<p>This year, I'm heading to either the UMKC 6 year Medical program, the SLU 4 year under + 4 year grad program or the normal MU 4 year under + 4 year grad setup. </p>
<p>I know there is a lot of existing discussions about the programs, but I was hoping to hear from current or recent grads from the programs.</p>
<p>Simply put, if you ignore the costs and could wind the clock back to your first year, would you enroll in the same program again or would you choose a different one? Was it really what you expected to get from a Medical School?</p>
<p>I went to UMKC’s 6 year Medical program and graduated in 2009. Even after ignoring cost, in looking back I would not have done the program and would have done a 4+4 type of program whether that be in a combined program or through a normal undergrad.</p>
<ol>
<li>You’re greatly limited in the majors you are allowed to choose from because of the time frame, even with summer semesters. Bc of the time frame, you are taking an academic overload (in terms of credit hours) each semester even with premed requirements like General Physics or General Biology taken out.</li>
<li>Kansas City really sucks when it comes to things to do - this is important when it comes to finding something to relax and unwind after putting in a lot of hours to study for classes.</li>
<li>UMKC - ranked in the third tier of universities #165 (<a href=“http://www.umkc.edu/provost/strategic-planning-process/documents/Rankings_Presentation.ppt.pps[/url]”>http://www.umkc.edu/provost/strategic-planning-process/documents/Rankings_Presentation.ppt.pps</a>)</li>
<li>Lack of good medical research opportunities/resources available (esp. in specialty careers) that medical students can participate in or be able to commit a sizable amount of time to within the program, </li>
<li>Missing of several specialty residency programs, esp. those that might be considered competitive.</li>
<li>Almost little to no formal career advising through the school for different career specialties</li>
<li>School goes all year round non-stop from the moment you enter the program, you don’t even get one summer off.</li>
<li>Medical school basic science classes are letter graded just like undergraduate courses, rather than a variation of the Pass/Fail system like at most schools</li>
<li>Basic science classes not that great in preparing students well for USMLE Step 1 of the boards.</li>
<li>Your UMKC GPA that is reported to residencies is a cumulative GPA that starts from Year 1 to Year 6. There is no formal separation of an undergraduate GPA and a medical school GPA. So while you don’t have to worry about applying to medical school, you do have to worry about residency applications already as an 18-year old, Year 1 student.</li>
</ol>
<p>The third tier 165 ranking is for the overall university, I’m more interested in how the Medical School rates? There is no question that UMKC as a 4 year university is not going to lead the nation and I would not recommend it as such.</p>
<p>I guess I’m wondering if a graduating MD from UMKC is consider by others as a good doctor or not … can you hang your head high after all the work?</p>
<p>In the end, you’re a doctor. The best doctor’s are, first of all, doctor’s, and the medical school you graduate from isn’t going to have any lasting psychological effect on the patients you treat. I never hear doctor’s introduce themselves as “Dr. X, a graduate of so-and-so medical school”. Whether or not you can “hang your head” up high is really dependent on your specialty and whether or not you actually like doing what you do as a Doctor.</p>
<p>D. is at different combined program. Hers is not accelerated by her choice (she was accepted to others, accelerated ones). She could have gone to Ivy (her school always sends couple top students to Ivy and she graduated #1). She has been very happy with her choice. She might apply out because she does not like urban location of Medical School in her program. However, having almost guaranteed spot (she needs mcat=27 to stay in her program) giving her great peace of mind. She will apply out only if she gets very high mcat score. Otherwise, she does not need to apply or go thru interview. She is junior in senior standing. No regrets here.</p>
<p>UMKC School of Medicine voluntarily chooses not to be ranked by US World News and Report: [Best</a> Medical Schools - Graduate Schools - Education - US News and World Report<a href=“you%20can%20see%20the%20superscript%201%20next%20to%20it%20that%20=” title=“This school refused to fill out the U.S. News survey”>/url</a>.</p>
<p>“I guess I’m wondering if a graduating MD from UMKC is consider by others as a good doctor or not … can you hang your head high after all the work?”</p>
<p>Not really understanding what you’re getting at about holding your head high, but I agree with more along what XelbMS said. Just be aware you may not be as happy with the quality of medical education you receive at UMKC. If you really are concerned about holding your head up high - meaning more than just getting it over with and getting an MD but being able to match into certain prestigious, more competitive specialties - then you would be better off at SLU’s Med Scholar Program where you can either go to SLU’s high ranked medical school or apply out to even a better medical school or do 4 years at Mizzou (MU) and apply to medical schools.</p>
<p>I personally chose not to do the UMKC 6-year program mainly for the purpose that it is so much school in so little time without ever having a break. I regret this decision sometimes because school will take a lot longer, but enrolling at MU has been a wonderful experience and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. If you cram 8 years of school into 6 you leave yourself open to burning out and as a previous poster said you also limit yourself to majors that you may not be interested in. The only bad part is that you aren’t automatically admitted into med school although MU does have a pre-admission program I didn’t qualify out of high school. I am now a Biological Engineering student at MU hoping to graduate in 2012 with somewhere around a 3.45 and hoping that it will be good enough to get into either UMKC, SLU, or MU. Hopefully a good MCAT score and my research experiences can put me over the edge because my GPA is below average for MU and SLU. Does anyone know the Average GPA and MCAT for UMKC I have been unable to find that information on their website?</p>
<p>Sorry but by doing the normal 4+4, you’re not losing anything, as it’s always been like that in medical education as only 3 programs have a six year route (assuming you don’t extend) - UMKC, NEOUCOM, and PennState/Jefferson, and that’s it (unless of course you finish college, take the MCATs and do extracurriculars in 2 years on your own - but even then a med school is not obligated to take you). MU no longer offers the Conley Scholars program anyways. UMKC doesn’t have an average entrance undergrad GPA/MCAT as almost everyone is a high schooler entering and I don’t think they calculate one as there are few MD-onlys or to little to justify calculating an average.</p>
<p>aggcn3 - UMKC basically does not accept students except directly out of high school. So, you are limited to MU @ 40k/year or SLU @ 60k/year (rough estimates) for in state medical schools.</p>