2026 Midwest Regional Conference

Hidden Gems in Medicine: A Fountain of Knowledge, Culture, and Care

Date: Saturday, September 19th, 2026

Location: Health Education Building (HEB)

University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUMC)

2146 W 39th Ave, Kansas City, KS 66103

2026 Midwest Regional Conference Booklet - Available Now!

Registration Details:

Click Below for More Information!

(Regular Registration Closed 9/12 - On-Site Available)Join the Discord!

Welcome to the City of Fountains and to the APAMSA Midwest Regional Conference!

Known as the City of Fountains and in the heart of the Midwest, Kansas City is home to more than 200 fountains, each symbolizing the continuous flow of ideas and growth.

We are very excited to invite you to the 2026 APAMSA Midwest Regional Conference @ University of Kansas Medical Center! Hosted by APAMSA Midwest Region & University of Kansas School of Medicine, all APAMSA members, pre-medical members, non-members, and interested students/faculty are welcome to attend this one-day event featuring a variety of AANHPI speakers, panels, workshops, networking opportunities, research presentations, and more!

We invite you to check out KUMC APAMSA’s Instagram Page for recent Flyers & Updates!

Conference Information

Theme: Hidden Gems in Medicine: A Fountain of Knowledge, Culture, and Care

Date & Time: Saturday, September 19th, 2026 | 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM CT

Location: Health Education Building (HEB), University of Kansas School of Medicine | 2146 W 39th Ave, Kansas City, KS 66103

On-site registration is available for $35. Please check in with a conference team member at 8:30 AM on Saturday, 9/19.

The conference webpage continues to update – please be on the lookout for more information up to the conference date!

Hidden Gems in Medicine: A Fountain of Knowledge, Culture, and Care

Known as the City of Fountains and in the heart of the Midwest, Kansas City is home to more than 200 fountains, each symbolizing the continuous flow of ideas and growth. Much like these fountains, medicine thrives when knowledge is shared, cultures are celebrated, and care extends beyond the clinic walls.

At this year’s Midwest Regional Conference, we invite you to discover the hidden gems that make both Kansas City and medicine as a profession brilliant. Together, we’ll explore new perspectives, strengthen our commitment to culturally responsive care, and uncover the unique experiences that shape us into compassionate future physicians.

Saturday, September 19th, 2026

Schedule

8:30 AM: Check-in, Registration, & Breakfast | HEB B102 & B104

9:00 AM: Introductions & Opening Statements | HEB B102 & B104

9:00 AM: Conference Team National Board Introduction

9:15 AM: Be The Match/NMDP Introductions

9:30 AM: Keynote Speaker (Dr. Weijing Sun, MD, FACP)

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Breakout Sessions 1

1A: Advocacy 101 | HEB G210

1B: Hidden Gems of Residency: Lessons from the Journey | HEB G205

1C: Innovations in Healthcare Navigation, Access & Mental Health Services for LEP Immigrants/Refugees | HEB G109

1D: Hidden Gems in Action: Hands-On Clinical Skills Workshops | HEB G201

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Lunch, Research Session, and Networking | HEB B102 & B104

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Breakout Sessions 2

2A: Community, Connection & Mental Health: Building Wellness in AANHPI Communities | HEB G109

2B: AANHPI Cultural and Language Awareness | HEB G205

2C: Beyond the Clinic: Patient Navigation & Access to Care | HEB G210

2D: Hidden Gems in Action: Hands-On Clinical Skills Workshops | HEB G201

2:00 PM: Conference Group Photo & Closing Remarks (Dr. Paul Tran, MD) | HEB B102 & B104

3:00 PM: Awards Announcement/Raffle Prizes | HEB B102 & B104

3:30 PM: Wrap Up/Conclusion of Conference

5:00 PM: Post-Conference Social | Chosun Korean BBQ 2

Keynote Speaker

“The Advantage of Disadvantage: Finding Your Hidden Gems in Medicine”

Dr. Weijing Sun, MD, FACP

Sprint Professor of Medical Oncology; Chief, Division of Medical Oncology; Associate Director, Cancer Center for Clinical Research

University of Kansas School of Medicine

Session 1 (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM)

Breakout 1A: Advocacy 101

Siddarth Sharma, MPH

VP of Membership, OCA Greater Washington DC Chapter

Pediatric Researcher, Pediatric Research Facility

Breakout 1B: Hidden Gems of Residency: Lessons From the Journey

Dr. Timothy Nguyen, DO

Allergy/Immunology Fellow

University of Kansas Medical Center

Dr. Crystal Nguyen, MD

Emergency Medicine Resident

University of Kansas Medical Center

Dr. Joanne Andrade, MD

Psychiatry Resident

University of Kansas Medical Center

Breakout 1C: Innovations in Healthcare Access & Mental Health for LEP Immigrants

Jennifer Alexander, MPA

Founder & Executive Director

Fountain of Life

Breakout 1D: Hidden Gems in Action: A Hands-On Clinical Skills Workshop

Student Leadership, Residents & Faculty

University of Kansas School of Medicine

Individual information included in Program Booklet

Session 2 (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM)

