What is Saturday Academy?
UMKC Medical Center’s Saturday Academy (http://med.umkc.edu/saturdayacademy) is designed to help students interested in health careers strengthen their math and science skills. Through this enrichment program, students will recognize and develop skills that enable them to excel in mathematics, science, reading and test taking. This free educational program is open to motivated middle and high school students in the Kansas City area.
The curriculum includes the following subject areas:
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Terminology
- Test Taking Skills
Saturday Academy is offered concurrently with the school year. During the 2016-2017 academic year, the program will run from October 8 to April 22, taking place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Master-level high school teachers and/or college faculty will instruct the courses in sections, and breaks will occur around the Thanksgiving holiday and semester break in the winter. An orientation to Saturday Academy will take place October 8.
Health Career Exploration
Saturday Academy provides an outlet for students to interact with health care professionals from various specialties. Professionals from medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, allied health and mental health provide networking opportunities for students to gain resources that will assist them in preparing for a career in health care.
Tutoring
Saturday Academy participants are provided free tutoring sessions in math and science every Saturday. This tutoring is provided by UMKC medical students.
Mentorship Opportunities
Relationships with mentors are designed to build a support system in the field of health care and are an avenue for middle and high school students to gain a network of UMKC medical and nursing students. This affiliation will supply students with the tools necessary to accomplish their goals.
Parent Support Group
Saturday Academy also offers a parent support group that will meet periodically throughout the year to discuss the progress of their students, their concerns and strategies for motivating their students for success. There is also a college coach who will assist parents on topics such as college readiness, academic resume building and how to apply for scholarships.
History of Saturday Academy
Saturday Academy was a core program of the Greater Kansas City Health Professions Pipeway Initiative (GKC-HPPI), which originated as an outgrowth of the Association of American Medical College’s “Project 3000 by 2000” initiative to address a continuing under representation of minority students in medical schools.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded this initiative from 1998 to 2003 with matching funds coming from a local foundation. When the funding expired in 2003, the UMKC School of Medicine committed to providing the resources to continue the Saturday Academy program.
Saturday Academy is geared toward students belonging to groups traditionally underrepresented in scientific careers including African-Americans, Native Americans and Latino students. However, the program is open to any student who is motivated and interested in attending.
Eligibility and Application Process
Students interested in Saturday Academy must meet the following requirements:
- Must be a student in grades 6 – 12
- Must be motivated with an interest in math, science or health care careers
- Must be able to provide own transportation to and from the UMKC School of Medicine
In order to apply, students must complete the following steps by Friday, September 30, 2016:
STEP 1: Complete the Saturday Academy application.
The Saturday Academy electronic application can be submitted electronically. Please complete the PDF, save and email to the Office of Admissions at jacksondarius@umkc.edu.
When saving, please save using the following guidelines: LastnameFirstnameSA (For example: SmithBrianSA).
STEP 2: Submit a signed Parent/Guardian Consent and Commitment Statement.
The Parent/Guardian Consent and Commitment Statement are required for all applicants. Please download the PDF, complete, sign and return. Statements can be scanned and emailed to jacksondarius@umkc.edu or mailed to:
UMKC School of Medicine
Office of Admissions, M1-103
Attn: Saturday Academy
2411 Holmes
Kansas City, MO 64108
STEP 3: Submit one recommendation from a teacher, counselor, administrator, community member, advisor, mentor, etc.
Those providing a recommendation can submit the Saturday Academy Recommendation Form or a letter of recommendation. If using the form, a portion of the form should be completed by the student and then submitted to the person providing the reference. Once the reference is complete, the recommender should print, sign and mail to:
UMKC School of Medicine
Office of Admissions, M1-103
Attn: Saturday Academy
2411 Holmes
Kansas City, MO 64108
The signed recommendation form may also be scanned and emailed to jacksondarius@umkc.edu. Letters of recommendation will be accepted in place of the form.
STEP 4: Submit high school transcripts (grades 10 – 12) or most recent grade card (grades 6 – 9).
Transcripts and/or grade cards should be sent to:
UMKC School of Medicine
Office of Admissions, M1-103
Attn: Saturday Academy
2411 Holmes
Kansas City, MO 64108
Questions about Saturday Academy?
Contact the
UMKC School of Medicine
Office of Admissions at
or 816-235-5434.
Before You Apply
To learn more and determine
whether the Saturday Academy
program is the right fit,
read this information: