UMKC School of Pharmacy

10/16/2026

The UMKC School of Pharmacy is proud to announce that Heather Lyons-Burney, clinical associate professor and assistant director of experiential learning, has received a 2026 Spark Prize!

Lyons-Burney was one of six Spark Prize awardees selected to receive $200,000 in unrestricted funding from the Missouri Foundation for Health for her work in the establishment of a charitable primary care clinic in Branson, Missouri, and the development of the My Neighbor's Charitable Pharmacy in Springfield, Missouri.

Congratulations, Heather!

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Foundation for Health.

10/15/2026

A big thanks to our partner KC Current for bringing the Teal Mobile to the UMKC Health Sciences Campus! And a special shot out to Current players Bayley Feist and Itala Gemelli, who were the featured guests! We’re proud to partner with such amazing organizations around Kansas City.

10/14/2026

On Oct. 2, our pharmacy students participated in an interprofessional education medical simulation event with students from the other health sciences schools, during which they worked on disclosing medical errors to a patient's family member.

The UMKC Interprofessional Steering Committee hosts two interprofessional education events a year, giving students the opportunity to work across healthcare teams, understand the contributions of their peers and practice patient-centered care.

We are so proud to give our students the opportunity to gain real-world experience in an education setting.

10/06/2026

The UMKC School of Pharmacy recently welcomed the Class of 1982 back to campus! The group watched a short research presentation by faculty member Simon Friedman, Ph.D., a Curator's Distinguished Professor followed by a tour of the school led by Dean Melchert. We're so glad our alumni could stop in for a visit!

10/01/2026

We celebrated a major milestone with our pharmacy students as they received their white coats at this year's Professional Dedication White Coat Ceremony! Earning their white coats marks the next phase in our pharmacy students’ educations, and celebrates their dedication to patient care. Congratulations to our pharmacy students!

09/24/2026

At the State of the University, Chancellor Agrawal emphasized the importance of UMKC’s Rural Healthcare mission, including the School of Pharmacy’s satellite campuses in Columbia and Springfield.

Since the rural programs were introduced, the school’s presence has improved pharmaceutical shortages in southwest Missouri, with nearly 54% of graduates practicing pharmacy in the area.

Read more about how UMKC is making big leaps in the community here: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/september/big-leaps-from-umkc-state-of-the-university-2026.html

08/31/2026

We had a lovely evening of baseball and alumni fun at the Springfield Cardinals game. Alumni from the Schools of Dentistry, Law, Medicine and Pharmacy gathered at Route 66 Stadium to socialize, get updates on their alma mater and take in an exciting ballgame. Thanks to all who came out. Hope to see you at our next alumni event!

08/28/2026

We welcomed a new class of future pharmacists ahead of the start of the semester. The festivities for the Class of 2030 kicked off with an ice cream social, where students played team-building games and met faculty, staff and student ambassadors. The next day, Pharm.D. student orientation got into full swing. First-year students from all three of our School of Pharmacy campuses – Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield – participated in a number of onboarding opportunities. At the student organization resource fair, the new students met student leaders, who provided guidance with the transition to a professional program. Thank you to the 150 Pharm.D. students in attendance as well as faculty and staff.

08/17/2026

Pharmacy students will have some new art to appreciate thanks to classmate Nina Desova. She’s spent the summer working on a mural in the new student lounge on the second floor of the Health Sciences Building. The mural spans an entire wall in the lounge and features a number of pharmacy elements intertwined with nods to notable things around Kansas City. We can’t wait to show off Nina’s masterpiece!

08/14/2026