I have been practicing Family Medicine approaching 30 years now. I am a graduate of the UMKCSOM Family Medicine Residency. I have found a community of faculty, residents and staff here at TMC Lakewood who inspire me daily to be the best person and physician I can be. I have served in many different leadership roles through my career here and am the current Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency. My job is challenging and rewarding every single day.  Within Family Medicine I have focused most recently on resident education, ambulatory care, the Patient-Centered Medical Home and population health management. The best thing about my job is that I still get to take care of patients. I have had the honor of caring for multi-generational families over many years and being a part of their personal health journeys’ is a true gift.

An interesting fact about me is that I am married to another Program Director. My husband, Charles Orth, DO is an orthopedic surgeon and part of our family medicine faculty while also running an Orthopedic Surgery residency. We have two grown sons and a youthful double doodle named Bella. Outside of work, I have enjoyed the opportunity to be involved with my community in a number ways but I am most proud of my work with Camp Encourage, an overnight camp for children with Autism. I love to cook- healthful meals, read, exercise, and kayak.  If you are looking for me on my off time I am often at our lake cottage at Lake Lotawana where I go to recharge by soul. Stop by, breath in the lake air and relax sometime if you are in the area.

Dr. Meg Gibson received her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh – School of Medicine in 2005 and in 2008 graduated from Residency in Family Medicine. She completed the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2009.  Dr. Gibson is dual board certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine.

Dr. Gibson joined the medical staff at University Health Lakewood Medical Center in 2009 and has a faculty appointment with the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine as an Associate Professor.  She is the Program Director of the UMKC Sports Medicine Fellowship and works with athletes ranging from high school to college.  She has experience treating musculoskeletal conditions and medical conditions in elite athletes and weekend warriors.

In addition, she received extensive concussion management training while in Pittsburgh. She serves as the Medical Director for the Kansas City Marathon and the Hospital Hill Run.  She is also active in national sports medicine organizations. In addition to treating patients in KC, she also travels internationally as an USA Volleyball Physician and a member of the US Ski and Snowboard Physician pool. She was the team physician for the KC Current from 2021-2022 and is still active with the medical task force for the National Women’s Soccer League. She has served on many committees for University Health and the UMKC School of Medicine. She is active in the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine through the education and fellowship committees.Dr. Gibson enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, watching sports (especially the UMKC Kangaroos) and spending time with her family.

Lane Wilson, MD grew up in Rolla, Missouri. After undergraduate and medical school at Mizzou, he moved to Chapel Hill where he completed his residency training in 2014 at the University of North Carolina. Following residency graduation, he moved a little further east to Greenville, North Carolina. He is married to Dr. Brigid Wilson, who is also a Family Physician and will be joining our department soon. Together they have 3 young children.

In Greenville, Dr. Wilson served as faculty practicing full-spectrum family medicine with obstetrics at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. After three and a half years as residency core faculty, Dr. Wilson served as medical director for four and a half years. Dr. Wilson’s clinical interests include dermatology, women’s health, and evidence-based medicine, the latter of which he taught during the preclinical years at Brody School of Medicine. Dr. Wilson also feels honored to serve on the American Board of Family Medicine National Journal Club. Dr. Wilson is excited to return to a primarily educational role in a residency program.

Outside of medicine, Lane and Bridgid enjoy exploring new activities with their kids and seeing things through their eyes. Dr. Wilson enjoys running and Peloton. Dr. Wilson reads a variety of non-fiction and fiction works, but his guilty pleasure is a good fantasy novel or series. Since Major League Soccer was formed when he was in middle school, he has been a fan of Sporting KC and looks forward to being able to attend games as a home fan.

Dr. Gray is a local Kansas City native who grew up in Lee’s Summit. He attended Medical School at UMKC School of Medicine in the 6 year BA/MD program. He then continued training at UMKC for Family Medicine Residency and Sports Medicine Fellowship.

Dr. Gray serves as the Medical Director of the Bess Truman Family Medicine Clinic and Associate Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency.

Dr. Gray lives in the area with his wife, Dr. Emily Gray, an OB/GYN at UMKC, and daughters Madison and Olivia.  In his free time, Dr. Gray enjoys sports, BBQ, and fishing.

Dr. Livingston was born and raised in Manhattan, KS. She attended Kansas State University from 1988 – 1992 receiving her bachelor of science degree in Nutritional Sciences.  She went on to graduate from medical school in 1996 from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.  She completed a family medicine residency from the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita Family Practice Program at Wesley Medical Center.

