2017-2018 Kansas City University - Joplin Campus (KCU-COM Joplin)

[POOPPATROL]

Now I've seen 85%, 70%, 67%, and 60% for post-interview acceptance rate on here lol.

Well the admission staff on interview day told us more than 60% so I just took the lowest limit to be on the safe side.

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[futuredoctor1995]

Now I've seen 85%, 70%, 67%, and 60% for post-interview acceptance rate on here lol.

Its 65%. I asked the person who was in charge of the interviews.

 

[canadian1287]

.

 

[AlmondCroissant]

Is anyone worried that they arent going to get an uber tomorrow morning for the interview? I just landed and the lady was telling me how there are only 40 ubers in joplin..

 

[VanCanucks]

I just used Lyft and it was great. My driver also gave me a free tour of the surrounding area before dropping me off.

Is anyone worried that they arent going to get an uber tomorrow morning for the interview? I just landed and the lady was telling me how there are only 40 ubers in joplin..

 

[szechuan_sauce]

is anyone else going to be staying at the Economy inn and suites for the Sept 28 interview? if so , are you just going to walk in the morning to the campus for the interview or still get a taxi?

 

[VanCanucks]

is anyone else going to be staying at the Economy inn and suites for the Sept 28 interview? if so, are you just going to walk in the morning to the campus for the interview or still get a taxi?

I just finished my interview and staying there. I just walked to and from - it's only about a 10 minute walk. There's also a McDonalds 5 minutes away for breakfast beforehand.

 

[ProspectiveDoc1476]

This campus and staff impressed me today. KCU is solid.

 

[Skc3015]

So far this is the only interview that I'm flying to. Have no idea if I should do uber/lyft, taxi, or rental car. Have never used any of those before.

 

[AlmondCroissant]

Amazing interview, loved the staff. The school impressed me. There were 90 (!) of us interviewing on Saturday. For the AM interviews, you have that first then a tour/lunch/white coat fitting/free shirt for the rest of the day. PM interviews had their interviews after the tour & lunch. One staff member interviewed me, I think others were also 1 on 1 (maybe 2 on 1 as well but don't quote me on that). They only have access to your secondary, so a partial blind interview.

My only difficulty was transportation. There are only a handful of ubers in the town. Taxi service is available but based on what I've been told, unreliable. I was able to get around using Uber but there were none available for quite a bit on the morning of my flight back home--I'm glad I woke up early because I snatched up the first uber guy as soon as he logged on. I was really worried I'd miss my flight. I would recommend staying at La Quinta hotel because I think they are the only hotel in the area with free shuttle service to and from the airport--would save you money and the worry of not finding a ride.

 

[VanCanucks]

This is a questions for anyone in the inaugural class. During the campus tour it looked like there were plenty of studies spaces, but a student ambassador said things get really busy around exam time and it can be hard to find a place to study. This worries me because if it's hard to find a place to study when there's only 160 students or so currently at the campus, how much more difficult will it be when there are 300+ students there? Any thoughts on this would be really appreciated.

Also for rides to and from airports/hotels, I used Lyft and had the person who drove me from to airport give me a ride back to the airport. I just got their number and texted them the time I wanted to be picked up at the hotel and they were there on time. It worked out perfectly.

 

[Coltuna]

If anyone interviewing A.M. on 9/28 needs a ride back to their hotel, I'd be happy to give them a ride as I'll have a rental car.

 

[acbakshi]

Just wanted to get some input from current students. I put "no preference" when I submitted my secondary because I think regardless of which campus I attend, I will have the opportunity to achieve my goal of becoming the best doctor I can be and help the underserved. However, after thinking more about it and researching the areas, I feel KC would be the best location for me for many reasons, should I mention it during my interview?

 

[ProspectiveDoc1476]

Just wanted to get some input from current students. I put "no preference" when I submitted my secondary because I think regardless of which campus I attend, I will have the opportunity to achieve my goal of becoming the best doctor I can be and help the underserved. However, after thinking more about it and researching the areas, I feel KC would be the best location for me for many reasons, should I mention it during my interview?

I think they place you where THEY want, so you can. You can also elect the campus if youre waitlisted.

