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

[ProspectiveDoc1476]

When does a FB page come up? Will need roommate(s)

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[szechuan_sauce]

Hey guys, I interviewed at Joplin, but from what I can tell I got accepted to the kansas city campus. Has that happened with anyone else yet? Not that I mind, this was my top choice for school

 

[lotsaqs]

Hey guys, I interviewed at Joplin, but from what I can tell I got accepted to the kansas city campus. Has that happened with anyone else yet? Not that I mind, this was my top choice for school

Happened to me! Was pleasantly surprised.

 

[0ingo Boingo]

Questions for some of you Joplin students. How easy is it to remain in Joplin for your rotations? Do you usually have to leave to pursue elective rotations or can you stay all 4 years in Joplin and see pretty much anything you want specialty-wise? I think living in Joplin for all four years would be pretty nice. Also, how many classes are given via live feed versus in person at Joplin? (percentage wise) Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[Mo'MedMules]

Waitlisted

Have no fear, accepted off the waitlist here
I've heard that about a third to half of your class will be waitlisters. I was waitlisted at 2 schools last year and got off the list at both of them.

Are lectures live-streamed?

Are there any cool bars with darts, pool, etc.?

Joplin really likes Kareoke.... There are some higher class bars, but we always go to this hole in the wall bar bc there's no undergraduates.
But there's a cool bar that has an outdoor stage in the back. They have some pretty big bands that play. A month or two ago they had Afroman...

Where are some good housing options in Joplin and how soon until I will need to start seriously looking? I'm hoping to be somewhere close enough to bike to and from school if possible.

They built like 3-4 brand new apartment buildings: Copper Point, Rustic Ridge, Waterview Estates, the Plaza... Joplin doesn't have a significant online presence, so I'd definitely get into contact with the housing guy here at KCU or, if you live close enough, come check it out. I found my place just walking around downtown and saw a poster on a window. There's a bunch of homes right across the street from the school that are brand new.

Does anybody know the graduation rate for KCU..meaning how many of the incoming students will graduate?! I heard they drop a number of their students to ensure their scores staying high. Is that correct or fake news?
Thanks everybody

This is incredibly false. The graduation rate for KCU was 97-98% or something. Admittedly now I can't find where I read that at last year, but KCU tries EXTREMELY hard to keep you here. They seriously care about the students and tell us OVER and OVER (and over and over and over) that we deserve to be here. They have a crazy amount of programs dedicated to keeping us in school.
I have not heard of anyone being forced out of KCU. Anyone who doesn't graduate KCU has decided to on their own due to personal choices/family/health. If you fail a class you get THREE chances to remediate. No one is being forced out of here.

Hey all, just got accepted yesterday. Can any current students comment on where to look for apartments, clinical opportunities in the community and research opportunities? I know that the Score 1 for Health is not offered at Joplin, and I was just wondering if there was any equivalent program.

See my post about housing ^^^
Clinical opportunities are handed to you/forced upon you, so no worries there. Check earlier posts about Flu shots and MSSU football games.
Research is up and coming :/.
But we study 28 hours a day and our breaks are shorter than most schools, so research is going to be hard to do anyway. Even at KC campus research is a little hard to come by. If you're a super genius and don't need to study as much as me, you can come up with a project and present it to a faculty member and they will do everything in their power to help you. Especially our biochem professors - they have published and discovered important chemical stuff in our body that we now LEARN about. How cool is that?

Also, are you offered the same clerkship sites as the city campus?

Clerkships are pretty darn cool here, because there is no one within 2 hours of here that we have to fight for clerkships with.
We have 2 big hospitals here, one of which is a Trauma 1 facility. These 2 hospitals give medical care to 4 surrounding states. And with no other med schools around, we get to scrub in first on most surgeries, simply due to the lack of competition. The clerkships are mostly all within those 2 hours, the whole point of KCU Joplin was to provide more medical care to the surrounding area because there's a shortage.

