About

Chair's Welcome

I am honored to lead the University of Missouri-Kansas City Department of Community and Family Medicine based at University Health. Our department has been the central driving force at University Health Lakewood Medical Center since its inception over 40 years ago.

A few details about who we are

Within our department we have over 50 faculty from multiple disciplines who provide a diverse spectrum of practice and leadership experiences and are academic home for more than 25 physicians who practice across northwest Missouri serving as faculty and preceptors for our School of Medicine students based at the St. Joseph regional campus.

Our Graduate Medical Education programs are longstanding, nationally known for excellence and growing! As of July 2025 our Family Medicine Residency program expands to include our new Rural Training Program (RTP). This new RTP is in partnership with Mosaic Medical Center Maryville, MO and with faculty leadership at that site by family physicians who are alumni of our residency. Two residents per year will enter that track spending year one at UH Lakewood and Years 2 and 3 at in Maryville, MO. Also as of July 2025, our UH Lakewood based program expands by 2 residents/year with support of the Missouri DHSS GME Grant Program, taking us to a 16/16/16 program! This expansion is a significant step forward in meeting our goal of increasing the Family Medicine workforce in Missouri with particular focus on medically underserved communities. In addition to our residency programs we offer outstanding fellowships in Sports Medicine and Maternity Care. We have graduated over 450 family physicians. Our founding Chair, Dr. Thomas Nicholas, M.D. called his early department/residency "A noble experiment". He would be so pleased and proud!

Our department staffs multiple practices in eastern Jackson County, Missouri, which extends our care to patients and communities beyond our hospital-based clinics. Additionally, we offer multiple family medicine run clinics at our hospital site that target specific patient populations (Sports Medicine, Maternity Care, Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment, and Migraine Management). We provide physician oversight for Jackson County Public Health, UMKC Roo Wellness Health Services, UMKC Athletics and the UMKC student-run free clinic, Sojourner Health Clinic.

As a community, our department takes great care to offer a safe place where everyone can thrive through being inclusive to all, supportive of each other and finding joy through our common purpose to provide every individual excellent patient care. We invite you to explore our website and get to know our community.

Beth Rosemergey, D.O., FAAFP
Chair and Associate Professor
Department of Community and Family Medicine
UMKC School of Medicine
University Health Lakewood Medical Center

Mission

Our mission is to promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities through exemplary patient care, education, research and advocacy. We are committed to providing comprehensive, patient-centered medical services that address the unique needs of diverse populations.

Vision

To be recognized as a leader in advancing community and family health through comprehensive, compassionate and evidence-based care.

Values

• Leadership — Striving to be at the forefront of efforts to improve community and family health.
• Patient care — Providing high-quality, compassionate, holistic healthcare services to all individuals and families.
• Evidence-based practice — Ensuring that medical practices are grounded in scientific research and proven methods.
• Education — Training and mentoring healthcare professionals to excel in community and family medicine.
• Research — Advancing knowledge and understanding in the field through research initiatives.
• Advocacy — Working to influence policies and practices that promote health equity and access to care for all individuals
• Collaboration — Fostering partnerships and teamwork to achieve shared goals.
• Innovation — Embracing creativity and innovation to address emerging challenges in healthcare.

The Impact of our Mission, Vision and Values

This vision guides the department's activities and goals, inspiring its members to work towards a healthier, more equitable future for all.