Shaping the Future of
Health Care in Kansas
Kansas is facing a health care crisis. Once ranked the eighth healthiest state in the nation, Kansas has now fallen to 29th, with more than half its residents living in medically underserved areas. Rural hospitals are struggling, access to care is shrinking, and the need for skilled, compassionate doctors has never been greater.†
At Kansas Health Science University (KHSU), we’re working to ensure a healthier future for Kansas. As the home of the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, we are educating and equipping the next generation of health care leaders. Our student doctors are not only receiving training in the latest medical advancements but are also becoming deeply connected to the communities they will one day serve, thanks to local clinical rotations and partnerships. Through innovative research, hands-on training, and strategic partnerships, we can expand health care access and improve patient outcomes across the state. Because when it comes to the health of Kansas, we’re not just preparing the doctors of tomorrow; we’re shaping the future of care.
Here for Kansas. Here for good.
Stay Connected
Stay informed about KHSU and its initiatives to address the physician shortage and improve health across communities by subscribing to “Scope,” our quarterly email newsletter. You’ll receive exciting updates, invitations to events, and important announcements.
Training Tomorrow’s Doctors. Strengthening Kansas Today!
Kansas Health Science University is home to the state’s first osteopathic medical school, and we’re committed to developing the compassionate health care leaders of tomorrow, today! Through our flagship program, Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (KansasCOM), we are working to improve the health of the state, beginning with addressing the growing doctor shortage, particularly in rural Kansas.
Investing in Future Doctors
Since our inception, KHSU has been intentional in recruiting students who are committed to serving the medically underserved. While academic excellence is essential, students must also embody tenacity, empathy, and a dedication to service — key qualities in advancing our mission. To attract the brightest and best-fit student doctors, KHSU offers a variety of scholarships created by generous donors.
Medical school debt often deters doctors from practicing in areas with the greatest need and pushes them toward areas with higher-paying jobs. Scholarships empower future doctors to choose careers based on impact, not salary. Reducing financial stress also helps students stay mentally healthy, succeed in school, and have greater success in their careers.
Preparing Doctors for Tomorrow
Becoming a physician requires 4 years of medical school followed by an additional 3-7 years of residency training, meaning today’s student doctors are preparing now to care for patients nearly a decade into the future. KHSU prepares student doctors to continuously evaluate and consider advanced technologies’ ability to enhance their medical practice and improve patient outcomes.
KHSU was built with the understanding that advanced technologies are the future of health care. We have a vision to be at the forefront of where medicine and technology intersect. KHSU prepares future doctors to use new technologies while still focusing on patient care. Norm-bending advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming medicine, and KansasCOM teaches the benefits, limits, and ethical considerations of medical AI.
Anchored in Downtown Wichita
Leading the development of Wichita’s Biomedical Corridor in downtown Wichita, KHSU’s state-of-the-art campus is housed in 116,000 square feet of the completely remodeled historic Innes Building. Once home to Macy’s Department Store, the transformed space boasts a clinical training floor complete with modern inpatient and outpatient simulation centers, advanced holographic biomedical sciences and anatomy laboratories, a medical library with access to thousands of journals, technology-enabled study rooms, and the best in classroom technology.
Medical education requires more than a great facility; the right tools, faculty, and partnerships prepare students for real-world challenges. With hundreds of clinical partnerships across the state of Kansas, student doctors gain real-world experiences and are prepared for residency.
Committed to Kansas Communities
Doctors tend to practice where they are raised, where they attend medical school, or where they complete their residency.‡ To recruit and retain doctors who meet the needs of Kansas, KHSU aims to impact all areas through partnerships, residencies, state and federal advocacy, community development, and more.
KHSU is proud to have established its first Medical Education (MedEd) Hub in southwest Kansas and anticipates growing the number of hubs across the state. Working closely with local community partners to conduct and evaluate research, the MedEd Hub addresses solving the shortage from developing local students for careers in medicine to immersing student doctors in rural communities and a specialized track for rural medicine and even supporting physicians in practice.
Join Us in Making a Lasting Impact
Join us in making a lasting impact on Kansas health care and be part of the change. Whether through advocacy, partnerships, or philanthropy, your support helps shape the future of Kansas health care. Fill out the contact form below, and a member of our team will get in touch with you.
KHSU encourages donors to visit with their family, and financial and legal advisors, about strategies for making charitable gifts.
Contact the Office of Institutional Advancement
Federal Tax ID: 82-5178988
† A study by the Kansas Health Foundation found that in 1992, Kansas was ranked 8th healthiest nationally, but by 2023, it had fallen to 29th, according to America’s Health Rankings. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s 2023 Underserved Areas Report indicates that 61 out of 105 counties are designated as medically underserved for primary medical care. Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) shows that approximately 49.32% of Kansas residents live in areas designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for primary care.
‡ A study published in Healthcare found that clinicians are most likely to establish their practices in regions where they completed all three stages of their education—high school, medical school, and residency training. A report by the Niskanen Center highlights that residency location significantly influences physicians’ practice locations. The report notes that physicians often remain near their residency sites due to developed professional, personal, and financial ties. An analysis of family medicine physicians revealed that 56% practiced within 100 miles of their residency location.