Just like her father, Jennifer Bacani McKenney needed some convincing that Fredonia, Kansas, was the right town for her to start her medical practice.

But now, she's literally right at home.

In 2009, McKenney joined her father's medical practice in the same rural Kansas community where she was born 30 years earlier.

Her father, Dr. O.C. Bacani, was working in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, when a recruiter called and asked him to consider relocating to Fredonia. It took two visits to the town to convince Bacani and his wife. The first visit was during the winter, "and it looked like a lonely little town," Bacani recalls.  The second visit, which included warmer weather, blooming flowers, and a community-wide welcome reception, won them over.

The Bacanis and their two sons made the move, and in the ensuing years added two daughters to the family. Bacani learned to hunt and fish, and became a part of the community.

To say the family became involved is an understatement. In addition to being the town's doctor, Bacani is also the deputy sheriff. Some years ago, he and his wife opened a hotel and restaurant complex, which includes a gas station and convenience store, adding entrepreneur to his list of achievements.

McKenney remembers spending afternoons after school helping out in her father's medical office. Her mother was the office manager. "As soon as I learned the alphabet, I started filing records," she says.

She also witnessed the generosity of the community. Her father's patients often brought him gifts of fresh produce, fish ... even a goat. "I thought the goat was going to be our pet," McKenney recalls. She and her siblings named it Peaches. Two days later, Peaches became family dinner.

While she hasn't received live animals herself, McKenney enjoys the same community support as her father. As she was finishing her residency at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita, she started getting calls from people encouraging her to come back home to practice.

"As a kid growing up here, I used to say I wouldn't be back," says McKenney, from her office adjacent to the community hospital.

But the townspeople once again campaigned to show a younger Bacani family member that the town had potential. "The chance to work with my dad was very appealing," she says. And she knew she would never find more acceptance or a warmer welcome than in her hometown.

Five years later, the McKenney family is well immersed in life in Fredonia, mirroring the Bacani family before them. Bob McKenney, Jennifer's husband, was recently appointed mayor, while she is the city and county health officer. The couple work together on community revitalization efforts, and have had two children.

A third family member is part of the practice, too. McKenney's younger sister Angelica, a student at Wichita State University, is the office's medical coordinator, and telecommutes to perform her duties.

The practice also uses technology to connect with younger community members. McKenney posts a "Daily Dose" status to the practice's Facebook page, which gives medical advice and provides an outlet to answer questions from area high school students.

"Some of the students' questions are bad, as you might expect," McKenney says. But some are more serious, like questions on sexually transmitted diseases, which makes it a valuable method for outreach and education.

The father-daughter doctor duo complements each other. Both have an outgoing personality, a sense of humor, and are very supportive of one another. She's taught him about electronic medical charting and how to use an iPad, while he helps her understand the medical needs of their longtime patients.

Both share a strong sense of family. McKenney's mother still visits the practice daily.

"The most important thing Dad taught us was the importance of family."