 

[Mo'MedMules]

This is a questions for anyone in the inaugural class. During the campus tour it looked like there were plenty of studies spaces, but a student ambassador said things get really busy around exam time and it can be hard to find a place to study. This worries me because if it's hard to find a place to study when there's only 160 students or so currently at the campus, how much more difficult will it be when there are 300+ students there? Any thoughts on this would be really appreciated.

Hey, MS1 here (always wanted to say that on an SDN form )

We're also a little nervous about this, too.
The study rooms are the main sources of conflict, but our library is under-utilized as a study space, as are 2 other huge "lecture" areas that are open to us. With another class that comes in we may not all get to have a study room, but there will be no shortage of desks to use.
The night before exams the Learning Studio (a huge room with lots of desks and outlets) has been completely empty. I think we as students just haven't found all the resources the new building has to offer. Remember we've only been here for 2 months now!

Also, we have a bunch of unfinished spaces in the building that are up for stuff. It could be research labs, or a gym, or more study spaces??? Depending on what we need.

 

[ProspectiveDoc1476]

Hey, MS1 here (always wanted to say that on an SDN form )

We're also a little nervous about this, too.
The study rooms are the main sources of conflict, but our library is under-utilized as a study space, as are 2 other huge "lecture" areas that are open to us. With another class that comes in we may not all get to have a study room, but there will be no shortage of desks to use.
The night before exams the Learning Studio (a huge room with lots of desks and outlets) has been completely empty. I think we as students just haven't found all the resources the new building has to offer. Remember we've only been here for 2 months now!

Also, we have a bunch of unfinished spaces in the building that are up for stuff. It could be research labs, or a gym, or more study spaces??? Depending on what we need.

What happens when there is 4 classes at once there at ~160 students each?

 

[DrRedstone]

This is a questions for anyone in the inaugural class. During the campus tour it looked like there were plenty of studies spaces, but a student ambassador said things get really busy around exam time and it can be hard to find a place to study. This worries me because if it's hard to find a place to study when there's only 160 students or so currently at the campus, how much more difficult will it be when there are 300+ students there? Any thoughts on this would be really appreciated.

I think a lot of us are going to start shooting for more study rooms to be created. There is an entire wing of the old hospital that has not been renovated yet. I'm hoping we get most of it converted into study rooms and possibly a gym.

Just wanted to get some input from current students. I put "no preference" when I submitted my secondary because I think regardless of which campus I attend, I will have the opportunity to achieve my goal of becoming the best doctor I can be and help the underserved. However, after thinking more about it and researching the areas, I feel KC would be the best location for me for many reasons, should I mention it during my interview?

I think I would answer questions in a way that makes KC seem like a better fit for you, such as serving inner city populations or minority groups. I don't think you would be disappointed with either campus. What reasons do you like KC better?

Also, if they arrange it like last year, the waitlist will have the option of either campus, but if you turn down 1 campus, you don't get another chance to accept it and you may not get a chance for the other campus. So it is a risk to turn down a position.

What happens when there is 4 classes at once there at ~160 students each?

For the most part, there will only be 2 classes worth of students on campus. 3-4 year students will be on clinical sites doing rotations a majority of the time. 320 students on campus is still a lot, but I don't think it will be unbearable by any means.

 

[Skc3015]

Hey, MS1 here (always wanted to say that on an SDN form )

We're also a little nervous about this, too.
The study rooms are the main sources of conflict, but our library is under-utilized as a study space, as are 2 other huge "lecture" areas that are open to us. With another class that comes in we may not all get to have a study room, but there will be no shortage of desks to use.
The night before exams the Learning Studio (a huge room with lots of desks and outlets) has been completely empty. I think we as students just haven't found all the resources the new building has to offer. Remember we've only been here for 2 months now!

Also, we have a bunch of unfinished spaces in the building that are up for stuff. It could be research labs, or a gym, or more study spaces??? Depending on what we need.

How do you like Joplin so far? I think I would definitely like it more than KC but throughout my limited research I'm just not sure if I would be too happy there.

 

[Mo'MedMules]

What happens when there is 4 classes at once there at ~160 students each?

