news - Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

campusnewsFaculty Member Relies on Equal Parts Education,Experience and Faith to Chart a Successful Career PathMany of Larry Segars’ friends andcolleagues at KCUMB already knowthere’s much more to him than meetsthe eye.It’s no secret that Dr. Segars, whoholds doctorates in both pharmacy andpublic health, loves to play golf in histime away fromwork. That one’seasy enough.It’s also wellknownthat theprofessor who hasearned not just one,but three Facultyof the Year awards– one at SouthwesternOklahomaState University, hisalma mater, andtwo at KCUMB – isextremely passionateabout his rolein teaching the nextwave of physicians.As with manypeople, Dr. Segarshas some hiddentalents, which help to paint a morecomplete portrait of the Raymore, Mo.,native and decorated faculty membercurrently on his second stint atKCUMB.He loves to juggle. He also hasquite an extensive history working as afootball and baseball official.Dr. Segars graduated with a bachelor'sdegree in 1986 from SouthwesternOklahoma State, and he earned hisdoctorate in pharmacy three years laterfrom the University of Texas.He spent 2004 working on electivecoursework for his doctorate of publichealth in epidemiology at the HarvardSchool of Public Health in Boston.His stints at KCUMB serve asbookends to five years spent earninghis Ph.D. at the University of NorthTexas Health Science Center.Dr. Segars worked at KCUMBfrom 1995 to 2000 as an adjunct clinicalassociate professor of pharmacypractice, and as an associate professorof pharmacology and family medicine.He returned in 2006 to get back intoeducation, and currently serves asassociate professor and chair of pharmacologyand microbiology.“When I was little, I recall playingteacher with the neighbor kids,” hesaid. “I believe I’ve always known that Iwanted to be a teacher.“Once I went into pharmacy, Iknew that I would love teaching anytype of health-care provider in the areaof medications. It’s a passion and Ihope it comes out in every lecture Igive, regardless of the audience.”The Faculty of the Year awards hehas earned serve as the highlights ofhis teaching career thus far, he said.As for officiating, Dr. Segarsworked his way up the ladder andwas once selected to work on collegefootball crews in the NAIA and NCAADivision II, as well as several playoffcontests in Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri.One of his officiating highlightswas being selected in the late 1990s tothe crew that worked the Mineral WaterBowl, an annual college football bowlgame between teams from the NorthernSun Intercollegiate Conferenceand the Mid-America IntercollegiateAthletic Associationat Tiger Stadium inExcelsior Springs, Mo.He also hasexperience workingbaseball games,including smallcollegeand semi-procontests.A constantinfluence throughoutDr. Segars’ life andcareer, he said, hasbeen his Christianfaith. While somesuggest science andfaith cannot coexist,Dr. Segars believesotherwise.“I believe that... they actually dovery well together,” he said. “This isbased on my belief that when treatingpatients – dealing with the science andmedicine of their diseases and conditions– that the faith of the clinician andpatient are very important to consider.“Both should be acknowledgedand embraced at the same time. Theyshould not be mutually exclusive.There are some diseases that arebeyond our knowledge to cure, butthrough faith all things are possible.”Why KCUMB? For Dr. Segars, it'sobvious.“I love that KCUMB is studentcenteredand that, for the most part,faculty are hired to be great educatorsfor our students and to do the best forthem,” he said. “I see myself as a lifelongeducator and hope to be at KCUMBuntil I retire, if they’ll have me.”alumninewsFaculty, Staff and Board MembersDonate Nearly $140,000 to KCUMBThrough Internal Fund-Raising CampaignKCUMB means different things todifferent people.For students, it means a pathwayto a bright future in osteopathic medicine,bioethics or biomedical sciences.For alumni, it’s the fond memories andthe thought of all they learned.For employees of theUniversity, it’s not only a job– it’s so much more.“Part of why KCUMBis a paradise to work at isthat I feel we are indeed afamily, myKCUMB and yourKCUMB,” said EduardoGarcia, M.D., assistant professorof pathology. “It trulygives me tremendous pride to be a partof the KCUMB family.”DollaseFaculty, staff and members of theBoard of Trustees recently teamed up toraise nearly $140,000 for the Universityduring the second-annual myKCUMBinternal fund-raising campaign.In addition to raising money forDOCARE medical missions, studentscholarships, Score 1 for Healthand many other worthwhileendeavors across campus, themyKCUMB campaign providesemployees with a way to supportthe causes that matter to themand to come together as a team.“We wouldn’t give if wedidn’t believe in what we aredoing,” said Beth Dollase, vicepresident for advancement. “Thissends a strong message that those whoJoin Dr. Magie and Thousands of Fellow Alumnias a Proud Member of the KCUMB Alumni AssociationStay connected with your alma mater and former classmates as amember of the KCUMB Alumni Association!Your $50 membership dues support many activities,including alumni receptions during various professionalmeetings, alumni mentoring panels for currentstudents and University-sponsored Continuing MedicalEducation programs.Join today by visiting www.kcumb.edu/AlumniDues,by calling 800-234-4847 ext. 7284 or mailing yourpayment to the KCUMB AdvancementOffice, 1750 IndependenceAve., Kansas City, MO 64016.Richard Magie, D.O. (COM ’80), assistantprofessor and chair of pediatrics, and medicaldirector for KCUMB Physician AssociatesTotal Donations: $139,165Members of theBoard of Trustees:$71,500Faculty and staff:$65,154Auction: $2,511put their muscle into the mission alsoput their heart into it.”Sixty-six percent of the University’semployees participated in thisyear’s efforts, up from 57 percent inthe previous year. This year’s total wasapproximately $6,500 more than duringthe 2011 inaugural campaign.“For employees, seeing their dollarsin action throughout the year isempowering,” Dollase said. “They aremaking a visible difference. Instead oftelling the patients in need in Guatemala,‘I’m sorry, we’re out of medicine,’when we go on our mission tripthis year, we’ll be able to say, ‘Here’swhat you need.’ That’s huge, and ouremployees will have helped make ithappen.”Stay Connectedwww.kcumb.eduwww.facebook.com/KCUMBwww.twitter.com/KCUMB24 Summer 2012 KCUMB CommunicatorSummer 2012 KCUMB Communicator 25