Article Courtesy: Clay County Times-Democrat
Hillary French, DO poses with her diploma after graduating from ARCOM.
Hillary French, a 2009 graduate of Piggott High School, graduated from Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) on May 17, 2025 with plans to practice in Piggott at the end of her residency at UAMS North Central Regional Campus – Batesville.
Dr. French is the granddaughter of Piggott’s much-loved longtime physician Dr. Hillard Duckworth. She is the third generation of the family to be a physician following in her grandfather and uncle Tom Duckworth’s footsteps. She remembers wanting to be a doctor since she was eight or nine. “I will be working at White River Medical Center, but plan to come back and work at the hospital in Piggott as much as I can with my residency schedule. I am really interested in emergency room, dermatology and doing hospital work. All of my interests are what drew me to family medicine. Just the relationships I can build with people in all walks of life from children to the older generation,” said French. “I am excited to work at Piggott Hospital when I finish my training. Dr. DeWitt and Dr. McComb have been good mentors to me.”
One of Dr. French’s proudest moments was being elected to receive the ARCOM Legacy Award, which recognizes the student who embodies the mission and exemplifies the vision of ARCOM. The recipient demonstrates teamwork, school pride, passion for healthcare, and service to both ARCOM and Osteopathic Medicine. Also, the recipient is one who has the desire to carry on a family history of being a physician.
Dr. Hillary French proudly displays her diploma along with a photo of her late grandfather, Dr. Hillard Duckworth.
The one difference in Dr. French’s degree is she is a DO instead of an MD. “I am a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, which has a more holistic approach than an MD. We can treat disease with medicine and manual therapies. We have thousand of hours of training on the musculoskeletal system. We focus on preventative medicine as well,” French explained.
“We are so proud of Hillary,” beamed proud mother Laura. “She has worked very hard and is so dedicated to being a doctor. My dad would be so happy and proud to have his granddaughter follow in his footsteps.”
“I fulfilled a promise I made to my granddad years ago and it is truly an honor to be a physician. I can’t wait to serve my rural Arkansas communities with integrity and compassion.”