Yes, like DrRedstone said, there will only ever be 2 classes on campus. 3rd and 4th are on rotations.
There are outlets absolutely everywhere. I really don't think it will be such a hinderance that it would affect your decision to choose somewhere else over Joplin. We've found as students that if there is a problem, it gets fixed within 2 weeks. We wanted more white boards, we got new white boards..etc. If there is a problem with study rooms, I'm sure they'll turn one of the unfinished wings into a study room hall, and quickly. Coming from a student - I think our faculty is incredibly student-centered; it's not just a marketing technique.

 

[DrRedstone]

How do you like Joplin so far? I think I would definitely like it more than KC but throughout my limited research I'm just not sure if I would be too happy there.

I am a huge fan of the campus thus far. Like Mo'MedMules said, our administration has been fantastic about solving problems that we have presented. KCU claims to be student centered and I truly believe they live up to that title. Our SGA just got elected and has started meeting, so I'm sure we will have even more advocacy with the administration regarding problems that we have.

Something that I don't think has been pointed out yet here is that we are also starting a Wellness Committee in response to the research showing high levels of depression and anxiety in medical students. To say that our administration cares is an understatement. There are, of course, miscommunications and minor flubs from both sides at times, but things are always nicely resolved. (Take with a grain of salt since we are only first years).

If you have anything specifically that you are worried about, feel free to send me a PM and I'll do my best to answer any question you throw out there.

 

[Mo'MedMules]

How do you like Joplin so far? I think I would definitely like it more than KC but throughout my limited research I'm just not sure if I would be too happy there.

@DrRedstone is a Joplin native and may have more information, but this is an outsiders view:

It depends on your background! I've found that my classmates who are used to urban areas don't enjoy Joplin as much, but if you're from suburban or rural areas, such as myself, it's enjoyable.

I happen to think Joplin is fantastic. It doesn't have a big internet presence, so you have to find the cool stuff yourself. There's a lot of history here, and they have a whole section of downtown dedicated to historical homes that were built 1890-1920 that are super cool to look at. If you live around Rangeline you have access to any chain restaurant or store your heart could desire and if you live next to Main Street you have your local businesses that are unique and cute. It seems like every other weekend they have an ArtWalk or Flea Market or parade or Wine Friday or Third Thursday on Main street downtown where local businesses, artists, food trucks, and proud semi truck owners (there was a semi-truck parade last weekend ) can show their stuff! Also surrounding Joplin are bigger cities that have more urban areas. I know some of our classmates went to a Squirrel Cook off in Bentonville, AK, and ate free squirrel one Saturday morning. There's an escape room, and a board game club/shop, some nice bars that bring in good concerts (afroman a few weeks back)...

I don't know what will make you "happy," but the people here in Joplin are super nice, and my classmates are amazing people that have become my best friends. They are what make me happy. I think KCU does a great job of accepting quality people.

I want to be as transparent as possible and also list a few downsides I've noticed:
- The crime rate: I've talked to security here at the school about the high crime rate and he said it's mostly because Joplin is on 2 interstates and "crappy people do crappy things to each other" - that we were pretty safe if we didn't also become "crappy people." That being said, don't leave your doors unlocked.
- High homeless population. This could be a blessing - volunteer hours and helping the community - or a concern of someones. Thought it needed to be listed.
- People drive really slow here. We complain about that a lot. Petty, I know.

 

[Mo'MedMules]

@DrRedstone I must have posted right as you did Glad you're procrastinating like I am.

 

[Skc3015]

Thanks for the responses you two. Greatly appreciated!

 

[DrRedstone]

@Mo'MedMules: If you aren't procrastinating, then what are you doing with your life?

@Skc3015: So I just realized you may want to know about Joplin the city, not just the school. Let me try again xD

I've lived here for about 25 years (wow, quarter of a century. I'm old...) and I absolutely love it here. My plan (open to change, as is everything) is to return here to practice.

While Joplin is portrayed as a rural town, it really isn't anything of the sort. We have a lot of farm towns surrounding the area, but Joplin is a pretty large metropolitan area. We have a population of around 180k [1]. That's a larger population than Mizzou (Columbia), but more evenly spread out across the generations (read: not college students). Rural is not really a good descriptor, imo.