Questions for some of you Joplin students. How easy is it to remain in Joplin for your rotations? Do you usually have to leave to pursue elective rotations or can you stay all 4 years in Joplin and see pretty much anything you want specialty-wise? I think living in Joplin for all four years would be pretty nice. Also, how many classes are given via live feed versus in person at Joplin? (percentage wise) Thanks in advance for your responses!

It's harder to get out of Joplin for rotations than it is to stay in Joplin for rotations. We have the 2 biggest hospitals within like 2 hours. Although I'm only a first year, I think it's safe to say you'll probably stay in Jop or within an hour of Jop.

I can't give you a percent of the live feeds because it's only been 3 months. But we've had zero live feeds of basic sciences/testable material. Most live feeds are if KC campus gets a cool speaker, then we get to watch, too!
I recall maybe one live feed that we've done in 3 months, and I think it was for Doctor 101 class (Patient interaction class) or Medical Ethics. It's not something that happens regularly.

 

[ohmanwaddup]

Have no fear, accepted off the waitlist here
I've heard that about a third to half of your class will be waitlisters. I was waitlisted at 2 schools last year and got off the list at both of them.



Joplin really likes Kareoke.... There are some higher class bars, but we always go to this hole in the wall bar bc there's no undergraduates.
But there's a cool bar that has an outdoor stage in the back. They have some pretty big bands that play. A month or two ago they had Afroman...



They built like 3-4 brand new apartment buildings: Copper Point, Rustic Ridge, Waterview Estates, the Plaza... Joplin doesn't have a significant online presence, so I'd definitely get into contact with the housing guy here at KCU or, if you live close enough, come check it out. I found my place just walking around downtown and saw a poster on a window. There's a bunch of homes right across the street from the school that are brand new.



This is incredibly false. The graduation rate for KCU was 97-98% or something. Admittedly now I can't find where I read that at last year, but KCU tries EXTREMELY hard to keep you here. They seriously care about the students and tell us OVER and OVER (and over and over and over) that we deserve to be here. They have a crazy amount of programs dedicated to keeping us in school.
I have not heard of anyone being forced out of KCU. Anyone who doesn't graduate KCU has decided to on their own due to personal choices/family/health. If you fail a class you get THREE chances to remediate. No one is being forced out of here.



See my post about housing ^^^
Clinical opportunities are handed to you/forced upon you, so no worries there. Check earlier posts about Flu shots and MSSU football games.
Research is up and coming :/.
But we study 28 hours a day and our breaks are shorter than most schools, so research is going to be hard to do anyway. Even at KC campus research is a little hard to come by. If you're a super genius and don't need to study as much as me, you can come up with a project and present it to a faculty member and they will do everything in their power to help you. Especially our biochem professors - they have published and discovered important chemical stuff in our body that we now LEARN about. How cool is that?



Clerkships are pretty darn cool here, because there is no one within 2 hours of here that we have to fight for clerkships with.
We have 2 big hospitals here, one of which is a Trauma 1 facility. These 2 hospitals give medical care to 4 surrounding states. And with no other med schools around, we get to scrub in first on most surgeries, simply due to the lack of competition. The clerkships are mostly all within those 2 hours, the whole point of KCU Joplin was to provide more medical care to the surrounding area because there's a shortage.



It's harder to get out of Joplin for rotations than it is to stay in Joplin for rotations. We have the 2 biggest hospitals within like 2 hours. Although I'm only a first year, I think it's safe to say you'll probably stay in Jop or within an hour of Jop.

I can't give you a percent of the live feeds because it's only been 3 months. But we've had zero live feeds of basic sciences/testable material. Most live feeds are if KC campus gets a cool speaker, then we get to watch, too!
I recall maybe one live feed that we've done in 3 months, and I think it was for Doctor 101 class (Patient interaction class) or Medical Ethics. It's not something that happens regularly.

