Mary Anne Jackson, M.D., has been announced as the next dean of the UMKC School of Medicine, effective May 1, 2020.
Having served as interim dean since July 2018, she now becomes the ninth dean in the school’s nearly 50-year history. A 1978 graduate of UMKC’s innovative six-year medical school program, Jackson is the first alumnus and the third woman to lead the School of Medicine.
Jackson is a pediatric infectious diseases expert, affiliated with Children’s Mercy and internationally known for her research. During the current COVID-19 crisis, she is one of the six physicians statewide advising Missouri Governor Mike Parson. She also continues to be a frequently sourced expert for the media and national publications.
“I am honored to serve as the dean for this medical school, which has been ahead of the curve in educating and mentoring physicians and health professionals for nearly half a century,” Jackson said. “I look forward to helping grow its research enterprise to improve the health of our community and beyond.”
Jackson, a professor of pediatrics, joined the School of Medicine faculty in 1984.
UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal announced Jackson’s appointment and that of Jenny Lungren, Ph.D., as executive vice chancellor, in a letter to the university on April 28. Both had been serving their roles on an interim basis.
“In this challenging time, there is an immediate need for stable, innovative leadership,” Agrawal said. “Drs. Lundgren and Jackson have led with intellect and heart during the pandemic, and I have full confidence that they will continue to capably help us navigate through the uncharted territory ahead.”
Jackson is recognized locally, regionally and nationally as a master clinician and educator on the topic of pediatric infectious diseases. The American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Infectious Diseases Executive Committee honored her with the 2019 Award for Lifetime Contribution in Infectious Diseases Education last October.
She has served on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Red Book Committee on Infectious Diseases, a publication that provides guidance on the diagnosis, treatment, manifestations and epidemiology of more than 200 childhood conditions. She is also a journal reviewer for American Journal of Infection Control, Journal of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal and JAMA Pediatrics, among many other research publications.
Jackson has won numerous awards for her mentorship including the Children’s Mercy Department of Pediatrics Excellence in Mentoring award in 2015, and Golden Apple Mentoring Awards in 2012 for mentoring fellows and in 2013 for mentoring residents. In 2012, she received the Take Wing Award, presented annually at the School of Medicine to an alum who has demonstrated excellence in his or her chosen field and exceeded the expectations of peers in the practice of medicine, academic medicine or research.
In 2017, Jackson was selected to the National Vaccine Advisory Committee. She also serves on the American Heart Association’s Committee on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, as well as additional national, regional and local committees.
Dean Jackson greeted new students and their parents and siblings on move-in day.
A full schedule is nothing new for Mary Anne Jackson, M.D. ’78. Between seeing pediatric patients at Children’s Mercy, teaching at the UMKC School of Medicine and serving on national boards including the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Red Book Committee on Infectious Diseases and the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, Jackson has always set a fast pace.
Now, as the first graduate of the school to serve as its dean, she may seem even busier. She took over as interim dean July 1 and quickly became a familiar face to hundreds of students. New students were greeted by her on move-in day and again at their inDOCtrination ceremony, and she welcomed third-year students to the more-clinical phase of their education at their White Coat Ceremony. She also will be meeting regularly with various student groups throughout the year.
Dean Jackson showed UMKC’s new president, C. Mauli Agrawal, around the School of Medicine and the UMKC Health Sciences District.
Dean Jackson also showed C. Mauli Agrawal, UMKC’s new chancellor, the School of Medicine and its surroundings when he toured the UMKC Health Sciences District. And she has held town hall style meetings to get to know faculty and staff and hear their concerns.
She also is making a point of reaching out to her fellow alumni. She gathered with alumni in the St. Louis area in August and has a Sept. 25 visit to Chicago scheduled. Events in Kansas City and Springfield also are in the works. If you live in another area and would like her to visit, please get in touch with Fred Schlichting at schlichtingf@umkc.edu.
The School of Medicine welcomed Steven L. Kanter, M.D., former vice dean at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, to his new role as the School’s ninth dean on Oct. 1. Kanter is a neurosurgeon, a career physician-educator, and brings a strong foundation in the growing field of medical informatics
A former Fellow in Medical Informatics for the National Library of Medicine, joined the faculty at Pittsburgh in 1991 and became vice dean in 2002. From 2008 to 2012, he also served as Editor-in-Chief of Academic Medicine, the Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2013, he was awarded the Merrell Flair Award, the highest honor awarded by AAMC’s Group on Educational Affairs.
Kanter earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&I University and his M.D. at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio. He served his residency at the University of Florida. He was on faculty at Texas A&M University College of Medicine before moving to the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of the American Medical Informatics Association, the World Association of Medical Editors and the Association for Medical Education in Europe, which presented him with the Patil Award for Best Medical Education Research Presentation in 2007.
“I hope to focus the considerable talent and energy of the School of Medicine faculty, staff, and students on helping to make Kansas City the healthiest city in America,” Kanter said. “Of course, the best way – and the only way – to do this is to engage with business and community partners, clinical partners, alumni, and neighboring institutions.
Kanter said the School of Medicine is at a pivotal point in its history as it is completing its first half-century of existence.
“I am enthusiastic about beginning a process with faculty, staff, and students to contemplate in what ways the school should build on its existing strengths as it prepares to embark on this next, very important phase of its journey,” he said. “It is a privilege to be able to serve the Kansas City community in the role of dean of the UMKC School of Medicine. I look forward to working with community members and the school’s partner institutions to ensure that we continue to bring value to the people of this region in the best possible way.”
UMKC Chancellor Leo E. Morton said Kanter’s background and interest in both medical informatics and interprofessional education were important considerations in his decision to choose Kanter as the next dean of the School of Medicine.
“Steven Kanter also has experience as a leader in community health and education initiatives at an urban-serving university at the University of Pittsburgh. Like UMKC, Pitt is situated in the urban core and recognizes and lives up to the special responsibility that confers,” Morton said. “The UMKC School of Medicine plays a vital role in the community, and I am confident that Dr. Kanter is the kind of leader who will not just preserve those vital community relationships, but grow and strengthen them.”
School of Medicine Dean Betty M. Drees, M.D., F.A.C.P., (left) was recognized for her tenure as Dean by School of Pharmacy Dean Russell Melchert, Ph.D., School of Dentistry Dean Marsha Pyle, D.D.S., M.Ed., and School of Nursing Dean Ann Cary during a reception at the School of Medicine on Sept. 25.
Faculty, staff and students from the School of Medicine and across the Hospital Hill campus recognized Dean Betty M. Drees, M.D, F.A.C.P., as a friend, a mentor and a valued colleague and celebrated her accomplishments during 13 years as Dean of the School of Medicine during a reception on Sept. 25 at the School.
Drees will be stepping down as Dean on Sept. 30. Steven L. Kanter, M.D., takes the role as the School’s eighth dean on Oct. 1.
Dr. Drees was appointed Dean of the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine in 2003, after serving two years as Interim Dean and one year as Executive Associate Dean. She joined UMKC as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Docent Physician in 1998. From 2007 to 2008, she served as the Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UMKC.
Drees is an endocrinologist, whose research interest is in calcium and bone metabolism. She continues to serve as a Professor of Medicine and a practicing endocrinologist in the Section of Endocrinology. She teaches endocrinology and history of medicine and has been recognized by residents for teaching.
She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and a Fellow in the American College of Physicians. She is a past Chair of the Governing Council of the American Medical Association (AMA) Section on Medical Schools, and is currently the Governing Council’s liaison to the AMA Council on Medical Education. She has served on the Liaison Committee for Medical Education, the Administrative Board of the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the national Blue Ribbon Panel for VA-Medical School Affiliations, and the Steering Committee for the AAMC’s Group on Women in Medicine and Science.
She is currently vice chair of the Steering Committee for the Health Strand of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities and serves on the Boards of Truman Medical Centers, University Physician Associates, Research Medical Center, the Vision Research Foundation of Kansas City, the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care and the Kansas City American Diabetes Association. She is a member of the Joint Conference Committee of Saint Luke’s Hospital and the Quality Management and Patient Safety Board Committee of Swope Health Services. She is on the medical staffs of Truman Medical Center, Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City and the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Drees has been recognized by Ingram’s Magazine as one of Kansas City’s Most Accomplished and Successful Women (2008), and among MidwestCEO’s Influential Women (2009). She was on the Kansas City Business Journal’s list of Best Doctors in 2013, and Kansas City’s 435 Magazine list of Best Doctors for 2014. She is a co-Principle Investigator on a learning collaborative project with the AAMC and the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH 1U24MD006960-01) on building institutional capacity for health equity.
Steven L. Kanter, M.D., has been appointed dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Kanter is a neurosurgeon, a career physician-educator, and brings to UMKC a strong foundation in the growing field of medical informatics: the science of using information most effectively to improve the quality and safety of patient care; to analyze data across large blocks of patient populations to identify patterns and best practices; and to collect, analyze, and integrate complex biologic data. UMKC and its local hospital partners are home to several leading researchers in the field, and created a new Center for Health Insights focused on informatics last year to support their work. Kanter is a former Fellow in Medical Informatics for the National Library of Medicine.
Kanter comes to UMKC from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania, where he has been on faculty since 1991 and Vice Dean since 2002. From 2008 to 2012, he also served as Editor-in-Chief of Academic Medicine, the Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2013, he was awarded the Merrell Flair Award, the highest honor awarded by AAMC’s Group on Educational Affairs.
“I hope to focus the considerable talent and energy of the School of Medicine faculty, staff, and students on helping to make Kansas City the healthiest city in America,” Kanter said. “Of course, the best way – and the only way – to do this is to engage with business and community partners, clinical partners, alumni, and neighboring institutions.
“The UMKC School of Medicine is at a pivotal point in its history. It is completing its first half-century and looking toward the next 50 years. I am enthusiastic about beginning a process with faculty, staff, and students to contemplate in what ways the school should build on its existing strengths as it prepares to embark on this next, very important phase of its journey,” he continued. “It is a privilege to be able to serve the Kansas City community in the role of dean of the UMKC School of Medicine. I look forward to working with community members and the school’s partner institutions to ensure that we continue to bring value to the people of this region in the best possible way.”
UMKC Chancellor Leo E. Morton said important considerations in his decision to choose Kanter were Kanter’s background and interest in both medical informatics and interprofessional education, which involves students from two or more disciplines learning together to cultivate collaborative practice to provide patient-centered care. UMKC’s Schools of Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine and Nursing and Health Studies, clustered together on the university’s Hospital Hill Campus, have made interprofessional education a priority.
“Steven Kanter also has experience as a leader in community health and education initiatives at an urban-serving university at the University of Pittsburgh. Like UMKC, Pitt is situated in the urban core and recognizes and lives up to the special responsibility that confers,” Morton said. “The UMKC School of Medicine plays a vital role in the community, and I am confident that Dr. Kanter is the kind of leader who will not just preserve those vital community relationships, but grow and strengthen them.”
Lawrence Dreyfus, UMKC Vice Chancellor for Research & Economic Development, served as co-chair of the search committee that recommended Kanter.
“We were very impressed with Dr. Kanter’s background as an educator, as a researcher and as a clinician,” Dreyfus said. “It was clear that he understands the vital community role played by an urban school of medicine, and we appreciate the enthusiasm with which he seeks to embrace that role.”
Kanter will begin his work at UMKC Oct. 1. In addition to his position as dean, he is appointed as a full professor with tenure in the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics and as Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine. In addition, he will hold the Merl and Muriel Hicklin Foundation Endowed Chair at the School of Medicine.
Kanter has an undergraduate degree from Texas A&I University and earned his M.D. at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio. He served his residency at the University of Florida. He was on faculty at Texas A&M University College of Medicine before moving to the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of the American Medical Informatics Association, the World Association of Medical Editors and the Association for Medical Education in Europe, which presented him with the Patil Award for Best Medical Education Research Presentation in 2007.
Kanter will replace Betty Drees, M.D., F.A.C.P., as dean. Drees spent 12 years leading the UMKC School of Medicine, during which she strengthened the financial position of the school, established important new partnerships with other academic units, and added new graduate and certificate programs. She will remain on faculty, and plans to work on patient safety and health policy programs as well as teaching and community service.
In addition to applying advanced technology to the practice of medicine, Kanter is also interested in applying the latest technology to instructional practice.
“Many medical schools today are struggling with what to do with classroom time, since learners can watch lectures online at their own pace and in a way that aligns with their own learning styles. The key question that underlies this struggle is not about student attendance, but rather is about how to make the learner-teacher relationship effective for students and rewarding for faculty,” he said. “The UMKC School of Medicine already has made significant strides in this area with its successful docent system.”
Kanter comes from a family immersed in medicine. His wife, Leslie M. Borsett-Kanter M.D., is a pediatrician with expertise in feeding disorders. His son, John H. Kanter, is a third-year medical student at Florida State University. His brother and sister, Roy A. Kanter M.D. and Merrill Kanter Carolin M.D., both are neurologists.
Outside of work, Kanter and his wife enjoy jazz, reading and travel, and show Cardigan Welsh Corgis competitively.
“The UMKC School of Medicine has a number of strengths that position it well for significant growth and development in the coming years,” Kanter said. “The school is situated in a vibrant city that is on the move. It has wonderful clinical partners, excellent neighboring institutions, and is part of a great university. Also, the location and layout of Hospital Hill lends itself to the kind of communication and collaboration that is so important to advancing thinking and practice in health care, research, and education. I am excited about the opportunities to develop interprofessional initiatives in both research and education.”
Mary Anne Jackson, M.D., has been announced as the next dean of the UMKC School of Medicine, effective May 1, 2020.