People: Joplin is in the heart of the Bible belt and we actually act like Christians (most of the time). People are genuinely kind and willing to help you out. If you remember the major tornado that came through town in 2011, disaster recovery groups like FEMA were shocked to find that our citizens had pretty much everything well under control by the time they showed up. Our churches especially did a great job of mobilizing people and sending them where they were needed for cleanup. It really solidified in my mind that this is a very caring community.

Driving/Roads: Traffic is not even close to a problem (except maybe Rangeline road during rush hour). Roadwork used to not be a problem, but we are redoing our main street right now and it is a huge pain. We have at least 1 uber/lyft driver in town, but they are still relatively new. I am not certain how good taxi service is, most people here just own their own car. There is a public trolley system with a few stops, but it isn't really something you should depend on to get you places. Bike paths are becoming more common, the city council actually met a few weeks ago to discuss adding new bike lanes to existing roads.

Faith/Religion: Churches are everywhere. There is a joke in town that there is either a bank or a church on every street corner. They aren't wrong. We have every major denomination (except eastern Orthodox), but most are Baptist and nondenominational. There is also a Synagogue and a Mosque in town. I don't believe there are any Buddhist or Hindu Temples in the area, but I could be wrong.

Food: As far as food that you can find in the area, we have almost every major chain restaurant as well as a lot of local restaurants. Mexican is really popular here (huge Latino population means it's mostly authentic). We also have a few great sushi places, some Thai restaurants, an upscale greek restaurant (with valet parking, fancy), and pretty much anything else you could want.

Activities: For outdoorsy people, there are a lot of great places to go on day hikes and even a couple good weekend hikes within 2 hours of Joplin. We have a ton of parks and a few pool complexes. There is a decently large (and overpriced) movie theatre and a couple smaller theatres in the area. If I remember correctly, an indoor skydiving place is being built just outside of town. We even have an Escape Room. If you want things to do (during the day) and you are willing to look, you won't get bored.

Nightlife: (Space intentionally left blank)

Shopping: We have a good sized mall here in town for shopping. In addition, tons of other shops are right next to the same area (like Khols, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Target). Walmart is the major grocer here, but we also have Food4Less, Aldi, and a hand full of whole food stores (including an asian market) as well as farmer's markets.

Anyway, that's my speal on Joplin. Let me know if you need any more specifics; there is a lot I didn't say here that I could have.

 

[Coltuna]

If you live around Rangeline you have access to any chain restaurant or store your heart could desire

It's so funny you mention this. I asked my AirBNB host about food and he basically said this verbatim.

There is a joke in town that there is either a bank or a church on every street corner.

If it was truly rural, the joke would be bar and church on every corner haha. Only half a joke though...

 

[DrRedstone]

It's so funny you mention this. I asked my AirBNB host about food and he basically said this verbatim.

Everyone here knows it, too xD

We have so many restaurants. If you don't see what you like, keep driving.

 

[AHUUM]

Hey all, I officially declined my interview invitation just now. If anyone wanted to move up their interview there is a spot available on 10/21. Best of luck

 

[Trollest]

To anyone who interviewed at the joplin campus, i wanted to ask. Where they any ETHICAL QUESTIONS? Why am i asking? Because interviewers hate me.

 

[AlmondCroissant]

To anyone who interviewed at the joplin campus, i wanted to ask. Where they any ETHICAL QUESTIONS? Why am i asking? Because interviewers hate me.

I was asked an ethical question, and I think the interviewers are encouraged to ask question that get you thinking a bit.

 

[Trollest]

I was asked an ethical question, and I think the interviewers are encouraged to ask question that get you thinking a bit.

Thanks, i will revamp my prep.

 

[acbakshi]

I wasn't asked any ethical questions. We just had a normal conversation with some questions sprinkled in here and there. Overall, I felt it went well and I felt very relaxed.

 

[Coltuna]

I wasn't asked any ethical questions. We just had a normal conversation with some questions sprinkled in here and there. Overall, I felt it went well and I felt very relaxed.

This was my exact experience as well. Wonder if we had the same interviewer!

 

[DOCzilla15]

Just wanted to get some input from current students. I put "no preference" when I submitted my secondary because I think regardless of which campus I attend, I will have the opportunity to achieve my goal of becoming the best doctor I can be and help the underserved. However, after thinking more about it and researching the areas, I feel KC would be the best location for me for many reasons, should I mention it during my interview?

