UMKC School of Medicine

Congratulations to our Kansas City and St. Joseph UMKC School of Medicine students who received their white coats, marking a major milestone toward their careers in medicine!

Stefanie Ellison, M.D., is stepping into a new role at the School of Medicine as chair of the Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics. She has held leadership positions at the school for over 15 years, most recently as the associate dean of learning initiatives.

Ellison is excited for the opportunity to work with faculty leaders on the humanities curriculum.

“The medical humanities curriculum is more important than ever for the professional development of medical students as they navigate a difficult professional program and learn the essential skills to care for their patients,” she said. “It is critical that we teach them about their own stress management, health and well-being for a long, fulfilling career in medicine.”

Congratulations, Dr. Ellison. We’re excited for this next chapter!

Critical materials are essential to the technologies that support patient care — from medical devices and diagnostic tools to life-saving treatments and pharmaceuticals. With the National Science Foundation selecting UMKC-led Critical Materials Crossroads Engine for $160 million in funding, the School of Medicine is proud of the university’s key role in advancing the materials that power modern medicine. Learn more about Critical Materials Crossroads: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/july/umkc-led-critical-materials-crossroads-engine-selected-for-160-million-nsf-award.html

Congratulations to UMKC School of Medicine student Sarah George on being named one of seven recipients of the 2026 Re*****on R. Williams Award across the UM System.

One of the UM System’s highest non-academic honors, the award recognizes exceptional student leaders who demonstrate outstanding character, collaboration and meaningful contributions both inside and outside the classroom.

A B.A./M.D. student and leader in women’s health advocacy, George serves as president of Days for Girls and the American Medical Women’s Association, championing menstrual health equity, mentorship and inclusive leadership.

“This recognition is deeply meaningful to me, especially in the context of my work in menstrual health equity and women's healthcare advocacy," George said. "I remain committed to using every platform I have to expand access, advance equity and ensure dignity in healthcare for all patients.”

Read more about the leadership and advocacy that earned George this recognition: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/june/umkc-medical-student-recognized-for-leadership-in-womens-health-equity-with-remington-williams-award.html

We’re proud to celebrate B.A./M.D. student Harish Karthikeyan, the first recipient of the Community Research to Improve Care Award at UMKC School of Medicine.

Established and funded by alumni and community partners, this award recognizes a student whose research is making a meaningful impact both locally and globally. Karthikeyan's work includes co-founding a student-run clinic that advances health literacy across diverse communities, leading research that addresses cultural and religious barriers in care and driving collaboration through the Kansas City Medical Conference.

In addition to receiving a research grant, Harish’s leadership has inspired additional philanthropic support to fuel future student research improving care in our community. Please join us in congratulating Harish and thanking our alumni and community partners for making this historic award possible!

We’re proud to celebrate KC Chakra, our competitive Bollywood fusion dance team made up largely of B.A./M.D. students, for an incredible season! This year, the team earned sixth place at the Legends Dance Championship in Austin, Texas, a national competition featuring the top 10 collegiate teams in the country. Even more exciting, Leah Meng took home Best Female Dancer honors!

This accomplishment is years in the making. Since founding in 2019, qualifying for Legends has been a team goal, and after steadily climbing the rankings, KC Chakra broke through this year, entering nationals ranked No. 3 in the country.

What makes this achievement even more impressive? KC Chakra is powered by students balancing the intensity of medical school with a passion for dance. With members spanning all six years of the B.A./M.D. program, they train fewer hours than most teams nationwide while navigating exams and clinical rotations.

Congratulations on such a successful season!

UMKC is one of the best universities in the world! Ranked in the top third of universities globally out of more than 2,250 institutions across 100+ countries, UMKC ranked No. 727 worldwide and No. 145 nationally by U.S. News and World Report. Among the 197 public U.S. universities included in the rankings, UMKC earned the No. 98 spot and ranked No. 2 among Missouri's public universities recognized on the list.

The UMKC School of Medicine also earned global recognition. In Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems, UMKC ranked No. 1 among all Missouri and Kansas universities. In Clinical Medicine, UMKC ranked No. 1 among Missouri's public universities.

Learn more about UMKC being named a 2026-2027 Best Global University: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/june/umkc-named-a-best-global-university-by-u.s-news-world-report.html

At the UMKC School of Medicine, Michelle Wu (BLA '25/M.D. '26) stood out as both a dedicated scholar and an innovative researcher. Through a Foundation of Anesthesia Education and Research fellowship, she explored how chronic opioid use impacts pain processing in patients.

"We actually found that patients on chronic opioid therapy had higher pain levels in terms of frequency and severity compared to those who weren't exposed to opioids," Wu said. "So, that meant over time, opioids actually cause more frequent and more severe pain, which was really interesting and kind of the first of its kind of a study to be done. As a future physician and anesthesiologist, it really reinforced for me how important it is to be thoughtful when managing patients, both in the chronic pain and also perioperative settings, being especially mindful of the long-term effects opioids can have."

Now a proud UMKC graduate, Wu is headed to UCLA for a anesthesiology residency. We look forward to seeing the impact she'll continue to make in medicine and on the lives of the patients she serves.

Leading up to commencement, UMKC School of Medicine graduates participated in their hooding ceremony in recognition of their accomplishments and the journey ahead. Students were hooded alongside faculty and recited their professional oaths in the presence of family and friends.

Congrats, doctors — we can’t wait to see what you do next!

Thank you to Nelson Sabates (B.A. ’83/M.D. ’86) for returning to UMKC School of Medicine to deliver the Take Wing Lecture: “The Financial Evolution of Healthcare: A Physician’s Perspective.” Through a wide-ranging and insightful discussion, he explored how factors such as insurance, drug pricing, telemedicine, artificial intelligence and shifts in the physician workforce are reshaping the business of medicine.

Congratulations again to Dr. Sabates on earning the School of Medicine's highest alumni honor, the Take Wing Award. Your leadership, generosity and decades of impact continue to shape UMKC and the future of medicine.