Does the lack of research bother you at all? I've heard from multiple people, including adcoms and interviewers at other schools that with the merger coming up DOs will HAVE to do research to be considered competitve for residencies

 

[DrRedstone]

Does the lack of research bother you at all? I've heard from multiple people, including adcoms and interviewers at other schools that with the merger coming up DOs will HAVE to do research to be considered competitve for residencies

So here's the deal with research. Ultimately, you don't have much time first year. There are a lot of things that I thought I would be able to do before starting school in August, but school really is a ride and you have to hold on tight to not fall behind.

It is a lie to say that DOs HAVE to have research in order to be competitive for residencies. If you want to get into a highly competitive specialty, yes, research is pretty much required. For the less competitive specialties, it is not really required. Take the USMLE, get a good score, rock your interview rotations, and you should be okay.

 

[ohmanwaddup]

So here's the deal with research. Ultimately, you don't have much time first year. There are a lot of things that I thought I would be able to do before starting school in August, but school really is a ride and you have to hold on tight to not fall behind.

It is a lie to say that DOs HAVE to have research in order to be competitive for residencies. If you want to get into a highly competitive specialty, yes, research is pretty much required. For the less competitive specialties, it is not really required. Take the USMLE, get a good score, rock your interview rotations, and you should be okay.

Thanks for the feedback fam

 

[harkas]

So here's the deal with research. Ultimately, you don't have much time first year. There are a lot of things that I thought I would be able to do before starting school in August, but school really is a ride and you have to hold on tight to not fall behind.

It is a lie to say that DOs HAVE to have research in order to be competitive for residencies. If you want to get into a highly competitive specialty, yes, research is pretty much required. For the less competitive specialties, it is not really required. Take the USMLE, get a good score, rock your interview rotations, and you should be okay.

Is it also a lie that basic science/bench work research doesn't count in order to be considered competitive (compared to clinical research)? I see that on SDN a lot.

 

[Mo'MedMules]

Does the lack of research bother you at all? I've heard from multiple people, including adcoms and interviewers at other schools that with the merger coming up DOs will HAVE to do research to be considered competitve for residencies

So at first, YES. But here are some things to consider:

1. This is something they are currently working on and they have tons of outside help - the whole community wants to see this place be as successful as possible. It's pretty unrealistic to think you're going to get into research your first semester. Probably not even your second semester. The work load is crazy hard. So you're looking at (for your class) at least 2 years until they need to be ready. With how quickly they have been making changes in the school, I hope to be able to some research my 2nd year. I'm pretty sure they'll have research up and going by the time you get in.

2. Because of this merger, you could make the argument that it's even more important about WHO you know. Since we don't have a lot of competition in the area, and the community is IN to the school, we have more face time and personal relationships with surrounding area doctors and faculty. That's one of the reasons I chose Joplin in spite of the lack of research.

But - no one really knows what the merger will bring. It hasn't taken FULL effect yet and anything said is SPECULATION. Many pre-meds (my self included) buy into things that are said on SDN and take it as truth. Don't fall victim to that

Also I second what @DrRedstone said

 

[ProspectiveDoc1476]

Can someone remind me where Joplin's 3rd/4th year rotations are?

 

[Mo'MedMules]

Can someone remind me where Joplin's 3rd/4th year rotations are?

KCU Core Clinical Clerkship Sites

 

[ohmanwaddup]

KCU Core Clinical Clerkship Sites

So Kansas City gets all and we only get some?

 

[Coltuna]

I want to say I read somewhere that Joplin sites are only for Joplin students now? Did I hear that? Or am I making that up?

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

I want to say I read somewhere that Joplin sites are only for Joplin students now? Did I hear that? Or am I making that up?

No I heard it from Joplin student also. I think the clerkship list changes a little bit every year?

 

[DrRedstone]

I want to say I read somewhere that Joplin sites are only for Joplin students now? Did I hear that? Or am I making that up?

Joplin students will have preference over KC students. Other schools will still be able to Sunday students. It won't just be KCU.

 

[DOCzilla15]

That's what I'm thinking, clean and professional. Just don't want to match everyone else, you know?

I had two suits during my interview cycle the ones to which I wore my black and navy plaid suit I was accepted, my navy suit got me 2 waitlists anecdotal I know but sticking out deffitnley has its merit. Most people will be in navy tbh

 

[canadian1287]

Why is it that KC campus students only have Michigan rotation sites while Joplin students do not (based on the posted link)?

 

[Coltuna]

I'm also curious about the rotation sites. I'm ecstatic to have been accepted to KCU Joplin but there are twice as many rotation sites available to KC students than Joplin students. Is there an initiative to make more rotation sites available to Joplin students in the coming years?

 

[jcve34]

I'm also curious about the rotation sites. I'm ecstatic to have been accepted to KCU Joplin but there are twice as many rotation sites available to KC students than Joplin students. Is there an initiative to make more rotation sites available to Joplin students in the coming years?

I mean it does seem more logical to have more sites open to the campus with more students. But I'm pretty sure a lot of sites will be shared with Joplin until more are opened. I apologize if this is completely wrong information. However, KCU has done right by their students in the past and I cant see this instance being any different. Don't fret about third year right now. First year is way more fun to complain about.

 

[DrRedstone]

@canadian1287 @Coltuna
So here's the deal with rotation sites. For 3rd year, they want to keep all of us as local as possible for didactics. There are spots for at least 120/~160 of our class within 45 minutes of Joplin. That does not exclude us from rotating at other sites. Our 4th year has a lot of time for electives and interview rotations. We won't be stuck in Joplin, they just want to make sure our rotation sites have excellent preceptors so we learn what we need to learn for each of the core rotations.

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

@canadian1287 @Coltuna
So here's the deal with rotation sites. For 3rd year, they want to keep all of us as local as possible for didactics. There are spots for at least 120/~160 of our class within 45 minutes of Joplin. That does not exclude us from rotating at other sites. Our 4th year has a lot of time for electives and interview rotations. We won't be stuck in Joplin, they just want to make sure our rotation sites have excellent preceptors so we learn what we need to learn for each of the core rotations.

Is rotation selection like a black box computer program that matches students to clerkship so that most people get within top 5 choices-ish kind of mechanism?
So like a lottery?
Do the anatomy/omm fellows or the honor track people get priority when choosing?

 

[ohmanwaddup]

@DrRedstone would you or any other current students mind posting a pic or PMing a pic of your weekly schedule?

 

[Starlight6]

I know it has been said that research opportunities are limited and that we will be too busy to even think of research our first year, but what about the summer between first and second year? Is there a program for that or are students able to propose a research topic to faculty then and get it started?

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

I know it has been said that research opportunities are limited and that we will be too busy to even think of research our first year, but what about the summer between first and second year? Is there a program for that or are students able to propose a research topic to faculty then and get it started?

I think there is only a month and a month is not enough for anything non-computational, even if you have the background in, to result in a publication.

 

[Starlight6]

I think there is only a month and a month is not enough for anything non-computational, even if you have the background in, to result in a publication.

But would we be able to get some research started during that time?

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

But would we be able to get some research started during that time?

If I go here, I am planning on trying to nag some resident in Freeman as soon as I enter or nag Dr. Kinde who is biochemist, as soon as I get here. There is no need to wait until summer to get research started.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

If I go here, I am planning on trying to nag some resident in Freeman as soon as I enter or nag Dr. Kinde who is biochemist, as soon as I get here. There is no need to wait until summer to get research started.

From what I've heard the curriculum is so tough, you won't even have time to think about research.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[Starlight6]

From what I've heard the curriculum is so tough, you won't even have time to think about research.

Exactly

 

[ohmanwaddup]

Exactly

Can't wait to fail out of medical school. I keep hearing how academically rigorous KCU and I'm starting to think I don't have what it takes.

 

[ProspectiveDoc1476]

Can't wait to fail out of medical school. I keep hearing how academically rigorous KCU and I'm starting to think I don't have what it takes.

