The intent of the Council on Selection is to identify and select those applicants who demonstrate the ability to fulfill the purpose of a UMKC medical education, to fully develop the core competencies of the School of Medicine: further development of interpersonal and communication skills; cultivation of professional behavior, including moral reasoning and ethical judgment; expansion of medical knowledge to apply both basic and clinical science; utilization of practice-based learning, to diagnose, manage, prevent, and provide continuing care, as well as develop further skills in self-reflection and self-improvement; employ systems-based practice to actively incorporate psychological, social, cultural and economic factors into the practice of medicine; and acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills required for patient care. These core competencies guide not only the education of a UMKC medical student, but the selection of those students as well. The Council on Selection is responsible for selecting students for admission to the following programs:

• B.A./M.D. Program
• M.D. Program
• O.S./M.D. Program

The Council is also responsible for reviewing candidates for readmission to the UMKC School of Medicine as well as candidates for transfer admission with advanced standing.

The Council on Selection must establish appropriate policies and procedures with regards to the selection of students for medical school. The admissions policies of the Council must guarantee a competitive review process, the individual review of applicants and an open assessment of what the applicant may potentially contribute to the medical community. This process must be applied equally and consistently to all applicants.

The admissions process must provide a holistic review of all applicants. This review should focus on academic achievements and ability, but should also provide an open review of other talents and experiences that relate to potential success in medical school. It is necessary for the Council to review applicants in terms of their potential academic success in medical school, but also in terms of their potential contribution to the medical school community and to the learning experiences of others around them.

With a limited number of seats available in the incoming class, the Council on Selection faces the challenge of selecting future physicians from numerous applicants with strong combinations of academic performance, aptitudes and abilities. This challenge necessitates clear intentions from the Council:

Residency:

The students who enter the School of Medicine shall be selected from three residency categories: in-state, regional and out-of-state. In-state students are those who are bona fide residents of the State of Missouri according to the residency rules of the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri. Regional students are those students who are classified as residents of Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska or Oklahoma. Out-of-state students are those students who are classified as residents of states outside of the state of Missouri or the regional states. Students from the State of Missouri will be given priority, with over half of the class selected from in-state applicants. Residency status is determined by the UMKC Office of Admissions.

Eligibility:

Only students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. are eligible to be considered for admission.

Competitive Review:

All applications to the School of Medicine are considered equally in the admissions process. All applications are initially screened by members of the Council on Selection. All applications are screened in the same applicant pool, and the screening process determines which students will be offered the opportunity to interview.

Once interviews are complete, all interviewed applicants are reviewed equally by members of the Council on Selection. The Council on Selection considers each applicant individually within the appropriate applicant pool (in-state, regional or out-of-state), and all applicants are reviewed under the same criteria and expectations. Given the number of highly qualified applicants, both the screening and selection process are competitive.

The selection process for the School of Medicine provides individual review of applicants in both the screening and selection process, competitive review of all applicants and does not adhere to strict requirements or standards as the review of applicants is holistic. The School of Medicine does not adhere to any quotas when considering and selecting students for admission to medical school.

The Holistic Process: The Council on Selection will utilize a holistic review process, a process that is a flexible and individualized way of assessing applicants. Balanced consideration will be given to the experiences, attributes and metrics as defined by the Council on Selection in alignment with the strategic plan and goals of the School of Medicine. The experiences, attributes and metrics will be considered in combination with how a student might contribute to the School of Medicine and to the profession.

The holistic review process utilized at the School of Medicine is defined by several key concepts:*

1. The criteria for selecting students are broadly based, but linked to the School of Medicine’s mission and goals, specifically promoting diversity as an essential element to achieving a vibrant health science learning community.
2. A balance of experiences, attributes and metrics is used to evaluate applicants in order to create a diverse applicant pool, interview pool and student body. The use of experiences, attributes and metrics is applied consistently to all applicants when making admissions decisions.
3. In addition to the review of experiences, attributes and metrics, the Council on Selection gives individualized consideration to how each applicant might impact the medical school community and the profession.
4. Metrics of diversity, such as race, ethnicity, or geographic origin are factors that influence admissions decisions only when aligned with the strategic plan and mission of the School of Medicine and only when considered among the broader mix of experiences, attributes and metrics.**

The review and selection process executed by the Council on Selection evaluates both cognitive and non-cognitive variables. Cognitive variables, such as grade point average, strength of high school curriculum and standardized test scores, are essential in selecting medical students. However, while such cognitive variables are factors in considering applicants, no academic accomplishment of whatever superiority constitutes an entitlement to admission to the UMKC School of Medicine.

