The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine has received a $500,000 gift toward the establishment of an Endowed Chair in Patient Safety. The gift comes from the family of Vijay Babu Rayudu, a UMKC School of Medicine student who passed away in July 2007. He is survived by his parents, Rao and Subbulaxmi Rayudu, who are both physicians in the Memphis, Tenn. area and donated the gift and requested the establishment of the endowment in memory of their son.
The Rayudus have another son, Ranga, who is also a physician, and a daughter, Paru, who is currently a student at the UMKC School of Medicine. The Rayudu family believes their memorial endowment provides a contribution to the practice of medicine that their son will not be able to provide directly.
“The UMKC School of Medicine is committed to the highest quality of patient care through education of the physician workforce,” said Betty M. Drees, M.D., dean of the UMKC School of Medicine. “This new endowed chair will enable the recruitment of a national leader in the emerging field of patient safety.”
The Endowed Chair in Patient Safety will be established through matching funds from the UMKC School of Medicine and St. Luke’s Hospital. A national search is currently under way to identify potential candidates to fill the Chair.