You got this bud. It's like undergrad but.. you know.. crazier. You've prepared to study & learn in undergrad and for the MCAT, now you just have to shift gears and study twice as hard.

 

[DrIron]

Can't wait to fail out of medical school. I keep hearing how academically rigorous KCU and I'm starting to think I don't have what it takes.

We all have self-doubt, but do not let it defeat you. I'm sure many people think that way, but it is your MINDSET that will determine whether you succeed or fail.

 

[DrIron]

I think there is only a month and a month is not enough for anything non-computational, even if you have the background in, to result in a publication.

When I interviewed, they were speaking of extending the summer break starting next year to 1 month and 3 weeks

 

[ohmanwaddup]

Do y'all still get iPads at Joplin? Not a deal breaker or anything but def something to look forward too

 

[VanCanucks]

Do y'all still get iPads at Joplin? Not a deal breaker or anything but def something to look forward too

During my interview at Joplin they told us we would be getting iPads

 

[Coltuna]

Just paid the deposit. Excited to see everyone at Joplin in 2018!

 

[Mo'MedMules]

Sorry for the late responses, we had a midterm Friday.

Is rotation selection like a black box computer program that matches students to clerkship so that most people get within top 5 choices-ish kind of mechanism?
So like a lottery?
Do the anatomy/omm fellows or the honor track people get priority when choosing?

Punting to @AlteredScale . because he's been through clerkship matching already.

Can't wait to fail out of medical school. I keep hearing how academically rigorous KCU and I'm starting to think I don't have what it takes.

Anyone can get through medical school if they work hard enough. Our class has really diverse backgrounds, some with little medical experience. One of our classmates was an online tire salesman before he was accepted, another was a french teacher. You just have to have the drive to study every single day.
Again, I'm not sure why "KCU has crazy rigorous curriculum" has been taken as truth, as there are many schools that have the same curriculum schedule. It's hard to compare curriculums if you only attend one school. Medical school is hard everywhere.

Do y'all still get iPads at Joplin? Not a deal breaker or anything but def something to look forward too

Yes

 

[Mo'MedMules]

@DrRedstone would you or any other current students mind posting a pic or PMing a pic of your weekly schedule?

Here's our class schedule for this next week. This probably won't make a lot of sense to you guys right now, I'll try to explain what things mean. Keep in mind it's different every day and every week.

- So in general we have 2-4 classes between 8-12. Each and every lecture has already been decided for the entire year. So we know what topic we're going to learn when.
- We have one 2 hour OMM lab a week. You'll see in the schedule OSI - LAB. These are divided into groups, so that's why it looks like its from 1-5. A/B group goes 1-3. C/D 3-5.
- We usually have a 2 hour PCMI class (How To Be A Dr. 101) where we are tested over using our instruments (stethoscope, otoscope, etc) or physical exams. Also in groups. Still only 2 hours. If we're not learning the instruments that week, then we're having a standard patient encounter where we wear our white coats and have to run through a patient visit to a doctor. Takes about an hour.
- We have a Grand Rounds Presentation about every 2 weeks, 2 hours long.
- We all have to do at least one Early Clinical Experience A SEMESTER, so where it says [REQUIRED] Early Clinical Experience, it's not an all day thing. My time is in there from 2-3.

The rest of the stuff in there are lectures. Only the labs are required for attendance and the stuff that says [ATTENDANCE REQUIRED]. With labs and tutoring it's hard to not come to campus daily.

If you want a more personal schedule, with what times we sleep/eat/study/have fun we can do that, too! But everyone is different, so I can only give you how I survive med school.

 

[ohmanwaddup]

Here's our class schedule for this next week. This probably won't make a lot of sense to you guys right now, I'll try to explain what things mean. Keep in mind it's different every day and every week.

