School of Medicine — St. Joseph
Training Tomorrow's Rural Practitioners
The day-to-day experiences for physicians working in urban and rural settings can be vastly different. Our M.D. program in St. Joseph, Missouri will help you develop the skills, knowledge and approach needed to serve the unique needs of rural communities. Read our welcome letter to learn more about the program, curriculum and unique opportunities.
Curriculum and Clinical Affiliates
Curriculum
Our St. Joseph and Kansas City M.D. programs feature the same pre-clinical curriculum until years 3-4 when the St. Joseph clinical curriculum differs for students as the focus shifts to building the skills and knowledge needed to become successful practitioners in rural settings.
Core competencies
The School of Medicine uses core competencies as the foundation for all educational experiences and the selection of new students to ensure that we are developing students passionate about medicine and patient care.
Clinical affiliate sites
St. Joseph M.D. students rotate through multiple clinical sites, gaining exposure to different hospitals, medical professionals and patient populations as they develop their skills. Explore our clinical affiliates to learn more about what you'll be studying and where.
Small-Town, Major Opportunities
Don't let our location fool you. The UMKC School of Medicine St. Joseph campus offers an abundance of educational, research and service learning opportunities to participate in — all geared toward students interested in rural medicine.
Rural Pathway Program
The goal of this program is to increase the number of physicians practicing medicine in underserved rural and tribal areas by reducing some of the financial, geographical and clinical barriers undergrate students from these backgrounds face when deciding to become a physician. Learn more about the program and see if you qualify.
Research
You may think studying medicine in a rural or small town community means limiting your opportunities to conduct research and remain on the cutting edge, but at UMKC's St. Joseph campus, that simply isn't the case. Discover a sampling of research conducted by our medical students and faculty members to get an idea of where you can get involved, or check out or Rural and Tribal Research Award, which provides funding for students conducting research in rural or tribal health.
Service learning
Opportunities to get involved in clinical care and community work extend beyond the classroom. Explore service learning opportunities available to all St. Joseph M.D. students and learn how you can make an impact while gaining additional experience in the field.
Discover St. Joseph
Mosaic Life Care, home base for our program, is located within miles of historic downtown St. Joseph. This community of approximately 100,000 people features an exciting arts scene, miles of trails and a re-awakened downtown amongst a backdrop of historic architecture. Learn why St. Joseph is a great place live, work and study.