Students

It’s been a year of firsts at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine, which opened in Joplin in 2023, with 80 students in its first class. Three of those students are recipients of the Indian Health Service’s Health Professions scholarship. 

When second-year student Leah Wu envisioned what medical school would be like, she never imagined that one day it would offer the opportunity to treat potential Major League Baseball players.

As of March 21st, over 99 percent of KCU-COM students have secured post graduate placement, with over 50 percent placing in primary care residencies.

KCU joined universities across the nation in hosting a Match Day celebration for fourth-year medical students.

Students admitted to a new accelerated med school and dental school program announced by Pittsburg State University and Kansas City University will save money and time on their path to becoming health care professionals, getting them into the field of medicine more quickly at a time when physicians and dentists are in demand in rural areas like Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri.

Megan Ottomeyer, DO, a neonatologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, did not go into medical school at KCU thinking she’d end up working with the tiniest of patients. Instead, she thought she’d end up in emergency medicine, hematology-oncology, or one of many different pediatric specialties. It wasn’t until she joined KCU’s Global Health Track program on a trip to Kenya that she changed her career trajectory—and her life.

On a frigid Saturday morning, equipped with a collapsible bucket for water, an array of ointments and bandages and new pairs of shoes and socks, KCU Student-Run Clinic volunteers hosted their second FreshStep clinic within a year for people experiencing homelessness in Kansas City.

Demand for mental and behavioral health providers is expected to grow by 22 percent by the year 2031—much faster than the average for all other occupations. As the United States experiences a severe shortage of mental health professionals, Kansas City University offers a doctorate of clinical psychology program to meet the growing need.

Dr. Strickland knows firsthand the value of investing in students and has a deep desire to pay forward the generosity he has received. He and his wife, Suzanne, recently funded two additional endowed scholarships bringing the total number of scholarships generously given to KCU to 34.

Shelby Davenport silently struggled with an undiagnosed vision condition until a Score 1 for Health screening changed everything.

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.” This quote, attributed to Albert Einstein, epitomizes Donald Keating and his desire to balance the demands of his studies with his passion for innovation and creativity.

Congratulations Class of 2024 on Military Match Day. KCU thanks you for your service! Click here to view all KCU Class of 2024 Military Match students.