Amy K. Patel
March 30, 2026 — Each year, the Alumni Association at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. For her advocacy efforts in expanding access to lifesaving breast imaging and reducing disparities in women’s healthcare, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the UMKC Alumni Association are honoring Amy K. Patel (BLA ’10/M.D. ’11) as the 2026 Alumna of the Year.
Patel is a board-certified radiologist specializing in breast imaging. She is the medical director of The Breast Care Center at Liberty Hospital, an associate member of The University of Kansas Cancer Center and clinical associate professor at The University of Kansas School of Medicine.
Raised in Chillicothe, Missouri, a small rural town with limited access to women physicians and subspecialized care, Patel saw firsthand how much difference a single dedicated physician could make.
“I realized early that I could make a difference in the lives of patients in the region, those who played an integral role in my upbringing and who I am today,” Patel said. “The sole woman physician in my hometown was a trailblazing inspiration and mentor to me even to this day, and I saw how hard she worked to take care of so many. ‘If I didn’t step up, who would?’ was always my mentality.”
Patel’s interest in women’s health and health policy led her to specialize in breast imaging and cancer care, a field facing a national shortage of subspecialists particularly in rural and underserved areas. When she returned to Missouri after being an attending physician for only a year, Patel was tasked with building a comprehensive breast imaging program that had yet to exist.
With her leadership, Liberty Hospital’s breast cancer services grew exponentially. Clinical volume increased by nearly 40 percent in two years, even leading to the opening of a new breast center that was double the size of the original in June 2021. In 2022, the center earned national accreditation as an American College of Radiology Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center. Patel also spearheaded the establishment of genetics and breast surgery programs at Liberty Hospital and served as chair of the Liberty Hospital Cancer Committee from November 2018 through April 2025.
“I am immensely proud of the impact, but I certainly cannot take all the credit,” Patel said. “It was a team effort for these things to occur, and I am grateful to everyone who has played a role in improving the lives of Missouri women and in the area in which I practice.”
Patel is also a staunch patient advocate for expanding access to standard radiological care at the legislative level, particularly annual mammography screenings beginning at age 40. In Missouri, she helped advance landmark legislation ensuring insurance coverage for both 2D and 3D mammography for women at average risk, expanded coverage for above-average-risk women and supported the passage of diagnostic breast imaging legislation that eliminated co-pays and deductibles.
As a result of her advocacy efforts, she was the 2021 recipient of the Kansas City Medical Society's Patient and Community Advocate Award. She was also named a 2022 Lamar Hunt Legacy Honoree and the 2022 Kansas City Chiefs Fan of the Year due to her community impact to close the gap between breast care disparities and her love for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I am deeply honored to receive some incredible recognitions in the Kansas City area, which were certainly not on my radar,” Patel said. “I just have a passion for the work that I do and ensuring patients have the highest quality access-to-care that they can. A patient living in an urban area should be receiving the same care as one who is rural, and although we know disparities exist, I will continue to work tirelessly to close that gap. For me, it’s simply a life’s calling. For community members to recognize this type of work that I am doing truly means the world because to me. This demonstrates they also care, and the more people who care about these important issues, the more likely we will be able to spur positive change.”
Patel’s other professional achievements include serving as past president of the American Association for Women in Radiology Board, the youngest president in the organization’s 44-year history, and as the inaugural associate editor of digital media for the Journal of the American College of Radiology (ACR). She is the first woman, and youngest radiologist, to receive the ACR Howard Fleishon, MD Advocate of the Year Award. In 2024, she was recognized by The Freedom Wall Commission of Jackson County on the Monument to Freedom, Justice, and Courage Wall for her efforts to close gaps in breast care disparities. That same year, she was named Ingram’s Magazine Kansas City 40 Under 40 and Radiology Business Magazine 40 Under 40.
Patel serves as chair of the ACR Radiology Advocacy Network RADPAC, where she leads more than 40,000 radiologists and radiation oncologists in advocating for equitable access to patient care. She also serves on the steering committee of the American Cancer Society’s National Breast Cancer Roundtable as part of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative and is a former ACR Rutherford Lavanty Fellow in Government Relations.
Patel credits UMKC for laying the groundwork for all her career success.
“Being in the six-year BA/MD program propelled me to mature faster,” Patel said. “We had to quickly learn the art of time management. I think that has significantly helped me juggle everything I do professionally and personally while calmly staying the course. UMKC also prepared me to understand the importance of professionalism, teamwork, compassion and commitment to life-long learning. I owe so much to UMKC and will always be grateful with the pay-it-forward mentality that the School of Medicine ingrained in us.”
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