Des Moines University is an osteopathic medical school located in Des Moines, in the U.S. state of Iowa. Des Moines University is the second oldest osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. There are 14,124 total alumni (10,514 living).
The university is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) and by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Mission
"To improve lives in our global community by educating diverse groups of highly competent and compassionate health professionals."
History
Des Moines University was founded in 1898 as the Dr. S.S. Still College and Infirmary of Osteopathy & Surgery. It was renamed Still College in 1905 and Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery during the 1940s.
In 1958, the institution was renamed the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery. The first satellite clinic was established in 1963. In 1971, the Dietz Diagnostic Center, then a specialty clinic, began operation as a major outpatient facility. In 1980 the University was renamed University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences with a broadened educational mission. The school moved to its present site in 1972. The College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery and the College of Biological Sciences (now the College of Health Sciences) were both established by the college's Board of Trustees in 1980 and are now part of the osteopathic medical university, along with the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery.
The College of Health Sciences established the physician assistant program in 1981 and the physical therapy program in 1988.
The college adopted the Des Moines University name on September 18, 1999. On August 15, 2003, former Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad became the university's president. On October 16, 2009, Branstad announced his retirement as President of Des Moines University in order to pursue running again for Governor of Iowa; Steve Dengle was chosen as interim president. In 2005, the university opened a $24 million Student Education Center, with a medical library, new classrooms, a coffee shop, and an exercise gym with a basketball court.
The unaffiliated Des Moines College used the name Des Moines University during the 1920s until its closure in 1929.
Admissions statistics
The COM (College of Osteopathic Medicine) class of 2020 had an average overall GPA of 3.63, an average science GPA of 3.57, and an average MCAT score of 29 and 506. The average age is 24 with students ranging in age from 20 to 39. Of the total class size of 221 students, 41% are female and 59% are male.
The COM class of 2017 had an average overall GPA of 3.68 with an average science GPA of 3.68. The average MCAT was 28.2.
In order to be considered for admission, you must have a bachelor’s degree or complete the requirements for a degree before enrollment. The degree must be from a regionally accredited institution. Any major of study is acceptable for application but the most common are biology and chemistry respectively. All accepted students will be required to pay for and complete a criminal background check and prior to matriculation, and during each year of enrollment at Des Moines University. During the 2015-2016 application cycle DMU COM received 5,062 applicants with 225 matriculating at a rate of about 4.44%.
Degrees offered
Des Moines University has 9 academic programs.
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
- Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
- Master of Health Care Administration (M.H.A.)
- Masters in Public Health (M.P.H.)
- Master of Science in Anatomy (M.S.)
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (M.S.)
- Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.)
- Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
Notable alumni
- William G. Anderson
- Enrico Fazzini D.O., Ph.D.
- Amy Foxx-Orenstein, D.O., president of the American College of Gastroenterology and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
- Ivan Raimi, D.O., an American screenwriter
- Lee Rogers, podiatrist
See also
- Sigma Sigma Phi, national osteopathic medicine honors fraternity, officially chartered at the university in 1925
References
External links
- Official website