- So in general we have 2-4 classes between 8-12. Each and every lecture has already been decided for the entire year. So we know what topic we're going to learn when.
- We have one 2 hour OMM lab a week. You'll see in the schedule OSI - LAB. These are divided into groups, so that's why it looks like its from 1-5. A/B group goes 1-3. C/D 3-5.
- We usually have a 2 hour PCMI class (How To Be A Dr. 101) where we are tested over using our instruments (stethoscope, otoscope, etc) or physical exams. Also in groups. Still only 2 hours. If we're not learning the instruments that week, then we're having a standard patient encounter where we wear our white coats and have to run through a patient visit to a doctor. Takes about an hour.
- We have a Grand Rounds Presentation about every 2 weeks, 2 hours long.
- We all have to do at least one Early Clinical Experience A SEMESTER, so where it says [REQUIRED] Early Clinical Experience, it's not an all day thing. My time is in there from 2-3.

The rest of the stuff in there are lectures. Only the labs are required for attendance and the stuff that says [ATTENDANCE REQUIRED]. With labs and tutoring it's hard to not come to campus daily.

If you want a more personal schedule, with what times we sleep/eat/study/have fun we can do that, too! But everyone is different, so I can only give you how I survive med school.

For that early clinical experience time slot, do you mean once and done, or do you do that every Monday 2-3

 

[AlteredScale]

Is rotation selection like a black box computer program that matches students to clerkship so that most people get within top 5 choices-ish kind of mechanism?
So like a lottery?
Do the anatomy/omm fellows or the honor track people get priority when choosing?

It's an algorithm created to spit out all outputs that would match all students to one of their top three choices. The clinical education dean then takes a look at all variations to see which one has the highest percentage of "matched" students to clerkship spots and selects it. It's very similar to what happens during the real residency match minus the ranking administered by PDs.

OMM fellows have already done rotations so they don't worry about it and anatomy fellows have already gone through the process and fall back a year but keep their clerkship spot.

If you are an honors track student you automatically get KC as your rotation site since the honors tracks only apply to KC.

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

It's an algorithm created to spit out all outputs that would match all students to one of their top three choices. The clinical education dean then takes a look at all variations to see which one has the highest percentage of "matched" students to clerkship spots and selects it. It's very similar to what happens during the real residency match minus the ranking administered by PDs.

OMM fellows have already done rotations so they don't worry about it and anatomy fellows have already gone through the process and fall back a year but keep their clerkship spot.

If you are an honors track student you automatically get KC as your rotation site since the honors tracks only apply to KC.

Thank you!! This is crystal clear!

 

[Mo'MedMules]

For that early clinical experience time slot, do you mean once and done, or do you do that every Monday 2-3

One hour. Once a semester. That's what's required, but you can do more clinical experience if you wish.

 

[Skc3015]

One hour. Once a semester. That's what's required, but you can do more clinical experience if you wish.

Do you get to choose your experience? I heard about the possibility of attending high school and college football games with the athetlic trainer and that was something that I was really interested in.

 

[Mo'MedMules]

Do you get to choose your experience? I heard about the possibility of attending high school and college football games with the athetlic trainer and that was something that I was really interested in.

Yep. Choices: giving flu shots to the faculty at the hospitals, doing vital signs for the Occupational Med, or attending MSSU football games to experience musculoskeletal injuries.

 

[Skc3015]

Yep. Choices: giving flu shots to the faculty at the hospitals, doing vital signs for the Occupational Med, or attending MSSU football games to experience musculoskeletal injuries.

Cool! I love the fact that you get to pick which one you want

 

[Skc3015]

Rejected. I knew I bombed that interview. Wish I could've interviewed with the guy I was talking with afterwards, I could tell he liked me a lot more

 

[ohmanwaddup]

Rejected. I knew I bombed that interview. Wish I could've interviewed with the guy I was talking with afterwards, I could tell he liked me a lot more

Sorry brother

 

[studentdr12]

Sorry brother

 

[studentdr12]

Rejected. I knew I bombed that interview. Wish I could've interviewed with the guy I was talking with afterwards, I could tell he liked me a lot more

Sorry to hear that. When did you interview btw?

 

[Skc3015]

Sorry to hear that. When did you interview btw?

10/21