Spring Break
Worlds apart
Grant Snider
Issue date: 6/2/08 Section: Forum
I'm a UMKC student - sort of.
If you saw me walking on campus and stopped me to ask for directions, I couldn't point you in the direction of Cockefair Hall. I might even giggle at the word "Cockefair." I've never studied or checked out a book at Miller Nichols library and I didn't even know we had something called a "quad."
Aside from the dingy U-News shack, the building I've visited most on the Volker campus is the financial aid office. Those were not happy visits. The reason for my ignorance? My school days are spent on that bastion of post-undergraduate studies known as Hospital Hill.
There are adequate reasons for the geographical separation of Hospital Hill and the Volker Campus. Locating the medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy schools next to a couple of large hospitals, Truman Medical Center and Children's Mercy, allows greater collaboration between the institutions and creates a health-care hub. This midtown location is probably more conveniently located for Kansas City's underserved patient pool. It's unlikely that many Plaza or Brookside residents want a root canal from a shaky 24-year-old who just started shaving only recently.
There are probably fascinating historical tidbits about how the university was founded and sprouted or acquired its disembodied health-education appendage. Unfortunately, since it's such a hassle to drive from the dental school to the main campus to immerse myself in UMKC's historical archives, I won't discuss the history. The present reality is a university split in two.
The 26 city blocks that span the distance from "Main Campus" to Hospital Hill may be necessary, but, like those drugs your student-doctor prescribed, they can create some unfortunate side effects.
Despite the $51.32 we each spent last semester to "provide support for the UMKC's men's and women's intercollegiate athletic programs," few of my Dental School classmates have any loyalty whatsoever to UMKC athletics. This is evidenced by the number of students wearing unforgivably ugly Mizzou and K-State scrubs, as well as the palpable feeling of euphoria the day after KU basketball won the national championship.
If you saw me walking on campus and stopped me to ask for directions, I couldn't point you in the direction of Cockefair Hall. I might even giggle at the word "Cockefair." I've never studied or checked out a book at Miller Nichols library and I didn't even know we had something called a "quad."
Aside from the dingy U-News shack, the building I've visited most on the Volker campus is the financial aid office. Those were not happy visits. The reason for my ignorance? My school days are spent on that bastion of post-undergraduate studies known as Hospital Hill.
There are adequate reasons for the geographical separation of Hospital Hill and the Volker Campus. Locating the medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy schools next to a couple of large hospitals, Truman Medical Center and Children's Mercy, allows greater collaboration between the institutions and creates a health-care hub. This midtown location is probably more conveniently located for Kansas City's underserved patient pool. It's unlikely that many Plaza or Brookside residents want a root canal from a shaky 24-year-old who just started shaving only recently.
There are probably fascinating historical tidbits about how the university was founded and sprouted or acquired its disembodied health-education appendage. Unfortunately, since it's such a hassle to drive from the dental school to the main campus to immerse myself in UMKC's historical archives, I won't discuss the history. The present reality is a university split in two.
The 26 city blocks that span the distance from "Main Campus" to Hospital Hill may be necessary, but, like those drugs your student-doctor prescribed, they can create some unfortunate side effects.
Despite the $51.32 we each spent last semester to "provide support for the UMKC's men's and women's intercollegiate athletic programs," few of my Dental School classmates have any loyalty whatsoever to UMKC athletics. This is evidenced by the number of students wearing unforgivably ugly Mizzou and K-State scrubs, as well as the palpable feeling of euphoria the day after KU basketball won the national championship.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Mike
posted 6/02/08 @ 6:43 PM CST
I hope his dental work doesn't reflect his lousy writing. He writes like a freshman in the english department.
Mike
posted 6/02/08 @ 8:58 PM CST
Just kidding.
Solid work once again, Grant! Awesome cartoons also!
Grant
posted 6/04/08 @ 8:12 PM CST
Hey, some freshmans write good.
Mr. Mouth
posted 6/05/08 @ 3:43 AM CST
Dude, you can drill my teeth anytime.
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