Although cognitive variables are considered, it is also important to consider other non-cognitive variables such as passion for medicine, civic or community volunteer experience, and maturity. School of Medicine applicants are evaluated holistically using the following application components:

• High school or university grade point average
• Standardized test score
• High school or university curriculum
• Personal statement
• High school or college activities and leadership
• Health experiences
• Letters of recommendation
• Results of the medical school interview

Policy Review:

The admissions policies of the Council on Selection must be reviewed annually by the Council on Selection to ensure fair, equal and consistent evaluation of applicants. Regardless of policy changes, the admission and selection process must remain competitive with individualized and holistic review of applicants.

A Statement of Diversity

The Council on Selection intends to admit a class of students who can contribute to the diversity of the UMKC medical community, as well as to the profession of medicine. The School of Medicine believes that diversity among peers during medical education prepares students to effectively deliver health care within diverse communities upon graduation.

The Council intends to foster diversity through the selection of candidates for admission to medical school. This will include, but not be limited to, admitting students from different racial and ethnic origins, socioeconomic backgrounds, rural and urban communities, academic backgrounds, as well as students who can contribute to the experience of medical education through different personal experiences such as overcoming hardship, demonstrating extensive involvement within the community, possessing multilingual abilities, and/or exhibiting different life experiences that may contribute to achieving diversity.

*Definition and concepts taken from:
Association of American Medical Colleges: Holistic Review Project, 2011.

**Under federal law and as permitted by the State of Missouri
and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Our curriculum utilizes experiences with patients, peers and faculty in clinical settings that develop students who are passionate about medicine. Students learn the skills and attitudes for compassion, honesty and integrity which receive the same priority as scientific and technical skills.

To further develop these skills and attitudes, the School of Medicine uses the following core competencies as the foundation for all educational experiences, as well as the selection of new students.

Communication and interpersonal skills are crucial to a successful doctor-patient relationship. Through immediate and ongoing patient interaction, our students learn to engage with patients, families and other members of the health care team. Our graduates are able to establish therapeutic relationships with patients, regardless of age or cultural background, and are able to communicate in an effective manner.

Medical students work with other health professionals to establish and maintain a climate of mutual respect, dignity, diversity, ethical integrity, and trust through interprofessional collaboration. Understanding one’s own role and the roles of other health professionals is vital to appropriately assessing and addressing the health care needs of patients and populations served.

It is important for both medical students and graduates to observe and develop professionalism during interactions with others in clinical, academic and co-curricular activities. Students master the professional behaviors of respect, compassion, empathy, altruism, honesty and accountability. In addition, our program teaches students the value of moral reasoning and ethical judgment, to identify ethical issues in medicine, and to evaluate, recommend and defend ethical choices. Our graduates are able to recognize individual patient value systems, while integrating moral reasoning and ethical judgment in the care of patients without compromising their own ethical integrity.

Students will learn the personal and professional development skills necessary to demonstrate healthy coping mechanisms and respond well to stress. The structure of our program also provides opportunity for students to gain leadership skills that enhance not only the learning and clinical environment, but also the delivery of service in the health care system as well.

The medical knowledge students gain during their six years of medical training allows our graduates to apply both basic and clinical science to understand, explain and solve complex, multi-system problems. Our students receive six years of outstanding clinical training that sets them apart from other medical school graduates. This in-depth training offers our students greater opportunities to evaluate problems from multiple perspectives, and to identify appropriate and rational solutions that addresses those problems. Our graduates are able to apply the knowledge, skills and concepts from all scientific perspectives to overall patient care.

By acquiring practice-based learning and improvement skills, including how to access and evaluate medical information, students learn how to provide effective patient care. Students learn how to use evidence-based medicine and skills related to patient safety and continuing quality improvement, which creates graduates competent in practice-based learning.

Through systems-based practice, our graduates have an increased awareness of the role diversity plays in the context of health care, and use this awareness to benefit patients and serve as better health advocates.

Through innovative teaching and learning strategies, students acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills required for patient care: data gathering methods of history-taking and the physical examination, appropriate use and interpretation of tests, identification and, in some instances, administration of needed procedures, formulation of diagnoses and companion management plans using clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and patient education. They learn how to care for the full range of patient problems – acute, chronic, emergent, preventative, rehabilitative – in inpatient, outpatient and continuing-care settings.

Applicants for admission to the UMKC School of Medicine B.A./M.D. program must submit all applications and application materials by November 1.

The deadline to submit all application materials is November 1 (11:59 p.m. CST), including the General Application for Admission to UMKC, the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application, reference forms, official transcripts and official test scores.

