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Phill Vainer

Second Year Medical Student, KCU-Joplin

Kansas City University


Phill Vainer is currently a medical student at Kansas City University.  Phill came to KCU after graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2016 with his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  In Reno, he worked as a phlebotomist and clinical laboratory assistant.  Outside of work, he volunteered at a Harm Reduction Center where he operated a clean needle/syringe exchange program, educated the community on harm reduction principles, performed anonymous STD testing, and provided counseling services to several at-risk populations. Since arriving at KCU, Phill has taken on multiple leadership positions and research opportunities. In his first year at KCU, Phill helped author the paper: “Cadaveric Analysis on the Spatial Properties of the Sural nerve around the Lateral Malleolus,” published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Likewise, he is an active participant in the Missouri Southern-KCU Research Consortium (MKRC). With the MKRC, he has hosted multiple presentations, including journal club presentations and presentations related to his current research. In addition to his work on Opioid Use Disorder, he is currently helping author a review article covering the Pregnane X Receptor alongside his colleagues in the Staudinger Lab. Outside of research, Phill is a member of the Osteopathic Honor Society, Sigma Sigma Phi, the Treasurer of the Research Club, Logistics Coordinator of the Emergency Medicine Club, and an anatomy tutor.

Phill has no relevant financial relationships with any organization producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients relative to the content of this presentation.

Phill can be reached at phill.vainer@kansascity.edu