From 1999-2004, Dr. Livingston was a full-time faculty member with the Department of Community & Family Medicine.  She was a private-practice physician in St. George, Utah from 2005-2006 providing OB, inpatient adult and pediatric and outpatient care.

Dr. Livingston’s family returned to the Kansas City area in 2011 and she accepted a junior faculty/OB surgical fellowship.  Upon graduation of the OB surgical fellowship, she once again joined the Community and Family Medicine Department at University Health Lakewood Medical Center.  She enjoys practicing the full spectrum of family medicine and the teaching of medical students and residents within the Family Medicine residency program.

She holds a faculty appointment of Assistant Professor with the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine. In 2022, Dr. Livingston was appointed Associate Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency Program.

Carlie Nikel, PsyD grew up in the Kansas City area.  She received her Doctorate of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Forest Institute in Springfield, Missouri in 2014. Dr. Nikel completed an internship and fellowship in integrated health psychology prior to joining the Department of Community and Family Medicine in 2016.

Dr. Nikel serves as Associate Program Director and Department Psychology Section Chief, where she assists in program development and administration as well as residents and faculty education on behavioral science. She also provides integrated behavioral health services to University Health Lakewood Medical Center patients and supervises doctoral psychology students in the practice of brief interventions. She provides consultation services in order to increase patient access to behavioral medicine care. Dr. Nikel enjoys working with patients to manage chronic diseases and make positive lifestyle changes in addition to educating residents and students on behavioral interventions.

After graduating from University Health Sciences-College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Foote transitioned to active duty in the United States Navy He then completed a 1 year internship and then entered the Naval Aerospace Medical Institution to complete training as a Naval Flight Surgeon.  While in the Navy he had the pleasure of flying in jets as well as traveling the world to care for his fellow service members.

He returned stateside in 2009 and completed a residency in Family Medicine at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.  Returning to Missouri in 2011, he joined Cox Health in Springfield spending 5 years on faculty at the Cox Family Medicine program.

In 2017, Dr. Foote returned to his Kansas City roots where he began working for the UMKC Family Medicine Residency as faculty, where he could continue his love of helping others become doctors.  He currently fulfills the roles of director of osteopathic education and occupational health medical director at University Health Lakewood Medical Center.

He lives with his wife (also a doctor) and three children, one dog, one guinea pig, one parrot, and an aquarium full of fish.  He enjoys roller blading, biking, and watching Anime with his family.

Dr. Dedon attended medical school at the University of Kansas.  He completed residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in geriatric medicine at KU.  While at KU, he was a Marion Merrill Dow Research Fellow in Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology.

He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine.

Dr. Dedon founded the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at UMKC. He recruits, teaches, and supervises the fellows. He coordinates curriculum.

Stephen Vierthaler, MD received his medical degree from the University of Kansas.  He is dual boarded, having completed an OB/GYN residency at the University of Kansas and a Family Medicine residency at the University of Iowa.

In 2006, Dr. Vierthaler joined UMKC School of Medicine, the Department of Community and Family Medicine as an assistant professor.  At that time, he was also appointed as the Program Director for the Family Medicine Advanced Obstetrical Surgical Fellowship.  Dr. Vierthaler is also the Advanced Maternal Care Section Chief for the Family Medicine Faculty.

In 2010, he co-developed the Maternal Care Clinic and expanded the UHLMC obstetrical volumes.  In 2013, Dr. Vierthaler developed and expanded a laborist model of managing Labor and Delivering involving generalist Family Medicine faculty with delivery privileges.  In 2020, he co-developed with UMKC OBGYN department, a laborist model using Family Medicine faculty with advanced obstetrics privileges, supporting Family Medicine faculty with general delivery privileges.

In his time off, Dr. Vierthaler enjoys spending time with family, including children and grandchildren; and  travel.

Dr. Jennifer Groner received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1989.  She received her medical degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2006.   She committed to doing volunteer work in New Mexico teaching English and Social Studies at St. Katherine’s Native American Indian School for a year.

Dr. Groner grew up in Jefferson City, MO and it only seemed fitting that she would go on to completed her family Medicine residency from the Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, MO on June 30, 2009.

