About Des Moines University
One university — 125 years strong
We share a singular mission to develop distinctive health professionals committed to health promotion, the discovery of knowledge, and service to the community.
Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is a premier medical and health sciences institution comprising three colleges offering 10 graduate degrees. The programs share a collective strength—a collaborative campus community where students and faculty come together in the pursuit of knowledge and innovation.
Des Moines University creates opportunities by building on its long legacy of providing outstanding education to the nation’s health care professionals and excellent patient care in the DMU Clinic.
Our strong reputation in medicine and health sciences fields is built on the commitment of our faculty who are passionate about training tomorrow's leaders with unmatched dedication and uncompromised intention. Our graduates enter the profession with confidence, compassion, and the determination to improve the lives of others on a daily basis.
Explore our degrees
Des Moines University has 10 different programs within three health sciences colleges, all widely respected and highly competitive.
Doctoral Programs
Master's Programs
Other Offerings
DMU quick facts
The University is a community of diverse and talented people. Some key indicators tell the story of the University's exceptional quality.
-
We're big enough to offer powerful amenities but small enough to focus on excellence
DMU is the largest medical school in Iowa–and among the top 25 largest accredited schools in the nation (for D.O.s or M.D.s)–with more than 880 students in the osteopathic medical program. Year-to-year, the university enrolls over 1,500 students across all 10 programs.
-
We have a rich history of equality and diversity
The very first medical class in 1898 included both sexes and today 50% of the student body are women. Today, one of our core values is embracing and committing to diversity and inclusivity for all of our students, faculty, and staff.
-
Our students know their stuff
We have nearly 100% match rates as a three-year average for our D.O. and D.P.M. programs, and 100% three-year averages of the licensure exam pass rate for our D.O., D.P.M., D.P.T., and M.S.P.A.S. programs.
-
We help make your dreams a reality with robust scholarship opportunities
Students received more than $5.5 million in scholarships in the '19-'20 academic year.
-
Our alumni span the country–and the globe
DMU has over 14,000 alumni and more than 3,100 of those are located in Iowa.
-
We are passionate about serving our community
DMU students and employees serve the community in a wide variety of ways, from free on-campus events like the annual Senior Health Fair and Girls Exploring Medicine & Science to off-campus health screenings, osteopathic manual medicine treatments, health education programs, and many more volunteer activities.