Robert S. DiPaola, MD

Dr. Robert S. DiPaola is the Provost at the University of Kentucky. He also serves as the Co-Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at UK HealthCare.

Provost DiPaola is a first-generation college graduate and completed his medical degree at the University of Utah. After graduation, he pursued an internal medicine residency at Duke University Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in hematology-oncology at the University of Pennsylvania.

At the University of Kentucky as Dean of the College of Medicine, he led and managed all aspects of operations of the college with approximately 1,100 full-time faculty and 2,000 learners; has led efforts to create new campuses in Bowling Green and Northern Kentucky; and has launched new educational and research initiatives that have led to increased federal research funding.

He helped lead the development of our new Strategic Plan, The UK PURPOSE during his time as Acting Provost (July 1, 2021 - June 1, 2022).

He has helped create a foundation for – and has continued to lead efforts around – UK’s process next year for reaccreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). As part of that plan, he has played a key role in consulting and collaborating with members of our community across the campus in the development of our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

Provost DiPaola also laid important groundwork in selecting several leaders for open dean positions and other administrative posts as well as efforts to provide greater faculty support, enhance diversity and inclusion on campus and strengthen and expand online education.