A newly developed partnership between Allen Community College and Kansas City University will offer students a “fast-track” to a career in osteopathic medicine or dentistry.
Allen is one of eight community colleges to partner with KCU’s Rural Health Scholars program.
The program is designed to attract students from rural, medically underserved counties in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas, according to an ACC press release.
The initiative was formalized during a ceremony in Joplin July 23.
The program offers an accelerated track, with students attending Allen for a year, moving on to Pittsburg State University or Missouri Southern State University in Joplin for years two and three, and then apply for early admission to KCU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine or College of Dental Medicine — without the need for Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores.
“This program is a game-changer for rural students who dream of becoming physicians or dentists,” Dr. Lyvier Leffler, Allen president, said in the press release. “By starting their journey at ACC, students receive a strong academic foundation close to home, with a clear and supportive pathway to a professional degree. We are honored to be the first step in this life-changing opportunity.”
The program aims to combat the growing shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas. According to KCU officials, hundreds of counties across Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma are federally designated as medically and dentally underserved. The Rural Health Scholars Program seeks to reverse this trend by encouraging students to return and serve in their home communities after completing their education.
“With this multi-institution, multi-state collaboration, we’re expanding opportunity through a pipeline for students with substantial rural backgrounds—students who are well-positioned to serve in rural areas and help close critical care gaps,” said Richard Schooler, DO, vice president of KCU’s Joplin campus.
To qualify, students must graduate from a rural high school in an underserved county and meet academic benchmarks, including a minimum 3.25 GPA and a 24 ACT composite score. Participants must maintain a 3.5 GPA and follow a prescribed plan of study to remain eligible for early admission consideration.
For more information about the program and how to apply, visit www.allencc.edu or www.kansascity.edu.
Other community colleges partnering with KCU: Coffeyville, Crowder College in Neosho, Mo., Fort Scott, Independence, Labette, Neosho County and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Okla.
