Rain J Wells, RN,APRN

At Norton Healthcare, we believe you - the patient - are the most important person to our practice. As the region's leading health care provider, we are committed to providing comprehensive, quality health care to all those we serve in a manner that responds to the needs of our community and honors our faith heritage. Our specialty practice is a part of Norton Medical Group, a multispecialty physician group at Norton Healthcare. Norton Medical Group currently includes providers who offer primary, specialty and urgent care services in locations throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Our practice is comprised of compassionate, skilled specialists who are committed to ensuring you receive the best care and have access to the latest medical technology and services.

Dr. Self is a native of Hopkinsville, KY where he was valedictorian of his high school class and voted "Most Likely to Succeed." He was recruited by the U.S. Naval Academy, but decided to attend Vanderbilt University to pursue pre-medical studies. After graduating magna cum laude from Vanderbilt, he chose to attend the University of Louisville for medical school which is where he met his wife who was a classmate. He remained at the University of Louisville for general surgery residency and then completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Florida. After fellowship, Dr. Self returned to Louisville and start his practice. He quickly became a leader in evaluating and applying the latest advances for the care of patients with vascular disease. He was among the first vascular surgeons in Kentucky to treat aortic aneurysms with minimally invasive stenting and to use endovascular techniques for occlusive disease. He continues integrate new technology in a caring and thoughtful fashion. In 2010, Dr. Self volunteered to serve at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany taking care of U.S. military and allied troops who were injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2019, he received the Samuel D. Gross Certificate of Service Award for his work educating surgical residents as a clinical faculty member at the University of Louisville. He is a senior member of the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery, a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow in the Society for Vascular Surgery. He has consistently been chosen by his peers as a "Top Doc" in vascular surgery for Louisville Magazine. He and his wife, Dr. Mary Self, have 3 children. They enjoy the National Parks, University of Louisville sporting events, live music, movies in a theater, and spending time with their grandchildren.

Laura J. Pope is a nurse practitioner specializing in cardiology, working in inpatient and outpatient settings. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, and her master’s degree in nursing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. Laura started as a nurse’s aide with Norton Healthcare, then transitioned into a registered nurse role. She later became a family nurse practitioner and worked as a hospitalist for Norton Healthcare. Laura also is certified as an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. In her spare time, Laura is consumed with her two sons’ various practices and sporting events, and occasionally coaching them.