DMU student organizations frequently bring experts and opinion leaders to campus, sometimes “virtually.”

On October 2, 12 – 1 p.m., the Sports Medicine Club and the Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine Club will co-sponsor a video presentation by Kirsten Peterson, Ph.D., a sport psychologist with the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs. Peterson served on the U.S. Olympic Committee sport psychology staff for the 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 Olympic teams.

This event is free and open to the public. It will be in Des Moines University Academic Center, Lecture Hall 2, 3440 Grand Ave. Peterson will talk about the psychological aspects of sports-related injuries and how she works with athletes, coaches and teams, says Adam Simonsen, D.O. student in the class of 2012, co-president of the Sports Medicine Club. The presentation will be transmitted via Skype to allow attendees and Peterson to see each other and share questions and comments.

Sports Medicine Club Vice President Jenny Wong, D.O. student in the class of 2012, helped organize the presentation. Peterson was her sports psychologist when Wong was a resident athlete in wrestling at the Olympic Training Center. She accompanied Wong’s team to world-level competitions.

Posted in Current Students, DMU Events, Des Moines Events, Osteopathic Medicine, Prospective Students, Student Life | Leave a Comment

The challenge: Trying a new food item = butternut squash in a main dish.
This pasta will warm you right up during those cold winter nights in Iowa. If you’re into wedding gifts, here’s a recipe for the couple-to-be to prepare together. This is a great recipe because you hardly need to measure anything – and I love that!

What you need:
1.   Pasta of your choosing (twisty ones can catch the tasty sauce)
2.   Butternut squash (one medium or large size)
3.   Bacon (as many as your heart desires) – 4 to 8 slices worked for the two of us
4.   Diced yellow sweet onions (or any onion)
5.   A clove or two of garlic
6.   A can (15oz) of chicken broth
7.   Salt & pepper to taste; shredded parmesan cheese for topping

For the husband to be:
1.   Bring to a boil a big pot of water. Take the pasta and dump it in the pot as directed on your box. When done, drain and set aside.
2.   Cook bacon as you normally would for breakfast on stovetop. Pat bacon dry with paper towel. Reserve one tablespoon of bacon fat for wife.
3.   When done, clean up any mess you may have made, set the table and leave the kitchen.

Posted in Student Life | 1 Comment

I realize we talked about our fall travel last week, but it’s such a busy time of year for us, I thought we needed to mention it again. (Here’s our schedule if you want to see if we’re coming to your school!)

Last week I joined admissions coordinator Lisa Vroegh at the UNI Career Fair to see first-hand what these recruiting trips are all about.We talked to a variety of students from freshman who were still undecided about their majors to graduated seniors who were already applying to medical schools.

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions:

• What are the requirements for your ____ program? (insert Physical Therapy, Osteopathic Medicine, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine, Health Care Administration, Public Health, Anatomy or Biomedical Science)
• When should I apply? (Each program has a slightly different schedule, so check the website for specific dates. Regardless of the program, the sooner you get your application in the better!)
• What kind of financial aid is available?
• Do you have campus visits?

Posted in Anatomy, Biomedical Science, Health Care Administration, New Students, Osteopathic Medicine, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine, Prospective Students, Public Health, Research, Rural Health | 1 Comment

Des Moines continues to impress me and make me proud to call it home. The latest addition that I’m bragging to everyone I know is the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Garden in Western Gateway Park. It includes 24 pieces and is said to rival similar parks in St. Paul and Seattle. Des Moines is definitely making a place for itself culturally (In other news, Wicked is opening at the Civic Center this weekend!).

I wandered around and snapped some photos at dusk but I’ll definitely be going back to see how the park looks in all seasons and lights. With plenty of open grassy areas it’s a great place for a picnic or even studying!

Posted in Current Students, Des Moines Events, Life in Des Moines, New Students, Prospective Students | 2 Comments

Eggs are great because they are low in fat and high in protein–and you can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

I like mine fried, hard-boiled in egg salad or my current favorite scrambled in a breakfast burrito. This recipe is so easy I can make it from memory.

For one burrito I spray a skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat on medium, beat two eggs and pour into the skillet. Cook until eggs are thick but still moist. Add salsa and low-fat cheese and transfer the mixture into a whole-wheat tortilla.Yum!

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Before moving to Des Moines, I thought I could avoid eating corn. (Can’t say it’s on my favorite vegetable list.) But gee, corn really is everywhere and it has finally invaded my home! I mean, I like candied corn, popcorn and corn dogs, but not regular ‘ole corn on the cob.

These Iowans really convinced me to try corn the old B&B way, “Boiled and Buttered.” So I got suckered in and am totally enjoying sweet corn! I’ve kicked it up a notch and dress it up with cayenne pepper, paprika and garlic salt.

How do you make your corn on the cob?

Posted in Current Students, Life in Des Moines, Student Life | Leave a Comment