KANSAS CITY, Mo. - High school students are getting a chance to be med students for the day at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Its staff says it's great timing because applications for med school are skyrocketing, with the demand for health professionals being high.

Participantsare high school students from Northeast, Southeast and East high schools in Kansas City.

They're not treating actual people, but these simulators that mimic human reaction like breath and pulse. They are voice activated by medical students.

The reason Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences offers this is to expose high school students to careers in medicine. But it's something med students and high schoolers enjoy.

"Really inspire some people. Help them make goals to go to college and medical school and pursue a career in medicine," explained Nathan Kmetzsch, second year medical student.

Julie Tran, a sophomore at Northeast High School, said she became interested in medicine after watching her sister work in pharmaceuticals. Tran said she had a lot of fun on this visit to KCU.

"It was a lot of hands on stuff which is really really fun because you don't get that in high school. Really fun to be able to touch and know what it's like to be a medical student. I really enjoyed that," said Tran.

The university is opening a second campus in Joplin. It will admit 150 students and they plan to start in summer 2017.

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Belinda Post can be reached at belinda.post@kshb.com.

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High school students go to medical school - KSHB