July 2009, she joined the medical staff at University Health Lakewood Medical Center as junior faculty and surgical obstetrical fellow within the Department of Community and Family Medicine of which she graduated from June 2010.  Dr. Groner has a faculty appointment with the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine as Assistant Professor.

Dr. Groner enjoys practicing the full spectrum of family medicine and being involved in the teaching of medical students and residents within the Family Medicine residency program.  Dr. Groner has a great interest in women’s health but has found a new interest in Integrative Medicine.   She will be participating in a faculty development opportunity for the 2013-2014 academic year and completing a 200 hour online course, Prevention and Wellness: An Integrative Approach with the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Groner enjoys sewing and quilting.  As a new mother, she has developed a great interest in playing Thomas the Train with her 1 ½ year old son Matthew.

Dr. Angela Barnett has been weaving various experiences in the field of health and wellness into her personal and professional life for over 25 years. A long standing interest in nutritional approaches to healing and wellness inspired her to pursue a medical career with an open mind towards integrative complementary and lifestyle therapies. After completing her residency in Family Medicine at UMKC, she was chosen to complete a Fellowship in Integrative Medicine hosted by Dr. Andrew Weil, at the University of Arizona in Tucson. There, her expertise in integrative care solidified and she further developed her interests in restoring and maintaining health through the combination of traditional medical modalities and functional nutritional medicine, mind-body therapies, botanicals, and other complementary approaches. She has further trained in anti-aging and regenerative medicine.

Her approach to care is to develop individualized, client-centered programs that view health in the context of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance to facilitate wellness and achieve optimal healing. Academically, she enjoys teaching medical students and residents both Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine. She holds appointments as Associate Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.  Currently, she is serving as Medical Director and Associate Program Director for Truman Medical Center’s ongoing projects to develop Integrative Medicine Programs.

I was raised on a farm near a small town in northeastern Missouri, so being a “show-me” guy and Presbyterian are two things from which I will never recover. I attended college in St. Louis at Washington University prior to medical school. While there, I met the woman who consented to marry me in 1974. Nora and I have 4 children, ranging in age from 11 to 29. After residency I volunteered for the National Health Service Corps working in southeastern North Carolina for four years before returning to Missouri.

I have been with Department of Community and Family Medicine at UMKC School of Medicine since 1984. Initially I worked in the rural office of the Department, then became Program Director of the residency in 1989. I held the position of Associate Chair from 1998 until I became Chair of the Department in 2001. Although there have been many changes in the Department in the last couple of decades, what attracted me in 1984 is still here—a primary care hospital with one residency that trains residents in the full spectrum of Family Medicine. The sense of camaraderie that has existed since the inception of the program and the mission to care for all patients regardless of ability to pay continue to make this a great place to be.

When away from the office, I spend a lot of time being the tack-boy for my equestrian daughter and trying to contain my 13 year old daughter. When time permits, I like to travel, camp and fish in the Boundary Waters (on the Canadian side), see movies, solve crossword puzzles and sudokus, and read non-medical stuff.

From a small town in Georgia, Helen started at Oxford College and completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology at Emory University. After graduation, she moved across the country where she earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from ATSU-School of Osteopathic Medicine Arizona and pursued a concurrent Master of Public Health from ATSU. Packing her bags again, Helen landed in the middle of the country where she completed her Family Medicine Residency and a yearlong advanced obstetric fellowship at UMKC in Kansas City, Missouri.

In July 2020, Dr. Helen Hill joined the Department of Community and Family Medicine as an Assistant Professor, at University Health Lakewood Medical Center. Helen’s special interests include maternity care, women and children’s health, teaching, and the intersections between community and individual health.

In her free time when she can’t travel, she enjoys reading for pleasure, gardening, sewing, and eating with friends. Her latest adventure in life is finding all the fun things to do with her new boxer-pit bull rescue.

I grew up in rural Nebraska, and always wanted to do the full-spectrum of Family Medicine. I love to do it all, from delivering babies to seeing grandparents for wellness visits. I like to see a wide variety of patients, but do have a special interest in Women’s Health. My favorite place in the hospital is Labor and Delivery, however you can find me just about anywhere depending on the day. I look forward to helping care for you and your family!

Tim Myrick grew up in Virginia and attended the College of William and Mary, and the University of Virginia Medical School. In 1988, Dr. Myrick completed his family medicine residency at UMKC School of Medicine, and married his wife Lori.