Candidates with complete applications by November 1 will be guaranteed review by the Council on Selection, the admissions committee in the School of Medicine, so long as they meet the minimum requirements for admission.

Students applying for admission to the UMKC School of Medicine B.A./M.D. program must complete the following steps:

Step 1: UMKC Application for Admission (Available after August 1)

All applicants must complete the UMKC General Application for Admission.   Applicants can also complete the general application using the Common App (see note below).

When completing the UMKC General Application for Admission, please follow the instructions provided on the application. Candidates should select: “2023 Undergraduate” for their application type and then “2023 First Time College”. When selecting a major, select: “Medicine BA/MD”

Submit the UMKC General Application for Admission. No application fee! Beginning October 1, all new undergraduate, domestic, first-time college and transfer students can apply to become a UMKC Roo without paying an application fee.

In order to complete the general application, it is recommended that your computer support the latest versions of web browsers (Chrome, FireFox, Edge, Safari, Internet Explorer, etc.)

Note: The general application can be completed using the Common Application. In addition to completing the Common Application, applicants who select the “Medicine BA/MD” program, must complete the UMKC School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application. This application includes; References Forms, Activity Sections, Essays, and Technical Standards. The Medicine BA/MD Program does not accept Common App Letters of Recommendation OR Common App Essay Responses. Reference forms must be provided via the School of Medicine’s Supplemental Application. All application materials for Fall 2023 must be submitted by November 1, 2022.

Step 2: Submit Transcripts & Test Scores

All applicants are required to submit official high school transcripts and official standardized test scores to the UMKC Office of Admissions. These items may be sent electronically (umkc-admtranscript@umkc.edu) or mailed to the following address:

University of Missouri – Kansas City
Office of Admissions – Processing
120 Administrative Center
5115 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO 64112

ACT or SAT scores may also be submitted electronically by identifying UMKC as a score recipient with ACT or SAT. (UMKC ACT code is 2380. UMKC SAT code is 6872.) ACT or SAT scores are considered official when submitted on an official high school transcript or directly from ACT or SAT.

The SAT composite score will consist of only the Math and Verbal sections. The writing section of the ACT and SAT is not used. UMKC receives and processes a superscore from ACT or SAT, comprised of a student’s best section scores to generate an overall, best composite score.

Note:  You may check the status of your test scores and transcripts by accessing your General Application to UMKC Portal. The checklist will only show the status of your test scores and transcripts, and will not show the status of any other application materials*. High school transcripts will be listed as “In Progress” until after you graduate from high school and a final high school transcript with a graduation date has been received.

*(To check the status of all other application materials, please review Step 5 below.)

Step 3: School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application

Complete the UMKC School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application, including the Technical Standards and Statement of Student Responsibility.  In order to complete the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application, your computer must support the following:

Internet Explorer 7 and up
Firefox 1.5 and up
Chrome (preferably latest version, most recommended)
Safari (preferably latest version)

The following additional information will be submitted online with the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application:

Essay

The essay is an opportunity for students to distinguish themselves from other applicants. Students will have 500 words to respond and will need to consider the following prompts:

• What motivates you to pursue a career in medicine?
• What would you like the UMKC School of Medicine to know about you that isn’t available in other parts of the application?

Short Answer Responses

The short answer section is an additional opportunity to learn more about you, and there will be three mandatory short answer questions that each applicant will answer. Short answer responses should be kept to 250 words or less.

Activities & Leadership

Students will have the opportunity to list up to 10 high school (or college) co-curricular activities and/or leadership experiences. Students should provide a detailed description of involvement with school sponsored clubs and organizations; community related activities; volunteer experience and/or community service; and work experience. For each activity, students will be asked to provide the dates of participation, the estimated hours per week devoted to each activity and the leadership role held within the activity (if applicable). Students should not list health-related activities in this section.

Health Experiences

Students will have the opportunity to list up to 10 health-related activities. Students should provide a detailed description of involvement with health-related activities including clubs and organizations; volunteer or work experience in a hospital, doctor’s office, nursing home or other health-related facility; shadowing experience; medical or health-related research; and other health-related experiences that may contribute to an interest in medicine. For each activity, students will be asked to provide the dates of participation and the estimated hours per week devoted to each activity. Students should not list activities that are listed in the Activities and Leadership section.

Step 4: Reference Forms

When completing the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application, applicants will need to list the names and email addresses of those providing references. After entering the information for each person providing the reference, a student will need to click “Send Email Request” in order for the person providing the reference to receive instructions for completing the online UMKC School of Medicine Reference Form.

Once the Online Supplemental Application has been submitted, no changes or additions to the Online Supplemental Application, including the reference section, may be made.

