If you’d like to pursue a career in medicine and you live in Iowa or are moving there soon, there are a couple of options for you here. There’s a public medical school in Iowa that grants M.D. degrees and is ranked among the best ones in the U.S., and a private osteopathic medical school that grants O.D. degrees. To help you decide which one is the best for you, we’ll cover everything they have to offer down below.
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Top Medical Schools in Iowa
1. Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (CCOM)
The Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (CCOM) belongs to the University of Iowa and was founded in 1870.
It is ranked as the 26th best medical school in terms of primary care by the U.S. News & World Report, and the 8th best in terms of research. Some of its departments have ranked higher. For example, in 2019, their physician assistant department ranked as the best one, and their family medicine department ranked as the 19th best.
The M.D. curriculum was changed in 2014, and includes modifications like condensing the preclinical phase into 18 months. CCOM has some dual degree programs that combine the M.D. degree with a Master’s in Business Administration, a Master’s in Public Health, a Juris Doctor degree (in partnership with the College of Law), or a Ph.D.
In 2018, 152 students were admitted to this medical school in Iowa. Their average GPA was of 3.7, and their average MCAT score was of 512. The majority of the students admitted are Iowa residents. Actually, when doing the selection process, prospective students are divided into two groups: in-state applicants and out-of-state applicants. 70% of the students accepted in 2018 were Iowa residents.
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2. Des Moines University (DMU)
Des Moines University (DMU) has over a century of experience in the medical field, as it was founded in 1898 and is completely dedicated to the health area. This makes it the second oldest medical school in the U.S. that grants D.O. degrees.
The D.O. curriculum divides into three phases. The first year is focused on foundational scientific knowledge. The second-year follows an organ system, and students start getting clinical experiences through simulated and laboratory practices. The last two years consist of clinical rotations to prepare students for residency and their professional life.
Besides the D.O. degree, they also have other programs. They include two master’s programs in Anatomy and Biomedical Sciences, two doctorate’s programs in Physical Therapy and Podiatric Medicine, and programs in Physician Assistance, Health Care Administration, and Public Health. The last two are also available as online programs.
In 2018, 219 students enrolled at DMU. The admissions committee usually accepts a big amount of out-of-state students. In the same year, only 18% of the students were from Iowa. The average GPA of the accepted students was of 3.6 and the average MCAT score was of 507.
They do not accept international students for the D.O. program, but they can apply to any of the online programs.
We hope that this article on Iowa medical schools was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students!