He and his family worked in various government hospitals and mission hospitals in Africa and the Middle East for 20 years.  In 2012, Dr. Myrick joined UMKC School of Medicine and University Health Lakewood Medical Center, Department of Community and Family Medicine.  They continue travel internationally for short term mission trips and teaching medical missionaries

He enjoys running, playing guitar, and teaching medical students and residents.

Dr. Sandri grew up on a small farm north of Kansas City.  She stayed close to home for both undergraduate and graduate studies.  While attending William Jewell College she did research on colon cancer and tumor markers for three years. After receiving her BA in Biology, she attended the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Following medical school, she then joined UMKC for a residency in Community and Family Medicine at University Health Lakewood Medical Center.

Upon graduation in 2014, inspired by those who had trained and mentored her, she chose to stay at University Health Lakewood Medical Center.  Dr. Sandri joined the faculty in the OB Division of Family Medicine, where she now enjoys practicing family medicine and teaching both medical students and residents, with an emphasis on obstetrics and women’s health. The most satisfying aspects of her job are teaching others to be passionate about and advocate for women’s health, and helping expectant moms realize a safe, happy delivery after watching their pregnancy grow.

Dr. Shaffer joined the UMKC Dept. of Community and Family Medicine as a resident in 1992 and became faculty in 1995 after completing his residency. He served as UMKC Family Medicine Program Director from 2002-2017. In 2007, he helped create the first ever integrated residency/MBA program in the country: UMKC/Rockhurst MBA in Physician Healthcare Leadership and completed the degree with a cohort 5 of his residents.

Dr Shaffer’s interests include POCUS, simulation, healthcare strategic planning, quality improvement, e-learning, adult education improvement, and its outcome measurement for residents, students and practicing physicians. His passion is training residents for rural, underserved, and missionary medicine.

He was elected in 2020 and currently serves as a Board of Director for the American Academy of Family Physicians- the third largest physician medical society in the nation serving over 140,0000 members.  He serves on multiple commissions and committees for the AAFP.  He regularly appears on local and national Radio, TV and online broadcasts for health related topics.

He currently serves the USMLE for patient safety and healthcare quality items authoring. He continues to advocate for the health of Missourians with yearly visits to Jefferson City meeting with elected representatives and also yearly visits to Washington DC meeting with statewide elected officials.

He served the board of AFMRD for 7 years and is past president -Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (the national program director membership organization). He is served as chair of CAFM (Council of Academic Family Medicine) which is the council of leadership from all four national Family Medicine education organizations: ADFM, AFMRD, NAPCRG, and STFM. He is past president of the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians and Missouri’s State Delegate to the AAFP for 6 years. He has been a member of the MAFP Education Committee for over 20 years. His other medical business interests include international health tourism, lean management, six sigma, and logistics and process efficiencies.

He served as Chief of Women’s Healthcare at University Health Lakewood Medical Center for 16 years and continues to serve the MO Department of Health as the Cervical Cancer Physician Liason. He is a Fellow in the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology and has received their highest award for special knowledge in colposcopy. He presents regularly on pap smear management, HPV vaccination, colposcopy, and perineal repair at residency, state and national venues.

Dr Shaffer is a AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) member at the MU Medical School Chapter. In 2011 he was awarded with the AFMRD’s “Gold Program Director Award” (their highest achievement award) and was recently honored by the MU SOM alumni association as “Young Physician of the Year”. He was also honored by Rockhurst University with the “Outstanding Service Award” in the Physician Leadership MBA program from the Helzberg School of Management.

Dr Shaffer and his wife Brandy have five children: Olivia, Alec, Ian, Emily, and Ean. In their spare time, they enjoy a lot of outdoor family activities: hiking, boating, snow/water skiing and wakesurfing.

David Voran, M.D., is an Associate Professor and Informatics Director of Community and Family Medicine at University Health Lakewood Medical Center and Collaborative Physician for CVS’s Minute Clinics in the Kansas City area. Prior to joining University Health, Dr. Voran was the Medical Director of the Innovation Clinic at Platte City for Heartland Health (Mosaic Life Care), Physician Executive for Cerner Corporation (2003-2006), the CMIO for Health Midwest (1997-2003) and the Executive Director of Information Technology at the University of Kansas Medical Center (1994-1997).

