I am a KCUMB alumni. Earlier today an email was sent to alumni (perhaps current students too?) from President Karen Pletz regarding the DO/MD degree, see below:
Recently, an e-mail was circulated regarding KCUMB's consideration of the offering of a dual DO/MD degree. That e-mail stated that a proposal had been presented tot he KCUMB Board to seek this degree and the LCME accreditation which would be required in order to offer a dual degree.
First, to clarify, the University faculty and staff have been exploring ways to ensure that the future of osteopathic medical education remains viable in the face of a number of serious concerns, including:
§ the AAMC mandate to increase class size by 30% by 2015;
§ the continued failure to raise the federal caps on post doctoral training slots in the U.S.;
§ the dramatic increase in accreditation of new osteopathic medical schools and increases in class sizes/and/or additional locations by others;
§ the restriction of VSAS – Visiting Student Application Service – the centralized application service for allopathic clinical clerkship electives, which over 60% of our students currently fill – to allopathic students only, excluding osteopathic students;
§ the increasing pressure on allopathic post doctoral programs, in which 62% of KCUMB graduates seek residency slots and the certain indication that these slots will go first to graduates of LCME accredited schools;
§ the increasing prevalence of Caribbean medical schools contracting with hospital systems across the country for exclusive rights to clinical clerkships;
§ the current AOA/COCA initiatives to accredit foreign osteopathic medical schools without requiring them to assure available residency slots for the period of seven years.
These very real concerns, which were thoroughly discussed in the spring Communicator titled The Changing Landscape of Medicine, have led to the consideration of a major leadership move for osteopathic medical education.
We would remain an osteopathic institution. We are not considering an MD option, as the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Regents approved during the third week of November. We also are not considering giving applicants a choice of degree.
All student applicants to KCUMB's College of Osteopathic Medicine would be applying for a dual degree, from a College of Osteopathic Medicine. But having that dual degree offers access by our students and graduates to programs currently or increasingly restricted to graduates of LCME accredited institutions.
These issues have been identified as of major concern by AACOM and other osteopathic institutions, as well as the AOA.
KCUMB, as you know, has worked continuously to build the quality of our programs and to keep a continuous strategic eye to the future.
It has been our practice to endeavor to have control over our future, and not wait for external circumstances to control us.
If you have questions or concerns, or wish to provide input, please let me know.
Once again, we are and always will be an osteopathic college of Medicine (KCUMB-COM) and our mission would not change. We are considering this opportunity in order to advance osteopathic medical education, and the opportunities to our students in the future.
That is our charge.
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
Karen L. Pletz, J.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
1750 Independence Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64106-1453
816-283-2301
816-283-2303 (fax)
[email protected]
