Dr. Janice Putnam

Dr. Janice Putnam is a registered nurse who started her career at UCM in 1998 as an assistant professor in the nursing program. Dr. Putnam’s academic training began in cardio-pulmonary health promotion and disease prevention. She earned a Master’s degree from Jefferson University in Philadelphia where she served as the Director for Rehabilitative Exercise Programs. She relocated to Missouri and earned a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Missouri. Her dissertation research involved online nicotine addiction treatment. 

Dr. Putnam’s teaching and research interests center on three areas: smoking addiction and cessation, medicinal and recreational marijuana, and the evaluation of health-related services. These three areas have allowed her to promote student experiences and engagement with a variety of special populations including college-age students; seniors served by the region’s senior center network and the local veterans home; as well as the Missouri state prison population.  Her work in these areas has been published in health journals and resulted in multiple external grants.  

In addition to her nursing background, Dr. Putnam shares with her students a unique perspective of institutional and administrative knowledge. While at UCM, Dr. Putnam has served as the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Compliance Officer for the Human and Animal Research Protection Program, Interim Director of Grants, and Senior Academic Policy Coordinator. 

Dr. Putnam teaches a wide variety of graduate, undergraduate, and Honors courses. She enjoys using her teaching skills to combine a student’s career interests and relevant health topics. The aim is to broaden their knowledge base as well as gain an understanding of the role they will play in addressing today’s health issues. 

Dr. Putnam has been awarded the University of Missouri - Kansas City Nursing Alumni Academic and Research Nurse of the Year, the Faculty Research Award at UCM, Governor’s Excellence in Education Award,  and the UCM Advisor of the Year. She has also been recognized for a decade of service as the Chair of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Missouri Nurses Association publication - The Missouri Nurse.