Today, we are joined by Dr. Jodi Jackson, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology at Children’s Mercy-Kansas City/UMKC School of Medicine, for a rich conversation about curiosity, calling, and culture change in medicine. Through a clinical partnership, Dr. Jodi Jackson has served as Medical Director of the NICU at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission (AHSM) since 2007. She was a founding member of the Physician Wellness program and Meaning in Medicine program with AHSM. From 2010 to present, she has been training in Mindful Practice, Quality of Care, Quality of Caring and Resilience, and is now certified to teach Mindfulness in Medicine through the Advanced Teacher Training Program for Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM), University of Rochester School of Medicine. She presently serves on faculty and the advisory board for the Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM) program, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Dr. Jackson is the Program Director of the Mindfulness in Medicine program at UMKC School of Medicine. She is now starting the third year of providing a groundbreaking year-long program for medical students and faculty: The Mindfulness Scholars Program, which culminates in the commendation title of “Distinction in Mindfulness” for students who complete the required components of the course.
Dr. Jackson is also an International Enneagram Association (IEA) Accredited Professional, certified to teach the Enneagram. This tool is used in corporations, businesses, schools, and psychology to help individuals develop self-awareness and relate to and collaborate with others of differing viewpoints.
In this conversation, Dr. Jackson reflects on her unconventional path to medicine, driven not by a childhood dream of becoming a doctor, but by deep curiosity about how the body and world work, and a desire for grounded understanding amid family health anxieties.
We also cover:
- How her journey to medicine was guided by genuine curiosity rather than a predetermined vision
- How the Mindfulness Scholars Program at UMKC fosters intergenerational learning, narrative sharing, psychological safety, and demonstrable improvements in wellbeing
- How combining the wisdom of mindfulness and Enneagram teachings creates powerful tools for self-discovery, noticing where we’re stuck, and navigating human relationships with greater compassion.
Throughout, Dr. Jackson embodies the way of the teacher. She is open but not attached to outcomes, committed to walking the path, and dedicated to helping shape a more conscious, humane generation of health professionals.