Anthony Dotson creates a foundation for students to soar in imaging sciences

For Anthony Dotson, imaging science sits at the intersection of technology and medicine, playing a vital role in nearly every aspect of modern healthcare.

"It is blending technology and medicine...Anything that can be done in healthcare can't be done without imaging," he said. "When I say it's the eyes of medicine, it is literally the eyes of medicine."

As an associate professor of imaging sciences at Morehead State University, Dotson provides students with personal instruction that not only helps them become certified medical professionals but also enables them to make an impactful contribution to the field of imaging sciences. Between his teaching and previous work as an imaging sciences technician and hospital administrator, Dotson has gained a great deal of knowledge, experience and passion that he is intent on passing on to every student he teaches.

Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Dotson grew up with three older brothers. His mom and dad (who worked as a nurse and a maintenance person for Coca-Cola, respectively) set an example through their work ethic.

"I've never seen anyone work as hard as my parents," he said. "The only thing I knew is I needed to work hard."

Dotson attended the nearby University of Charleston, working three jobs and earning an associate degree in radiography in 1998. After graduating, he worked at the Charleston Area Medical Center, where he became a lead radiology tech and cross-trained in computed tomography (CT), eventually earning a national CT certification.

Dotson came to Kentucky in 2002 and moved in with his brother Cecil in Paintsville. Over the next three years, he worked at Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center in Paintsville and Highland Regional Medical Center in Prestonsburg.

In 2005, Dotson moved to Ashland and began working at King's Daughters Medical Center as a CT tech. From 2005 to 2014, he advanced professionally and academically.

After injuring his back while working as a CT tech, which required back surgery, Dotson decided to earn additional certifications and focus his energy on information technology, management and administration. He became a certified hospital information system administrator, eventually overseeing eight departments across multiple King's Daughters facilities statewide. He also returned to the University of Charleston to be among the first graduating class in its Bachelor of Science in Radiological Sciences program in 2007. He earned a master's degree in healthcare administration from Marshall University in 2012.

Before Dotson came to Morehead State University to teach, he said he had plenty of interactions with Morehead State students during rotations at King's Daughters and, for someone who prided himself on things being done right, they left a positive impression on him.

"It's very well known before I even started working at Morehead. It was very well known all over the state that Morehead (State students) were better than most other students...people get mad when you say that, but it's true," Dotson said. "It's night and day if you are sitting there seeing all of them at the same time. The Morehead State students were far above and beyond the rest of them."

Dotson was laid off from King's Daughters in 2014 as part of a workforce reduction. Because his wife was a pediatrician working in Ashland, he started looking for opportunities within driving distance. He gained his first teaching experience by assisting with a cardiac imaging class at the University of Charleston before being hired at MSU.

"It never occurred to me to teach. Never," Dotson admits. "But once I started, that's all I ever see myself doing from now on."

When Dotson first came to MSU as an assistant professor in 2014, he was all in on preparing future generations of imaging sciences professionals. To ensure every student passes the national board exam for imaging sciences, he realized he needed to focus on patience, instructing in a variety of formats to accommodate multiple learning styles, and making himself as available as possible.

"It is very hard with 60 people sitting in a room for everybody to understand a concept if you are saying it one way...I am very, very receptive to meeting students outside of the classroom and working with them in small groups or one-on-one as much as possible," Dotson said. "It's really a time commitment a lot of people can't or won't do."

As much as Dotson wanted to focus on his students' progress and success, he had to prioritize his personal health in 2023. After a blood clot led to a pulmonary embolism, he was rushed to the emergency room, and the "eyes of medicine" revealed something unexpected and even more serious: a carcinoid tumor they found in his lungs due to what would later be diagnosed as neuroendocrine cancer, which meant the removal of the left lower lobe of his lung in January 2025.

"They found two things. They found I had pulmonary embolism...and they found cancer," Dotson said. "I'm the only person alive that can honestly say a pulmonary embolism saved their life."

Since becoming an associate professor in 2020, Dotson has increased his profile in the imaging sciences field. He had articles published in the November/December 2025 edition of Radiology Management Journal and the June 2026 edition of Radiologic Science in Education Journal and was appointed to the latter publication's editorial review board.

After becoming a Certified Radiology Administrator, Dotson was selected as one of Kentucky's Ambassadors for RT (Radiology Technician) Advocacy in July 2026. He campaigned for the state government to pass legislation that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for radiological assistance. He has also worked with Ambassadors for RT Advocacy from other states to organize the National Radiologic Technologist Day of Action in August 2026, which lobbied the federal government for minimum standards for the accreditation of radiography education programs and the certification of technologists.

Dotson said he feels a duty to be a voice for a vital part of medical care and the professionals with a unique set of skills and knowledge that help so many patients.

"We're manipulating electricity...to create radiation...in a certain amount and certain strength to match different parts of your body to create a specific image of that certain part of your body," Dotson said. "It's taking anatomy, technology and healthcare and blending it all together, and that's a skill that very few people have."

With an unwavering passion for teaching and a newfound perspective gained from overcoming cancer, Dotson said he wants to focus even more on doing the best job he can for his students so they can become the best imaging sciences professionals for their patients and the field as a whole.

"I want them to keep moving. I don't want them to just stop at work. I want them to keep going," he said. "What I'm teaching them is the base...the base to keep climbing. And the stronger I can make their base, the farther they will go."

Anthony Dotson can be reached at a.dotson@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2646.

For more information about imaging sciences programs at Morehead State, contact the Department of Health, Kinesiology, Imaging & Psychological Sciences, email kh@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2180.