Northeast News
April 13, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCU) has found the dean of its soon-to-open Jopin, Mo., campus.

In a press release from school officials, KCU announced Paula M. Gregory will join the university as dean of its new college of osteopathic medicine in Joplin, Mo., effective June 1, 2016. The campus will enroll its first class of 150 students in the fall of 2017. In the release, Gregory said she’s honored to have been selected and looks forward to serving the residents of Joplin and Southwest Missouri.

“Local health professionals and community leaders have joined together in a unique way to make this school a reality,” Gregory said. “The community is very warm and the people are incredibly engaged. That speaks volumes about what’s going to happen in the future as we all work to meet the community and rural health care needs of the region.”

The development of the new KCU-Joplin College of Osteopathic Medicine has been accelerated by the collaborative efforts of Mercy Hospital Joplin, Freeman Health System, the City of Joplin and philanthropic leadership from the surrounding community. It will be the first new medical school to open in Missouri in 46 years.

Among her duties as dean, Gregory will lead faculty and students at the Joplin campus in academics and co-curricular activities. In addition, she will engage in ongoing outreach with the community and enhance relationships with local hospitals and physicians. Marc B. Hahn, president and chief executive officer of KCU, said the addition of Dr. Gregory continues the commitment by KCU of, “training the highest-quality osteopathic physicians and of providing top-notch faculty and administration to ensure student success.”

Gregory currently serves as assistant dean of clinical education for Georgia Campus-Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM) in Stone Mountain, Ga. She has started and directed residency programs, overseen clinical simulation training, and actively taught in the classroom and the clinic.

“Dr. Gregory’s strong background in primary care with a formidable emphasis in rural health made her a great candidate for the position,” Bruce Dubin, executive vice president for academic affairs, provost and dean of the KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Mo., said. “We are excited to have someone of the caliber of Dr. Gregory serve as dean for our Joplin campus. She has an outstanding record in clinical medical education and brings expertise that will help Joplin area students become the best osteopathic physicians they can be.”