Over the last 8 years, Dr. Voran has piloted various workflows and technologies with emphasis on putting as much technology in the primary care physician’s exam room and patient’s hands as possible.  He is a strong believer patient engagement and patient-directed care.  He has aggressively promoted point of care imaging, ultrasound, dermoscopy, and cardiac evaluations using personal, digital tools any Family Physician can carry in a lab coat. He is vesting most of his time now incorporating Population Health tools at the point of care, implementing Remote Patient Management solutions including Apple Health’s Physician Dashboard. He is the Principal Investigator for UMKC’s Enhancing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction from the CDC. He believes that until the patient is the primary user of the EMR, medical organizations will not fully realize the power of the clinical information systems in which they are now investing.

Dr. Voran received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the Wichita State University in 1974.  He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1988 and post-graduate degree from University of Kansas – Family Practice in 1991.   He is board certified in Family Practice and is an active member of the American Academy of Family Practice. He was a member of the Academy’s ad hoc Committee on Electronic Medical Record. Dr. Voran is active in a number of professional organizations, is a past president for the Heart of America chapter of HIMSS and is on the Board of Trustees for the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care.

Dr. Hestwood is a lifelong Missouri native.  She has a special interest in preventive care and keeping children well.

Dr. Ahern taught high school biology and chemistry for 10 years. In 1978, she obtained a Juris Doctorate from UMKC, passed the bar exam and practiced law.

In 1987 on her 37th birthday, she became a medical student.  She was premed at MU and planned to attend medical school there. However, MU informed her they had met their quota of women (10 women out of 150 students)!  Therefore, she attended the University of Health Sciences.  After graduation in 1991, Dr. Ahern completed her residency at University Health Lakewood Medical Center, 1991-1994.

Dr. Ahern then practiced at Swope Parkway Comprehensive Health Center until 1999, at which time she returned to Truman Medical Lakewood; now University Health Lakewood Medical Center.

Dr. Ahern especially enjoy teaching the residents and following their progress as they gain experience and confidence. In her spare time, she enjoys cake decorating, snow skiing, reading and hiking.  She is the mother of 4 daughters, reared her nephew, plus multiple foster children and foreign exchange students.

Dr. Corcoran graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine in 2014. She then completed her residency in Family Medicine at the University of Colorado-Rose Family Medicine program. For another three years, she continued to practice in Denver before moving to Kansas City.

She loves providing care to the whole family and is particularly passionate about ensuring access to high quality medical care to underserved communities. From well visits and chronic disease management to maternity care and office based procedures, her passion for Family Medicine keeps her working to provide the best care and empower her patients to take charge of their own health. She is excited to be working with the passionate and skilled department of Community & Family Medicine at Truman.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Corcoran loves to get outside with her family, and when the weather’s bad she can be found knitting, baking or chasing her toddler around the house.

I grew up an Iowa girl and in 2003 graduated from the University of Iowa, completing a bachelor of science degree in biology with a minor in art history. From there I traveled South to attend medical school at the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine in Sint Eustatius, Netherland-Antilles, graduating with a medical degree in May 2007. I completed clinical rotations in Greeley, Colorado.

After medical school, I traveled north to the University of Wyoming in Casper, WY. It was there I completed my Family Medicine Residency in June 2010. I next had the opportunity to return to the Midwest again, and train at University Health Lakewood Medical Center, University of Missouri-Kansas City Obstetrics Surgical Fellowship in Kansas City, MO, from July 2010-June 2011.

Since 2011, I have been a full-time faculty member with the Department of Community and Family Medicine and hold a faculty appointment of Assistant Professor with the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

I enjoy hanging out with my family, traveling, scuba diving, scrapbooking, reading for fun and University of Iowa Football. Go Hawks!!!!

Dr. Lisa Grasing was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. After completing her Family Medicine Residency in NJ in 1997, she moved to Kansas in 1999 with her husband and 2 sons.

Dr. Grasing feels fortunate to be able to volunteer in the medical field and community while raising her family; and did some teaching as a Creighton Model Fertility Care Practitioner. She received additional training in women’s health and reproductive care as a medical consultant for NaPro Technology in 2007.

As a family physician, she is interested in caring for the whole person, promoting good health and helping in the healing process. I have experience with acute and chronic disease management including mental health, home visits and geriatrics. She enjoy caring for people of all ages.

