Most students aspiring to become doctors go into a four-year undergraduate program before heading off to medical school. However, a couple of students each year enter six-year medical programs where undergraduate and medical school are condensed down into six years. Senior Catherine Bahadursingh talks about her acceptance into UMKC’s six-year medical program. 

Bahadursingh describes the extensive application process. 

“I think the application is actually long enough to deter people from even applying. About 1500 people create applications each year, while only about 1000 end up submitting it. They look for students who are really involved in general, but specifically students who have taken it upon themselves to find medicine-related experiences and activities to prove your passion and commitment to medicine,” Bahadursingh said. “In addition, there are 6 essays and you can submit up to 5 teacher references. The program is very competitive so they take all of this into account to pick the best possible applicants.”

Multiple things inspired Bahadursingh’s application to UMKC.

“I had known about and had been looking into applying for medicine programs for a while before the college app season,” Bahadursingh said. “Since I know with certainty I want to become a doctor, a program that is accelerated like UMKC’s Ba/MD program was particularly important to me. It really feels lucky that one of the only programs of its kind is located so close to home, and I’m excited I get to contribute back to Kansas City.

Bahadursingh is excited for the challenging years ahead.

“I am looking forward to getting clinical experience from my first year of college. A highlighted portion of the program is the fact that from the beginning of your first year, you are assigned small docent groups taught by faculty physicians who are able to teach in more experience-oriented lessons,” Bahadursingh said. “I am also looking forward to the really intense academics that are going to be coming my way, because I will be intellectually challenged in subjects I am passionate in.”

Bahadursingh is heading to UMKC with a plan for success. 

“I’m certainly going in with a lot of intentions whether or not I’ll be able to fulfill them is a whole other conversation. I’m going to focus much less on getting the ‘college experience,’ and prioritize my studies in any way I can,” Bahadursingh said. “Balance does not really exist in such an accelerated program, but I think the motivation of getting my MD and getting to pursue the thing that I have spent my life preparing myself [for] is going to continue to drive me in lieu of obstacles and challenges.”