Dr. Melissa Hopper is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. She divides her time between caring for pediatric patients and their families, teaching pediatric residents, collaborating with fellow providers, and conducting research on pediatric mental health.


Dr. Hopper began her training in Southern California at Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University. Living in Southern California created a rich training ground for diverse experiences including: a community mental health center, an urban hospital psychiatric unit, a college counseling center, and a suburban elementary school. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, CA where she worked on forensic units with both men and women. She completed her post-doctoral training hours in a private practice working with children, adolescents, and adults in Orange, CA before relocating to Wichita in 2002.


Since moving to Wichita, Dr. Hopper has been active in the local and state psychological communities. She worked with COMCARE of Sedgwick country before transitioning to private practice for 14 years. Dr. Hopper has served on the Board of Governors of the Kansas Psychological Association and was elected President in 2016. She regularly presents to both community and professional groups on a variety of mental health topics.


Dr. Hopper specializes in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders. In 2019, she earned her Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) distinction by the International Academy of Eating Disorder Professionals. This designation is reserved for providers who have sought after and received extensive training and supervision in the field of eating disorders and remain committed to providing the most excellent care to their patients. Dr. Hopper works with children and adolescents with all eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. Dr. Hopper also works in a primary care setting and sees a wide variety of patients and their families, including those that struggle with anxiety, depression, and ADHD.


Dr. Hopper is also a co-facilitator of Schwartz Rounds at Wesley Children's Hospital, which offers healthcare providers a time to openly and honestly discuss the emotional and social issues they face in caring for their patients and families. Additionally, she serves on the department wellness committee.