Dr. Grasing chose University Health Lakewood Medical Center to be able to serve a diverse patient population with continuity of care in an academic center with excellent comprehensive care. Each patient encounter is an opportunity for listening, addressing concerns and shared decision making in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Her hobbies include jogging on scenic trails, music, knitting and reading. She treasures sharing meals with family and friends.  Active participation in the Catholic Church including bringing the Eucharist to those in the hospital and nursing homes is a passion of mine.

Anna (Annie) M. Haynes, MD, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Brookside area.

Dr. Haynes went to undergrad and medical school at the University of Minnesota Twin cities.  She went on to complete residency at Harbor UCLA in Los Angeles.  For the past year, Dr. Haynes worked as a physician for the Bricklayer’s Union of St Louis, in their small on-site clinic.

Dr. Haynes is joined by her fiancée Ashley, who is a Women’s Health nurse. They have a 1 year old dog named Boo, who is an Australian Shepard mix. They recently bought their first home in the Waldo area, so most of their free time is spent doing small renovation projects. Dr. Haynes also love reading, writing, brewing beer and trying out new coffee shops.

Dr. Haynes moved back to Kansas City to be closer to family; and she was looking for a clinic setting that valued Family Medicine and Community Health and that was committed to serving all patients.

Mana Hobson, M.D. joined the Geriatrics faculty in 2020.  She graduated with honors from University of Missouri at Columbia in 1985.  She is an internist, trained at University of California at San Francisco in the late 80’s, during the AIDS epidemic.  After residency she continued training with fellowships in Academic General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics.

Dr Hobson has a special interest in teaching Geriatrics and had clinical professor appointments in the Internal Medicine and/or Family and Community Medicine through UCSF until 2007.  In 2007 Mana moved to a remote area on the north coast of California to head up a multifaceted senior care program at a federally qualified health center that serves a large number of elderly.  Since returning to Missouri she has continued as a medical provider to the elderly including a primary care home visit program.

Dr. Hobson is very happy to be back in academic medicine with University Health Lakewood Medical Center, sharing her knowledge and experience.  Mana lives happily in Gladstone with her wife Sabina. On her free time find her in the woods foraging for edible plants and fungi, or in the music room practicing guitar.

I graduated from the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. After Medical School I worked in camps for Internally displaced persons in the country. This is where I developed a profound appreciation, not only for undeserved care but also for public health. I went on to complete a residency in family medicine followed closely by a master of public health, board certification in medical quality  and a second residency in General Preventive medicine and Public health at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).

I teach the community medicine curriculum at UMKC and do clinical work at Swope Health Services (a federally qualified health center). My areas of interest are women’s health, Preventive Medicine and Public Health. The idea is to adopt an innovative approach in both clinical practice and teaching; focused on the social and structural determinants of health.

Dr. Ed Kraemer is an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he is engaged in teaching medical students, physician assistant (PA) students, and residents. He serves as Medical Director of the UMKC PA Program, supervising faculty for UMKC’s Sojourner Student-run Free Clinic in Kansas City, and chair of the University Health Lakewood Medical Center Ethics Committee.

Dr. Kraemer’s community involvement includes active participation in the Livable Streets Advisory Board and Health Education Advisory Board in Lee’s Summit and the Jackson County Health Department’s “Building a Healthier Jackson County” initiative. He serves on the Board of Directors of both the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians and the Kansas City Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. Kraemer received a B.A. in Biology from University of Nebraska Omaha in 1979, his medical degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha in 1987, and his residency training certification from the UMKC Community and Family Medicine Department in 1990. He also earned a graduate teaching certificate in Health Professions Education from UMKC in 2015.

He enjoys family time, bicycling, swimming, iPhone photography, and yoga.

I was born and raised in New Jersey. I completed my education on the east coast, graduating with my BA at Cornell University in 2012 and my MD at the University of Virginia in 2017, before moving to the Midwest to continue my medical training. I completed my family medicine residency at University Health Lakewood Medical Center in 2020, and I am super excited to be rejoining the TMC family as a faculty member in the Department of Family Medicine. I cannot wait to start this new chapter in my medical career, working with medical students and residents, and being a part of educating new generations of doctors!

Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our ever-growing mischief of adopted pet rats, exploring new hikes and trails, and visiting all the animals at the Kansas City Zoo!

Dr. Mathis was born and raised in Liberty, Missouri. She attended Drury University in Springfield, Missouri for her undergraduate degree in Biology and then graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine with her M.D in 2015. She met and married her husband Chris while at St. Louis University, and they both completed residency in Pediatrics at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Although they loved the Michigan weather, they moved back home to Kansas City following residency in 2018.

Dr. Mathis holds a faculty appointment of Assistant Professor with the University of Missouri- Kansas City School of Medicine. Outside of medicine she enjoys running, hiking, skiing, reading, and cheering for the Chiefs and Royals. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, including her one child and her dog “Moose.”

Growing up in Florida, I stayed close to home for college, attending the University of Central Florida. There, I earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2000, graduating magna cum laude. Four years later, I graduated from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in 2004. As a medical student, I spent a year living in Ireland, completing several rotations there. When I began residency at the Eau Claire Family Medicine Residency Program, a campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Family Medicine, an interest in maternity care developed early on. During my time in residency, I involved myself heavily in community service. In my third year, I was privileged to receive the McGovern-Tracy Scholars Award for community service and leadership, presented to a select few University of Wisconsin medical students and residents each year. I graduated from residency in Family Medicine in 2007, and earned board certification that year. My interest in maternity care continued with a fellowship in Maternal Child Health at West Suburban Medical Center, just adjacent to the west side of Chicago, Illinois. This was a valuable year for my professional development, as I continued to grow as a physician and teacher. There, I received training in cesarean sections, high risk obstetric management, and neonatal care.

After completing the fellowship training in 2008, I married my wife Sally that fall, who grew up in Kansas City. We decided to settle down close to her family, and so that she can complete her graduate studies at KU Medical Center. I started at University Health Lakewood Medical Center and UMKC in December, 2008. Since that time, I have been excited to contribute to the instruction in maternity care for our family medicine residents and surgical OB fellows. Other activities with the residents include Journal Club once a month and a Board Review once a week.

In 2009, I co-founded a non-profit organization called The Medina Clinic Inc., which is currently a 501(c)(3), faith-based clinic, dedicated to providing affordable outpatient primary care services to the uninsured and under-insured population of Jackson County, MO.

Dr. Patton grew up in Kansas, and attended public schools from kindergarten all the way up through medical school, including college at Kansas State University and medical school at the University of Kansas.  While in his first year of medical school, he met a classmate named Bailey who became his wife during their third year of medical school.  Bailey and Andy matched into the family medicine residency program at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, TX, where Dr. Patton served as chief resident during his 3rd year.  After residency, Dr. Patton worked as faculty for a year in the JPS family medicine department before moving to Missouri where he completed the advanced maternity care fellowship at UMKC.  After fellowship, Dr. Patton worked as an attending at University Health for several months before moving to France to attend language school and then to Togo, where he worked for two years in a mission hospital.

Along the way, Dr. Bailey Patton and Dr. Andy Patton have been blessed with three wonderful children.  In his time outside of work, Dr. Patton enjoys exercising, reading, studying French, spending time with family, church involvement, and cheering for Kansas State in sports.

Dr. Patton looks forward to returning to work for University Health because of the organization’s great people, commitment to training the next generation of healthcare professionals, and commitment to caring for patients of all backgrounds regardless of ability to pay.

Dr. Pletz grew up in western Washington State, after living her first 8 years in Indiana and Minnesota. She graduated from medical school at the University of Washington (UW), where she also studied public, global, and indigenous health. She completed family medicine residency with UW-affiliated Tacoma Family Medicine She then practiced in Olympia, WA seeing her patients in clinic as well as continuing full-spectrum practice and teaching as associate residency faculty. In her growing love for residency teaching and mentoring she then transitioned to a core faculty position with an affiliated rural training program. She completed a UW faculty development certificate and became a diplomate in Lifestyle Medicine during this time as well.

Dr. Pletz is excited to join University Health Community and Family Medicine for its long track-record of rigorous mission-oriented family medicine training that includes patient-centered lifestyle and integrative approaches, as well as its genuine family feel. Outside of this, Dr. Pletz loves learning and getting to know people through listening and engaging big questions; outdoor adventuring; singing; reading; and doing all this and more with her husband and three young children.

Dr. Rastogi grew up in Blue Springs, MO and then attended UMKC in the six-year combined BA/medical school program. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. She has worked in many different healthcare settings including college health and private practice. In June 2019, Dr. Rastogi joined University Health Lakewood Medical Center. 

