Despite a love for his 28-year career in medicine, state Sen. Jim Barnett has announced his retirement from Internal Medicine Associates LLC to pursue bigger things.
After finishing the current year’s legislative session, Barnett will retire May 1, after which he will begin campaigning for a seat in the First Congressional District. The seat is being vacated by Rep. Jerry Moran, who is running for Sam Brownback’s seat in the Senate.
“This has been one of the most difficult decisions in my life, because I love medicine and I have the best patients and the best partners anyone could ever ask for,” Barnett said. “I also think things are amiss in Washington, and I feel that at age 55 I should do my part to try to make a difference.”
The decision to retire from his current practice was particularly difficult for Barnett, because he has no backup plan in case he doesn’t win the seat.
“I plan on winning,” he said.
In the meantime, he plans to finish the important work ahead in the state legislature.
“Currently, my obligation is to complete the work in the Kansas Legislature that we face, including the challenge of funding schools and balancing the budget, along with continuing my full-time practice of medicine,” he said. “After the session is completed, I will begin campaigning.”
Barnett will be replaced by Dr. Ever Ponciano, who is finishing training in Philadelphia.
food4thought (anonymous) says...
How long do you give Internal Medicine to be open after Dr Barnett leaves? I will give it one year with his absence and Mrs. Michaels(office manager) running the place into the ground shouldn't be long before it looses all its patients. Tons have already left for other doctors or Coffey County. Good luck Dr Barnett you are a great doctor and I have been a patient of yours for years but I will not stay with IMA because the rest of the doctors do not care, they are just there for the money and have no respect for their patients. I hope you don't need plan B.
March 4, 2010 at 11:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kiltaudk (anonymous) says...
Dr Barnett and his associates run a top notch business and we will miss him. But help is really needed in Washington and his election will be a plus.
March 4, 2010 at 12:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Great......that's just what we need....Barnett showing us the way out of the wilderness. At least as long as he remained a doctor I could avoid having to be controlled by his vision.
March 4, 2010 at 12:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
okay (anonymous) says...
IMA will do just fine without Dr. Jim Barnett. The other physicians are good clinical physicians. As for the comment about the money, Dr. Barnett was no different. Health care in the office and in the hospital will move forward.
March 4, 2010 at 12:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
schooler (anonymous) says...
I have gone to IMA for years and have to say all the other doctors esp Dr. Rachel have been nothing but wonderful fabulous doctors. She has gone overboard to help me and has even advised me after hours when I had questions about my kids. I wish Dr. Barnett the best of luck, but believe IMA will do just fine without him.
March 4, 2010 at 1:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sandman (anonymous) says...
We in Emporia or the surrounding area have been very blessed by our medical staff and our hospital. We are so very fortunate to have both and need to show our appreciation by using them. Are they perfect??? Unless you are, don't judge for our doctors are no different then anywhere else and for the most part try very hard.
March 4, 2010 at 1:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
okay (anonymous) says...
Sandman is correct. Emporia has a good medical staff and whether people will agree or not we have a good hospital. Every doctor and every hospital make mistakes. For every person that says that they like Coffey County, Topeka or Kansas City better than Emporia, you can find just as many that think just the opposite. Dr. Barnett certainly had his faults. He just had a way of making it appear to be someone else's fault! Likewise, he had good points also. Politics has obviously become his love and that is where he should be. Being busy with politics did not always work if he was busy as a doctor.
March 4, 2010 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bobhornet (anonymous) says...
I think he retired about ten years ago when he decided to become a lousy politician.
March 4, 2010 at 4:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )