Dear Colleagues,
As I prepare to transition from my roles as executive vice chancellor for health affairs and Hugh E. and Sarah D. Stephenson dean of the Mizzou School of Medicine on September 1, I have been reflecting on the journey that brought me here and the remarkable accomplishments we have achieved together.
I am a true son of Missouri. Born in St. Louis, I have always been grateful for the opportunities this state and the University of Missouri System have provided me. When I was a 17-year-old high school senior in the Parkway School District, I was accepted into the University of Missouri-Kansas City's new six-year medical program. That opportunity changed the trajectory of my life and ultimately allowed me to achieve goals I could never have imagined — including returning home to lead the Mizzou School of Medicine and MU Health Care over the past six years.
Looking back on my time as EVC and dean, I am deeply proud of what we have achieved across all three areas of our mission: patient care, research and education.
Expanding Access to Care
Together, we opened the MU Health Care Children's Hospital and Birthing Center, creating a facility that serves families across Missouri. We welcomed Capital Region Medical Center into the University of Missouri System, strengthening our ability to provide care throughout the region. We opened new clinics in Boonville, Mexico and Holts Summit. We doubled the number of physicians and advanced practice providers.
Advancing Research
Just as importantly, we expanded our research enterprise, doubling Mizzou School of Medicine research expenditures to more than $100 million while recruiting exceptional scientists and physician-researchers from across the country. We strengthened our clinical trials infrastructure, cementing new opportunities for patients to access cutting-edge therapies closer to home. We put Missouri on the map as a leader in precision health when we opened the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building.
Training Tomorrow's Providers
Last but not least, we expanded educational opportunities for future physicians. We increased medical school class sizes in Columbia and Springfield, created new pathway programs for undergraduate students in the Springfield area and developed an engineer-to-MD pathway program that brings together two critical fields shaping the future of health care. We successfully completed an eight-year reaccreditation from the Liaison Committee for Medical Education. We continue to build on our longstanding commitment to excellence in medical education with the MOmentum initiative, which will create a new medical curriculum for the next generation of physicians.
I am very proud of the accomplishments that span multiple mission areas, such as expanding the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment after many years of planning and collaboration. Another that comes to mind is the establishment of MU Health Care's bone marrow transplant program, allowing more Missourians to receive advanced care without leaving the state.
None of these achievements would have been possible without the dedication of our faculty, staff, students, trainees, health care professionals and supporters. Every milestone reflects the work of countless individuals committed to advancing our mission of education, research and outstanding clinical care.
Looking Ahead
I have been in academic leadership roles for the past 29 years, with the last six-plus here at Mizzou. While in various administrative positions, I have maintained my clinical practice, neurology research and teaching. I continue to publish scientific articles with colleagues from around the world, and I have two books scheduled to come out in 2027.
Three years ago, I helped found Missouri Health, the School of Medicine's own medical journal. I plan to continue serving as editor in chief of this publication, working closely with our medical students and faculty. I am heavily engaged in a number of exciting clinical trials, and we are currently recruiting participants. I am actively submitting grants for investigator-initiated, federally funded clinical trials. And I will be seeing more patients in the neurologic clinic. I am excited that my next chapter will allow me to devote even more of my energy to those passions here at the University of Missouri.
I have always believed the public education system, and especially public higher education, is one of the great achievements of the United States of America. Our system is one of the great equalizers, allowing so many to follow their passions and achieve their career goals. This is what differentiates the United States' education system from that of many other countries. I am a product of public education
I will be forever grateful to the University of Missouri for both preparing me for a career in health care and entrusting me to lead the health care system at our flagship institution. It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve alongside you in our mission to save and improve lives through excellent service, education and research. I look forward to continuing my service to the Mizzou School of Medicine and MU Health Care as we all continue to grow and thrive in the years ahead.
