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 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. In 2019, the university announced plans to relocate to West Des Moines by 2023. The unaffiliated Des Moines College used the name Des Moines University during the 1920s until its closure in 1929.
Admissions statistics
The COM D.O. class of 2022 had an average overall GPA of 3.61, an average science GPA of 3.54, and an average MCAT score of 507. The average age is 23, with students ranging in age from 21 to 36. Of the total class size of 219 students, 44% are female and 56% are male. 19% of the students are from Iowa, while the remaining students represent 33 other states. Admission is highly competitive. For the 2018 entering class the school received 4873 applications for 221 spots. In order to be considered for admission, applicants 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 considered for admission, but the most common majors are biology and chemistry. Also, incoming students must have healthcare-related experience emphasizing patient contact and must demonstrate strong interviewing skills. Once accepted, matriculation is contingent on passing a drug screen and criminal background check.