Dr. Reilly is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. She has been board certified in pediatrics since 1993, and was part of the University Health Lakewood Medical Center staff until 2004. She then spent time working as a medical review officer and in a free clinic, volunteering with various school and community organizations and enjoying her own three children. She returned to University Health Lakewood Medical Center in 2019 and is and Adjunct Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. She enjoys teaching medical students and residents and caring for children of all ages.

I was born and raised outside of Philadelphia. I completed my undergraduate degree at Syracuse University and my medical degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. I did my family medicine residency in Reading, PA and then moved to Miami, FL to complete my sports medicine fellowship. I worked for two years in St. Louis as a Sports medicine physician where I found my love of teaching while working with the internal medicine residents.

As a medical student I did a rotation at University Health and fell in love with Kansas City. I am very excited to be coming back to University Health Lakewood Medical Center to educate the next generation of physicians.

Outside of medicine I enjoy camping, hiking, traveling the world, and spending time with my family and my dog.

Dr. Jinming Song is a family medicine doctor with University Health Community Care Raytown clinic for over 10 years, where is he engaged with direct patient care.

Dr. Song enjoys family time, nature, sightseeing, biking, and swimming.

Dr. Steffen completed an M.D. degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. He completed a residency in Pediatrics from the University Of Wisconsin. He is Board Certified in Pediatrics. He has been involved in Resident education since completing his residency over 25 years ago. 

He is strongly committed to serving the underserved and Hispanic community.

He treats all newborn and general pediatric conditions including many behavioral and mental health conditions.

He lives with his family in Lee’s Summit with large extended family locally. 

Dr. Rebecca Turner is a family medicine doctor with University Health Community Care Raytown clinic for nearly 20 years, where is she engaged with direct patient care. She has provided inclusive family medical care in Raytown for 30 years, first in private practice for 30 years and then with the Department of Community & Family Medicine, University Health Lakewood Medical Center since 2003. She has a strong interest in integrative medicine and healthy living.

She is an active supporter of the Raytown community through REAP, Raytown C-2 school district, and other organizations. She is also a supporter of Heart-to-Heart International, Cultivate Kansas City, and the Thomas Hart Benton branch of the Sierra Club.

She is a lover of the outdoors in search of a hiking trail with no mobile signal.

Bridgid Hast Wilson, MD, PhD grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA and moved to Raleigh to attend NC State where she completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry. Dr. Wilson then went on to UNC Chapel Hill where she received her PhD in Cell Biology.

Dr. Wilson met her husband, Dr. Lane Wilson, while she was a graduate student and he was completing his residency in Family Medicine at UNC. After getting her PhD, they moved to Eastern NC where Dr. Wilson attended the Brody School of Medicine and Dr. Lane Wilson joined faculty in the Family Medicine department. During her time at Brody, Dr. Wilson fell in love with Family Medicine and decided to stay at Brody for her residency. During residency Dr. Wilson developed an interest in obstetrics, inpatient medicine, and gender affirming care. She stayed on at ECU Family Medicine for two years before making her way to Kansas City when her husband, Lane, accepted the job as program director at UMKC.

Dr. Wilson’s primary clinical interests are still inpatient medicine and obstetrics, and she plans to continue working with gender diverse individuals and demonstrating that primary care is truly the best place for gender affirming care.

Bridgid and Lane have three wonderful kids that are the light of their lives. In her time outside of work, she enjoys distance running, riding her Peloton, hiking, and backcountry camping.

Dr. “Rose” is a Kansas native but crossed the border to attend undergrad and medical school at UMKC, graduating in 1982.  Serving as chief resident, she completed her Family Medicine residency at University Health Lakewood Medical Center and continued as faculty until the present time.

She practiced the full scope of Family Medicine in the DFCM’s rural office prior to returning to the main University Health Lakewood Medical Center campus to develop the medical student education program for the UMKC SOM.  As pre-doctoral director, she has had the privilege to work with thousands of students, sharing her love for and appreciation of Family Medicine.  She has had the opportunity to teach the majority of graduates from the residency, and has been a part of the department’s advancement and maturity.

One of the many highlights of being at University Health Lakewood Medical Center is the opportunity to teach and practice medicine alongside her husband, Bruno Zwerenz, M.D., psychiatrist and University of Missouri graduate. Together, they share the pride of two adult children and six grandchildren, competition of sailing, and the adventure of world travel.  They are, however, a house divided on MU and KU game days.