UMKC School of Medicine receives $1.5 million gift to create Endowed Chair in Pathology

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine is pleased to announce the receipt of a gift commitment of $1.5 million to fund the creation of an Endowed Chair in Pathology.  The gift comes from an alumnus of the medical school who wishes to remain anonymous, but wants to express his support for the School of Medicine’s educational mission and the important role the school fulfills in the community. 

The donor believes an Endowed Chair in Pathology will help to highlight an area of medical practice that often escapes the attention of the general public.  Pathologists — physicians who study the causes and development of diseases — are not often seen in person by the many patients who benefit from their knowledge and scientific expertise.

“The School of Medicine is deeply grateful to this donor for a gift that will further strengthen the School of Medicine’s educational, clinical and research missions,” said Betty M. Drees, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine. “The establishment of an Endowed Chair in Pathology will signify just how important pathologists are in the larger picture of disease prevention, diagnosis, care and research.”

In addition to playing an essential and critical role in basic medical education, the UMKC School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology sponsors a four-year residency training program in combined anatomic and clinical pathology. There are eight residency positions, two at each of the four levels. Since it was established in 1989, more than 25 residents have received their degrees from this program and all graduates have obtained jobs or fellowships immediately after matriculation.

“The Department of Pathology is extremely pleased to be the recipient of this very generous endowed chair,” said Kamani M. Lankachandra, M.D., interim chair. “Our department has an enormous opportunity ahead. We understand fully how the future of medicine lies in quality research”

The Department of Pathology Residency Program is based at Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill, but residents also rotate through two of the School of Medicine’s other affiliated hospitals — Truman Medical Center Lakewood and Children’s Mercy Hospital.  Residents in the program also have the opportunity to gain additional experience through partnerships with the Kansas City Community Blood Center, Midwest Transplant Network and Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“This gift is a testament not only to the quality of education that the School of Medicine provides, but it is also a testament to the quality, generosity and dedication of the school's alumni to their profession,” said UMKC Chancellor Leo E. Morton.

About the UMKC School of Medicine

Celebrating 40 Years of advancing the health of our community, the UMKC School of Medicine was founded as an innovative combined degree program in 1971. From its baccalaureate/MD curriculum to a docent system that emphasizes small group learning, the school has remained a trendsetter in medical education and research. For more information about the UMKC School of Medicine, visit www.med.umkc.edu.