Video screenshot from the Program in Digital Mental Health

With mental health workers in short supply across rural Kansas, a program that allows people suffering from depression to receive help online is being launched and studied for effectiveness.

The Program in Digital Mental Health is a joint effort between the KU School of Medicine-Wichita Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and the KU Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth, directed by Shawna Wright, Ph.D., in Kansas City. This year, a $28 million grant was secured to fund the effort.

Research mentorships develop in different ways. Some students obtain a placement through recommendations, existing connections or by identifying a faculty member’s expertise. For others, the KU Medical Center Educational Experience, a cross-campus program, provides a helpful option. Each year about 200 participants take advantage of the program, which offers research opportunities to high school students and undergraduates who aren’t in KU Medical Center programs.

As one of only 16 U.S. medical schools offering Klingenstein Fellowships for medical students, KU School of Medicine-Wichita is providing a select group of future physicians with hands-on exposure in treating child and adolescent mental and behavioral health issues, one-on-one mentoring with faculty, nationwide networking and a boost in the path to competitive residency programs.

Their life of service starts with service to community. During orientation, first-year medical students completed service projects this week at sites across Wichita, including Habitat for Humanity, the Kansas Food Bank, Great Plains Nature Center and ICT SOS. Orientation week also includes lifesaver training, the Jager Society Welcome Dinner and the much-anticipated White Coat Ceremony.

Welcome, Class of 2030!

The Family Medicine Interest Group at KU School of Medicine-Wichita has earned a national award for the seventh consecutive year, while a medical student and a resident physician have both received recognition in Kansas. The 2026 Program of Excellence Award by the American Academy of Family Physicians was given to Family Medicine Interest Groups at 21 medical schools, including KU School of Medicine-Wichita.

The new photography exhibit "Photoworx 2026" is by a collective of 12 Kansas photographers – friends through photography sharing images of their world. The First Friday opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, in the West Atrium at KU School of Medicine-Wichita. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. The William J. Reals Gallery of Art is free and open to the public.

The 2026 edition of Embark magazine, produced by the Office of Public Affairs at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, has published. This new edition highlights how the KU Wichita Campus is expanding and poised for innovative growth, building on decades of success in providing high-quality medical education. 

Wichita native Dimitri Seneviratne, a new medical student at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, is one of only six international winners of the Lasker Foundation video contest. 

Dimitri Seneviratne, who just started medical school at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, was announced this month as one of six winners of the 2026 Lasker Foundation video contest. His video proposed using video game algorithms to overcome barriers to CAR-T cell treatment for solid-tumor cancers. 

“I love creating things, including videos, and I thought it would just be fun to do in my free time,” he said. “I didn’t expect anything of it.”

When she was 8 years old, Cecilia Hinton wasn't thinking about becoming a physician. She was simply a young gymnast with an injured ankle. Although she eventually traded gymnastics for cheerleading and track and field, her fascination with the human body never faded. 

After completing training in the KU School of Medicine-Wichita Family Medicine Residency Program at Ascension Via Christi, she stayed an additional year to complete a sports medicine fellowship.

Cecilia Hinton, D.O.

The Wichita Business Journal has announced the 2026 Healthcare Heroes, and this year's honorees include numerous KU School of Medicine-Wichita faculty members and alumni, including one honored for lifetime achievement and several earning honors in categories for physicians, healthcare educator and healthcare innovation.

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!

View images and learn more about the Wichita Biomedical Campus.

See how KU School of Medicine-Wichita is making headlines across the state and beyond.

Visit jobs.kumc.edu to view current job openings for all KUMC campuses.

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