In case celebrating America’s birthday AND having a 3-day weekend is not exciting enough for you, there’s TONS to do around Iowa this weekend!!

A huge event downtown is the 80/35 music fest. I went last time and it was AWESOME. If you buy a ticket you can see tons of bands. If you don’t want to buy a ticket, you can still enjoy some of the fun. Fireworks at night, a Young Professional village, etc.

Or you can attend the GoodGuys car show – hot rods and customs – Friday-Sunday. It includes cars, tunes & fireworks; always a good time! Living History Farms is having a big celebration.Or Friday night, enjoy old-time patriotic tunes for FREE at Jester Park, 6-8 p.m., or catch a concert at Fort Des Moines. In the mood for some blues with your red&white? Attend Blues Before Sunset. It’s free & family-friendly. For more great events, visit www.seedesmoines.com or check out the Des Moines Register’s guide.

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Des Moines University is serious about community service. We do SO many projects every year it’s hard to keep track of them. So when United Way of Central Iowa had a contest for videos describing how an organization “Lives United,” I knew we had to enter. Here’s our video:

What do you think?? United Way must’ve liked it as they chose it as best overall video! I’m thrilled and glad we could contribute to their great message. (Thanks to all the great DMU people who helped put it together!).

Posted in Anatomy, Biomedical Science, Current Students, Des Moines Events, Des Moines University Clinic, DMU Alumni, DMU Events, DMU News, Global Health, Governor Branstad, Health Care Administration, Health News, Life in Des Moines, New Students, Osteopathic Medicine, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine, Prospective Students, Public Health, Student Bloggers, Student Life | 1 Comment

Why would that dimple under your nose be called a “love potion”? In ancient times when people did not bath regularly, ladies placed a drop of perfume between the two raised ridges of their upper lip. It was intended to disguise both their own smell and that of their lovers. These two ridges on either side of the dimple are fusion lines in the development of the upper jaw. The two sides of the upper jaw come together and meet a midline pillar of tissue to complete the upper lip. For this reason a cleft lip, or “hare lip” in popular terms, occurs more commonly slightly off center than in the midline which is the normal anatomy for hares (rabbits).

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As you may know, a great number of DMU students live near campus.  I watch them from my window every day as they dodge cars on Grand Ave. on their way to class.

The last few weeks has been another spectacle entirely – moving mayhem!  Students, friends, parents, little siblings – all helping move belongings in or out of apartments. Maybe the students moving out are on their way to rotations or residencies, or those moving in are brand new students that will join us this August (Orientation starts August 4)!  It’s also possible they have no affiliation with DMU and just happen to like living in our neighborhood.  At this moment I can see U-hauls, a couple minivans and there is even a horse trailer blocking one lane of traffic on Grand while its contents are being emptied onto the front lawn!

Posted in Current Students, Des Moines Events, DMU Events, New Students | 1 Comment