Teachers, counselors, school administrators or others who can speak to your academic ability and personal character should complete the online UMKC School of Medicine Reference Form. Family members and/or close friends of the family should not complete reference forms.  Those providing the reference must submit a fully complete online School of Medicine Reference Form. Letters of recommendation will not be accepted in place of or in addition to the official Reference Form. References will not be accepted by email or mail, but must be submitted online.

A minimum of 3 fully complete reference forms are required for a complete application. A maximum of 5 fully complete reference forms will be accepted. References are considered confidential material at the UMKC School of Medicine; information provided on references will not be shared with the applicant.

Step 5: Check the Status of Your Application

The applicant may continue to check the status of the application to determine which application materials must still be submitted. Students may check the status of the application once the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application has been submitted and processed. Processing times may vary depending on the time of year.

– – – – –

If you have any questions about your application or the application process, please do not hesitate to contact the School of Medicine Office of Admissions at 816-235-1870 or medicine@umkc.edu.

The deadline to submit all application materials is November 1 (11:59 p.m. CST), including the General Application for Admission to UMKC and application fee, the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application, reference forms, official transcripts and official test scores.

REVIEW OF LATE APPLICANTS:  Any student wanting to be considered for admission must submit the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application by November 1.  However, any student who submits other application materials after the November 1 deadline will be considered late, reviewed with other late applications, and reviewed only on a space available basis. The late application deadline is December 15. Applications completed after December 15, as well as incomplete applications, will not be reviewed.

Note: the application closes after the November 1st deadline, so late applicants must have started the application to then complete late.

The requirements for admission are governed by the School of Medicine Council on Selection, the admissions committee for the School of Medicine. The Council on Selection is composed of faculty, administration and students who screen applications, determine which candidates will be offered an interview and make all final admission decisions.

The deadline to submit all application materials is November 1 (11:59 p.m. CST), including the General Application for Admission to UMKC and application fee, the School of Medicine Online Supplemental Application, reference forms, official transcripts and official test scores.

Admission decisions are based on an individualized and holistic review of applications.

Applicants offered admission to the B.A./M.D. program begin coursework in August.

Coursework

The average unweighted high school GPA for a student admitted to the B.A./M.D. program is 3.9. The range of unweighted high school GPA for students admitted fall between 3.0 – 4.0.

• Applicants for admission to the B.A./M.D. program must be fully admissible to the University of Missouri – Kansas City.
• Admission to UMKC is determined by a combination of ACT score, class rank and the completion of the 17 core requirements of the university.
• Applicants for admission to the B.A./M.D. program must achieve an unweighted GPA of 3.0 in the 17 core requirements of the university.
• The 17 core requirements of the university are:
  • Four units of English
  • Four units of mathematics (Algebra 1 or higher)
  • Three units of science (recommended one unit of biology and one unit of chemistry)
  • Three units of social studies
  • Two units of a single foreign language
  • One unit of fine arts (visual arts, music, dance, or theater)
• Applicants not admitted to UMKC or applicants offered trial admission are not eligible for admission to the B.A./M.D. program.

ACT/SAT Score

The average ACT score for a student admitted to the B.A./M.D. program is a 32 (SAT 1420).

• Applicants for admission to the B.A./M.D. program must achieve a minimum ACT score of 24 (1160 SAT for exam taken after March 2016). (The writing section on both the ACT and SAT is not used.). Official test scores need to be received for an application to be processed.
• In-state, Regional and Out-of-state candidates may submit an ACT score or an SAT score.
• UMKC receives and processes a superscore from ACT or SAT, comprised of a student’s best section scores to generate an overall, best composite score.
• Students applying to the B.A./M.D. program must have taken the ACT and/or SAT for the first time by the November 1 deadline.
• The latest test score accepted for initial application review is the October test date. October test scores are considered as “on time” for admissions consideration.
  • If a student is selected for an interview, the latest test score accepted for final review is the December test date.
• ACT and SAT scores must have been earned within three years of the application deadline of the year in which the student is applying.
• SAT subject exams are not used in the admissions process.

Holistic Review of Applications

Admission to the School of Medicine is based on a combination of academic performance and the potential to further develop the core competencies of the School of Medicine. The Council on Selection reviews a candidate’s personal characteristics and experiences, in addition to academic information.

The Council on Selection will evaluate:

• the candidate’s unweighted high school GPA in the 17 core requirements of the university,
• standardized test score,
• strength of high school curriculum,
• personal statement,
• short-answer responses,
• high school activities and leadership,
• health-related activities and investigation of the profession,
• official School of Medicine reference forms, and
• results of the interview

There is no single component of the application that will guarantee a candidate an interview or an offer of admission.

Given the number of academically qualified candidates, students should consider the following recommendations (not requirements) to be competitive for admission:

• Demonstrate a commitment to the strongest academic curriculum offered in high school. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, college credit, honors and/or other college preparatory courses are recommended.
• Demonstrate leadership ability and involvement throughout the entire high school experience, including involvement with high school activities and organizations, community service, employment and other opportunities available within the school.
• Demonstrate an early commitment and interest in medicine through continuous involvement in health-related activities, including volunteer experiences, shadowing a physician and/or other health care provider, medical clubs and organizations, medically-related camps, and other health related experiences. Students should demonstrate the initiative to investigate the profession beyond what they may experience from parents who work in health care or other activities such as lifeguarding, babysitting, or working the school blood drive.

Admissions Eligibility

In order to be considered for admission to the B.A./M.D. program, applicants for admission must meet the following requirements:

• Must graduate from a high school or home school program in the United States,  from a U.S.-accredited high school, or have obtained their GED. For U.S. citizens attending high school abroad, applicants’ credentials will be reviewed by the International Student Affairs Office at the time of application.

• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • Permanent resident status must be achieved by November 1 of the year before the fall term for which student is applying. A copy of the permanent resident card must accompany the general application for admission.
  • International students are not eligible for admission to the B.A./M.D. program.

Additional Requirements for Current College Students

Students with 24 hours or less of post high school graduation college credit at the time of application are eligible to apply for admission to the six-year B.A./M.D. program. If the applicant is currently enrolled in college in the semester in which they apply to the six-year program, the number of college credit hours accumulated at the end of that semester must not exceed the 24-hour credit limit. While the application is being processed, applicants may continue taking college courses during the next semester.  It is recommended, but not required, that current college students enroll in at least 15 hours each semester and enroll in science coursework.

Current college students interested in applying to the six-year program must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of the fall semester (first semester of college). Students who do not earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of the fall semester are ineligible for admission to the program.

College transcripts with fall semester grades must be received before the Council on Selection can review the application. Offers to interview will not be made until an official college transcript with fall semester grades has been received.

Current college students must meet all other admissions requirements and eligibility outlined above.

Residency

Residency is determined by the UMKC Office of Admissions. The UMKC Office of Admissions will classify a student as:

• In-state: Resident of the state of Missouri
• Regional: Resident of the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, or Oklahoma
• Out-of-state: Resident of states not mentioned above

If you have questions about your residency status, please contact the General Admissions Office at residency@umkc.edu.  

Program Overview

From high school student to medical student

A medical student’s journey begins as soon as they enter the UMKC School of Medicine’s B.A./M.D. program. Immediate exposure to a curriculum that builds a strong foundation in medical science and clinical skills is integrated with the liberal arts and humanities into a year-round program. Our program allows students to choose an undergraduate major and earn their B.A. and M.D. in six years.

During the first two years of the program, three-fourths of a student’s time is dedicated to the arts and sciences to fulfill baccalaureate degree requirements, while one-fourth is spent in medical school coursework. In the final four years of the program, most the student’s time is spent in medical school coursework with a smaller percentage of time spent completing baccalaureate degree requirements.

Students pursue baccalaureate degrees in a variety of areas:

• Liberal Arts
• Chemistry
• Biology

The ability to pursue certain undergraduate degree options is dependent on the college credit a student is able to transfer in from high school. College credit may be accepted for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, CLEP or dual-enrollment courses.

Clinical Experience and Physician Interaction

Students begin clinical experiences in the third week of the program through the docent system.  A docent is a teaching physician who also serves as a mentor as student’s advance through the curriculum. In years 1 – 2, students are assigned to docent teams of 10 – 15 students from their class. In this early docent experience, students are educated and mentored on the fundamentals of medicine.

In years 3 – 6, students are assigned to docent teams of 12-15 year 3 – 6 students, a docent, a clinical pharmacologist, a clinical medical librarian, an education team coordinator and other health care professionals. In this docent experience, students spend a half day per week every week assisting with outpatient care in a continuing care clinic. This team also works together on the internal medicine rotation two months out of the year in years 4 – 6.

Research

Students can work with faculty in both clinical and research settings.  Students involved in research can present their findings each spring at the annual Student Research Summit, and funding is available to support student research projects. The Office of Research Administration facilitates student research programs as well as coordinates supplemental research lectures and seminars.

Service

Students at the UMKC School of Medicine have the opportunity to develop community partnerships, provide community service and reflect upon their experiences. Students participate in service-based programs, such as the Sojourner Clinic, a free outpatient clinic developed and managed by medical students, and the Kansas City Free Eye Clinic.

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