10 DMU Degrees. 10 Alumni Stories. 10 Ways to Make a Difference.
Whether they studied osteopathic medicine, public health or biomedical sciences at 722 Sixth Avenue, 3200 Grand Avenue or the new campus at 8025 Grand Avenue, graduates of Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences share one thing in common: the degrees they earned prepared them to care, to lead and to serve.
It’s a physical therapist helping patients regain balance and confidence after the disorienting effects of dizziness.
It’s a plastic surgeon restoring form, function and a sense of self.
It’s an occupational therapy graduate just beginning her career, working toward becoming a Certified Hand Therapist.
Each path is distinct, and each calling is deeply personal. At DMU, those callings are first shaped in the classroom and continue in clinics, hospitals and communities near and far.
Through our Life After DMU series, we celebrate 10 alumni who exemplify the many ways a DMU degree can make a difference.
Life of an ... Occupational Therapist: Helping People Return to Everyday Living
Kassidy Hackbarth, OTD’26, first discovered occupational therapy while job shadowing. During that experience, she witnessed an OT working with a 15-year-old girl who was paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident. The client’s therapy goal was simple: to attend her freshman prom.
The OT focused on helping her relearn daily tasks like dressing and using the restroom — skills that allowed her to regain independence and participate in something deeply meaningful to a teenage girl.
In that moment, Hackbarth realized she wanted to do more than help people function. She wanted to support them through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
That realization led to her own OT path at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences.
Now, as an alumna of DMU’s first Doctor of Occupational Therapy cohort, Hackbarth is hitting the ground running.
After graduating in May, Hackbarth began her career with 21st Century Rehab at Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson, Iowa. The role is based in a rural hospital and includes inpatient, outpatient and skilled care, allowing her to serve individuals from all walks of life.
She also plans to pursue lymphedema certification and work toward her Certified Hand Therapist credential.
For Hackbarth, being part of the inaugural DMU OTD cohort was special.
“I got to see the raw passion of the professors and help shape the program,” she says.
She also appreciated how each faculty member brought a distinct area of expertise to the program — from pediatrics to geriatrics and neuro OT — reinforcing the broad scope of occupational therapy.
As she begins her career, Hackbarth is excited to build meaningful connections with her clients, colleagues and community. Above all, she looks forward to doing what drew her to occupational therapy in the first place.
“Service is something the OT professors at DMU really teach us — to be client centered, build rapport and truly engage with people during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” she says.