Send an email stating that you feel you'd be most comfortable at KC and it would give you the best learning environment. Say you aren't focused on rural medicine And have more of a passion for underserved populations in metropolitan areas.
I did this last year and was accepted to KC however I did also interview at KC

 

[acbakshi]

This was my exact experience as well. Wonder if we had the same interviewer!

I had two, a male professor and a female that is in admin, sound familiar?

 

[acbakshi]

Send an email stating that you feel you'd be most comfortable at KC and it would give you the best learning environment. Say you aren't focused on rural medicine And have more of a passion for underserved populations in metropolitan areas.
I did this last year and was accepted to KC however I did also interview at KC

Thank you for responding. I actually really liked Joplin. It isn't as rural as I expected. I made a point to mention my preference during the interview. Now we wait!

 

[DOCzilla15]

Thank you for responding. I actually really liked Joplin. It isn't as rural as I expected. I made a point to mention my preference during the interview. Now we wait!

Good luck!

 

[814965]

What is the interview format here?

 

[acbakshi]

What is the interview format here?

1 on 1 or 2 on 1, 30 minutes.

 

[814965]

1 on 1 or 2 on 1, 30 minutes.

Thanks. Open file?

 

[acbakshi]

Thanks. Open file?

I'm not sure, my interviewer had my personal statement, he opened up the interview commenting on a few things I wrote about. Not sure if they have full access to primary and/or secondary.

 

[Coltuna]

Thanks. Open file?

My group's interviewers only had secondary.

 

[DrRedstone]

They shouldn't have any test scores or GPA to look at during interviews

 

[BellaWriterChic]

I have an interview here 11/4 and I've started reading the form (honestly, been trying on a no longer working app). Any thoughts for preparation specifically? I have seen where some say the format is more conversational.

 

[Coltuna]

I have an interview here 11/4 and I've started reading the form (honestly, been trying on a no longer working app). Any thoughts for preparation specifically? I have seen where some say the format is more conversational.

I prepared by having some talking points if asked why medicine, why DO, why KCU but wasn't asked any of these questions. In hindsight, there's really no way I could've effectively prepared for my interview haha. Maybe have some experiences in mind that are meaningful to you in the hopes that you're able to tie them into the interview. As I've said before in this thread, I have no idea how they decide who to admit/waitlist/reject post-interview because the interview was really just a conversation.

 

[sgardner1414]

I prepared by having some talking points if asked why medicine, why DO, why KCU but wasn't asked any of these questions. In hindsight, there's really no way I could've effectively prepared for my interview haha. Maybe have some experiences in mind that are meaningful to you in the hopes that you're able to tie them into the interview. As I've said before in this thread, I have no idea how they decide who to admit/waitlist/reject post-interview because the interview was really just a conversation.

Agreed! My interviewer did ask why I wanted to go into medicine. But she had read my secondary essays so carefully that I didn't need to re-explain anything, we just jumped in the finer points that I brought up in my application. My advice would be to know yourself well (i.e., read your application and talk through it someone that's familiar with the interview process).

 

[DrRedstone]

Agreed! My interviewer did ask why I wanted to go into medicine. But she had read my secondary essays so carefully that I didn't need to re-explain anything, we just jumped in the finer points that I brought up in my application. My advice would be to know yourself well (i.e., read your application and talk through it someone that's familiar with the interview process).

This is absolutely the most important part of prepping for your interview.

 

[Coltuna]

I have an interview here 11/4 and I've started reading the form (honestly, been trying on a no longer working app). Any thoughts for preparation specifically? I have seen where some say the format is more conversational.

Wait I just noticed this. My app isn't working either. iPhone?

 

[814965]

Could someone give a brief rundown of the curriculum? The website seems kind of barren about it.

 

[Coltuna]

Could someone give a brief rundown of the curriculum? The website seems kind of barren about it.

Basically 1st year is systems based normal anatomy and physiology and 2nd year is systems based abnormal anatomy and physiology. At least that is what my interviewer told me.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Could someone give a brief rundown of the curriculum? The website seems kind of barren about it.

Basically 1st year is systems based normal anatomy and physiology and 2nd year is systems based abnormal anatomy and physiology. At least that is what my interviewer told me.

This is correct. They'll toss in some pathology here and there too though!