Independence Community College (ICC) is proud to announce its participation in a groundbreaking new initiative in partnership with Kansas City University (KCU), designed to fast-track students from rural, medically underserved areas into careers in osteopathic medicine or dentistry.
The KCU Rural Health Scholars Program officially launched today, with a news conference hosted by Kansas City University, alongside eight community colleges and two public universities from across Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
This collaborative program provides a structured academic pathway that begins at ICC and leads students through a seven-year journey—culminating in a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from KCU. Students will spend their first year at ICC, then transfer to Pittsburg State University or Missouri Southern State University for undergraduate coursework. Qualified students are eligible for early admission interviews with KCU during their second year of undergraduate study.
“We are honored to partner with KCU on this important initiative,” said Dr. Jonathan Sadhoo, President of Independence Community College. “This program not only opens the door for our rural students to pursue high-demand health care careers—it also strengthens the future of health care access in our own communities.”
Key benefits of the program include:
Accelerated completion: A medical or dental degree in seven years rather than eight
Guaranteed interview: Early admission interview for qualified students
Simplified entry: No MCAT or DAT required for conditional acceptance
To qualify, students must graduate from a high school in a rural, medically underserved county and meet specific GPA and ACT score requirements.
This initiative reinforces ICC’s commitment to expanding educational access and opportunity—especially for students in rural Kansas—and contributes to addressing the growing shortage of health care professionals across the region.