Breakout 2A: Community, Connection & Mental Health: Building Wellness in AANHPI Communities

Béty Lê Shackelford, BFA

Founder & Executive Director

Hella Good Deeds

Jen Lympus, LCSW, LSCSW

Clinical Social Worker

Private Practice

Dr. Ngan Vuong, PhD

Clinical Psychologist

Creative Inner Connection

Dr. Robin Li, PhD

Clinical Psychologist

Private Practice

Breakout 2B: AANHPI Cultural and Language Awareness

Annie Nguyen

Research Director

APAMSA National Board

Breakout 2C: Beyond the Clinic: Patient Navigation & Access to Care

Dr. Felicia Steger, PhD, RD

Assistant Professor, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Pharmacology & Department of Dietetics and Nutrition; Director of Nutrition Research, KU Diabetes Institute; Scientific Director of Clinical Research, Center for Children’s Healthy Lifestyle & Nutrition

University of Kansas Medical Center

Karin Denes-Collar, LSCSW

Associate Director & Psychosocial Services Director, Masonic Cancer Alliance

University of Kansas Cancer Center

Breakout 2D: Hidden Gems in Action: A Hands-On Clinical Skills Workshop

Student Leadership, Residents & Faculty

University of Kansas School of Medicine

Individual information included in Program Booklet

Closing Remarks

Dr. Paul Tran, MD

Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Phoenix Children’s Hospital; Assistant Professor, University of Arizona School of Medicine & Creighton University; Medical Educator

Directions to the Venue

Address: University of Kansas Medical Center Health Education Building (KUMC HEB) | 2146 W 39th Ave, Kansas City, KS 66103

Locating Building Entrance:

Located on the west corner of Rainbow Blvd and 39th Ave
To get to the building from the parking lot (P4), take the garage elevator to the 5th floor and cross the bridge into Hemenway Building. Exit out of Hemenway and the building will be right there. (See the map on the right.)
Signs will be posted for guidance.

Coming from MCI Airport:

Uber/Lyft/taxi takes approximately 30 minutes.
Public transportation in Kansas City is limited, with the bus taking around 2 hours to get to the campus.

Coming by Car from 1-35 South:

Take Exit 1A Southwest Trafficway
Keep straight, then turn right on Rainbow Blvd
Turn right on Adams St for the P4 parking garage
Total commute time is approximately 30 minutes from the airport.

Parking:

P4 Parking Garage: Free access.
Upon entry to the gate, tell the call machine operator that you are here for the APAMSA conference and they will raise the gate.

Accommodations:

Hampton Inn & Suites Country Club Plaza | ~~Hotel Block~~
- This Hotel Block option is now expired. Deadline to book was Monday, August 31, 2026 at 11:59pm CT.
- $165 per night
- Rate includes WiFi and breakfast
- Parking is $20 per day

Campus Map

RideKC Streetcar:

It is a free-to-ride trolley that runs up and down Main Street.
From the Hampton, it is a 16 minute walk through the Country Club Plaza to get to the Plaza stop on Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. (See map below.)
More information and route can be found on their website.

Research Poster Session (11:30 AM - 1:00 PM) | HEB B102 & B104

Selected abstracts will be invited to present a poster at the APAMSA Midwest Regional Conference’s Research Poster Symposium. Professional judges will be invited to assess the winners of each category.

This year, the categories are as follows:

Community Health, Epidemiology, Education and Policy
Clinical and Translational Research
Basic Science Research
AANHPI-focused Projects

Abstract Submission

APAMSA Midwest Region invites you to submit an abstract for the Midwest Regional Conference on September 19th, 2026. There is no cost for submitting an abstract.

The deadline for Abstract Submissions has passed. Please consider submitting your abstract for the next year’s conference.

Research Award Winners will be announced during the Closing Ceremony on September 19th, 2026.

Research Prize Winners

Award	Name	Institution	Abstract Title
Community Health, Epidemiology, Education and Policy	Jacob Tanner	University of Kansas School of Medicine	Helping Babies Breathe Training for Ghana National Ambulance Service Emergency Medical Technicians: A National Prospective Evaluation
Clinical and Translational Research	Kayla Nguyen	University of Kansas School of Medicine	Catheter Ablation for Supraventricular Tachycardias in d-Transposition of the Great Arteries Post-Atrial Switch Operation: A Meta-Analysis
Basic Science Research	Kamar Chahine	University of Kansas School of Medicine	Protease-Activated Nanobiosensors for Early Detection and Risk Stratification of Endometrial Cancer
AANHPI-focused Projects	Hana Ilahi	University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine	Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Women: A Review of Cultural, Linguistic, and Structural Determinants