As an internal medicine specialist, Alan Fearey, M.D., always appreciated the old-fashioned yet up-to-date nature of his work.

“I like internal medicine because you’re on the ground floor and you can get to know your patients,” said Fearey, who spent much of his 38-year career at Wichita Clinic. “They come back to you. It’s kind of like the old general practice.”

At the same time, internal medicine specialists have been in the forefront of modern wellness and disease prevention efforts in areas such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and lung disease. “I always thought that’s where I’d like to be,” Fearey said.

Now Fearey and his wife, Sharon, are aiming to help medical students and residents who want to follow a similar path. The couple have set up the Dr. Alan and Sharon Fearey Internal Medicine Support Fund at KU School of Medicine-Wichita. The endowed fund will provide broad support to the Department of Internal Medicine, giving its chair, William Salyers Jr., M.D., flexibility in how it can support students, residents and faculty.

“This fund will allow us the opportunity to continue to grow educational programs in internal medicine for students and residents,” said Salyers, “and the department greatly appreciates the support of Dr. and Mrs. Fearey.”

Both Feareys are Wichita natives. Alan graduated from Wichita State University and was part of KU Medical School’s last three-year program, completing his basic science courses in Kansas City and his clinical training here. After finishing his residency here, Fearey, who was on a U.S. Air Force scholarship, went into that service branch as a captain and internal medicine specialist based at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The couple returned home to raise their family and Fearey settled into practice at the clinic, frequently supervising medical students doing their internal medicine clerkships.

“That (internal medicine) is where my heart lies,” he said. “My feeling is it’s kind of the family practice of adult medicine. Internists are the ones who are supposed to get everything started in terms of evaluation and treatment.”

Sharon, meanwhile, was active in community work, chairing a successful school bond issue campaign and serving two terms on the Wichita City Council.

The Fearey fund is one of three at the school established in the last six months by current or former faculty. The Feareys are endowing the fund by using qualified charitable distributions from their IRA over the course of several years, an option that can benefit the school and donor alike, said Brad Rukes, KU Endowment senior development director-Wichita.

“We’re so thankful to Dr. and Mrs. Fearey for their generous gift to support the Wichita campus well into the future,” Rukes said. “We hope others are inspired to set up similar funds for areas of our school they are passionate about.”

The couple have also endowed a scholarship for WSU chemistry students.

Alan Fearey retired in 2020 but has recently agreed to review research abstracts by KU Wichita students. He called the fund “just an opportunity to give back to the students and encourage them to keep on with their studies.”

If you're interested in learning more about creating a fund at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, please contact Rukes at brukes@kuendowment.org.