She may be just a junior, but this is Missouri Gamma Victoria “Tori” Shaw’s last semester of undergraduate work. Why? She is starting medical school in the fall!

This was one of the things that attracted Tori to Drury University (DU): the school’s partnership with Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB) through the Medical Scholars Programs. The program allows for undergraduates to be pre-accepted into medical school if they meet the requirements, and the transition would occur so that they would forgo their senior year of college to start medical school that year instead.

Tori knew this would be a competitive process. In preparation for applying for medical school, Tori shadowed doctors, cardiologists, OBGYNs, orthopedic surgeons and general surgeons. She also completed a significant amount of community service. One site Tori really enjoyed volunteering at was Jordan Valley Community Health Center (JVCHC), where she has spent more than 75 hours.

The mission of JVCHC is “to improve the health of our community by providing high quality and accessible medical, dental and behavioral health services to Springfield, Missouri and the surrounding areas.” The clinic operates on a sliding scale system in which it meets the needs of the individual who may not have a job or may not have insurance. Everyone is provided with the medical care they need, such as dental care, child appropriate vaccinations and prenatal care. The clinic supports lower income families and fits the need of the Springfield, Missouri, community. Tori has never worried about healthcare and always had insurance to cover any of her health needs, so she admits it has been a humbling experience to volunteer at the clinic.

After her second year of school, Tori applied to KCUMB, interviewed and toured the campus. She checked her email multiple times a day for two months until she received the one email she was waiting for: she was accepted into the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program. She walked during the middle of class and started crying tears of joy.

I can only imagine the emotions Tori felt. This is something she wanted her whole life. She even remembers saying she wanted to be a doctor when she was a little girl. She continued to say it in high school too, but didn’t understand why. So Tori took time to think about the why and turned to her Christian faith, especially the verse Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” In reflecting, Tori thought, “God has plan for my life and I just keep going and following that purpose. I will serve others for the rest of my life and will be able to do this through medicine.”