All in the Family

When Joel M. Feder, D.O., FACOFP dist. (COM '75), and his wife, Randa, established the Joel M. Feder, D.O., and Randa Feder Scholarship at KCU last fall, it was inspired in part by the family physician's desire to ensure deserving students can experience what he calls "the career of a lifetime."

"Over the decades I've learned how to not simply care for patients, but how to relate to them and find out about their lives, as well as their medical conditions," Dr. Feder said during a recent conversation at his Leawood, Kansas, home. "And I owe that insight to the education I received at KCU and the mentors who helped shape the kind of physician I am today."

The couple created the scholarship, which will initially be awarded to a student in the class of 2024, in honor of one of Dr. Feder's mentors—the late Phillip Accardo, D.O., FACOFP (COM '59).

"He emulated the kind of doctor I aspired to be," Dr. Feder explained. "He had a respected family practice that was truly generational and was regarded as not just a talented physician, but as a nice and kind guy who had genuine interest in his patients. A super doc, in my mind."

Randa "Randi" Feder, who married Joel 47 years ago, is proud of her husband's career and care philosophy.

"When Joel had a solo practice for eight years, I worked as his office manager and saw firsthand the rapport he developed with patients," she said. "His dedication not just to patients but also to the field of medicine has been a constant throughout his career—he has always volunteered for organizations and served on committees. Even in semi-retirement, Joel is driven to further the profession of osteopathic medicine, and this scholarship represents that commitment."

Becoming Dr. Feder

Joel Feder didn't come from a family of physicians, but his father envisioned his son becoming a baseball player—or a doctor. "It became apparent pretty early on I didn't have the aptitude to make a living as a professional ballplayer," Feder laughed, "but my dad encouraged me to take science classes in school."

It was in junior high school that Feder discovered he enjoyed science; from there, he forged a path that would eventually lead him to KCU's doorstep. But that journey came with a challenge—he wasn't accepted the first year he applied for admission to medical school.

"The rejection letter was truly a shock, but I was determined to pursue my passion," Dr. Feder said. "Because I wanted to keep my foot in the medical world while I regrouped, I worked at Kansas City's Baptist Hospital as an orderly and at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Dentistry. My goal was to become an osteopathic family physician."

Eager to begin his education, Feder applied to KCU the next year and was accepted. Following a residency in the Navy at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Philadelphia, he served on active duty for three years, followed by the reserves for 38 years, retiring in 2008 as a Navy captain. Most of Dr. Feder's medical career was spent in private practice in Overland Park, Kansas, and he has remained active at KCU in various roles, including as a clinical preceptor and an adjunct faculty member.

"Working with medical students to help them be the best they can be is as much of a remarkable gift as working with patients and helping them achieve a quality of life," he said. "I am definitely lucky."

For Dr. Feder, old-fashioned communication defines the essence of the doctor-patient relationship.

"I tell students to put their EMR aside and engage in conversation with the patient that's in front of them," he said. "Sometimes you get what you need just by listening, not with a stethoscope. The practice of medicine begins with connecting with a patient on their level."

Bookend to a Career of Caring

Gratitude for Dr. Feder extends beyond the halls of KCU to the exam rooms of KC CARE Health Center, a medical clinic that provides access to health care for Kansas City's underserved, where he works two days a week.

"I practiced in the suburbs for more than 25 years and now, practicing in this urban setting, I have an entirely new perspective," Dr. Feder said. "The people I see have very complex medical problems and advanced diseases and more than half of them are without insurance, scrambling for access to quality care. This is a high point of my career—the ultimate opportunity to care for people during their most vulnerable times, people who sometimes have to decide between buying medication or food."

As recipient of several awards throughout an acclaimed career, perhaps the most meaningful to Dr. Feder is one bestowed by his peers in 2013, when he was named the Family Physician of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.

"To be recognized by my colleagues was special," he said. "It reinforced that decision I made long ago, to become a family physician."

Invitation to Help Students Reach Their Potential

Dr. Feder encourages his fellow alumni to remain physically and financially active in KCU.

"Visit the beautiful campus, attend homecoming or other celebrations, be a partner in helping these students become excellent doctors," he said. "This school gave me a career that I'm proud of, and mentors and teachers like Dr. Robert Ricci, Dr. Ronald Hubbard and Dr. James DiRenna Sr. who cared about students and taught me many of the skills I have today. I can never repay KCU for that, but everything I give—from time to money—makes a difference for the future of our profession."

The work Dr. Feder does with patients at KC CARE Health Center is at the heart of his love of medicine, but it's the time he spends with young doctors and medical students that reminds him of his initial motivation to become a doctor.

"Their joy and desire to serve others is a source of inspiration," he said.

If you would like to discuss ways to support students so they can have the career of a lifetime, like Dr. Feder, please reach out to Jennifer Ingraham at jingraham@kansascity.edu or (816) 654-7282.