow.”

While he only gets one day a week in Demopolis, Thompson compares the city to a place with which he is very familiar.

“It’s pretty similar in size to where my wife’s parents are from,” he said of the city.

Thompson has also found in Demopolis a small-town hospitality befitting a tight-knit community.

“Everybody at the hospital has been very warm and welcoming,” he said.

Thompson resides in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Adrianne, and the couple’s five-month-old daughter, Katelyn.