kaikai128 said:
I got accepted there yesterday too. 🙂
...I would do ANYTHING to transplant that school to a larger less rural area.
So would I, but what can you do. I talked with several students and both of my interviewers about the issue. I'm from a large city, and so the move to Kirksville will definitely be a change.
My first interviewer related to me his experience and the experience of one of his students. They both came from large towns and adapted pretty well to the 'small town' life. The students seemed very close knit, and they stay busy with school and each other. A lot of their free time seems to be spent together. The town has events like a farmer's market, square dance contests, fairs, etc. Truman state university in Kirksville brings a lot of culture to the area (orchestras, bands, arts, theater, etc.)
One thing you should consider is that you will only be in Kirksville for two years unless you elect (and are able) to do rotations at the hospital on campus. Thus, if you absolutely hate it, you're only there two years. I chose KCOM over a school in a large urban area because the academics seemed fantastic and the students were genuinely enthusiastic about the school and their education. I felt like I'd fit right in. Ultimately I decided that quality of education and the people there far outweighed location. Sure, it would be nice to live in an urban setting like I'm used to. Nonetheless, I want to look back on my medical education and say that the quality of my education was outstanding and I loved learning with the people and faculty that I learned with. Living two years in a foreign environment is well worth it. The physician who wrote my LOR absolutely loved his experience there. Nonetheless, you must decide what is important to you personally. Once you do this, it will make your decision easier.
But I agree. Plop KCOM down about 5 miles from downtown of a large city and then rename it "heaven".
