鈥淲ith a growing number of students looking for careers in health care and related fields, we want to provide more opportunities for them,鈥� says Kittie Grace, Ph.D., interim dean for academic affairs at Hastings.

The agreement with DMU opens doors for Hastings students to apply for several health care programs offered at DMU, including the assurance of interviews. It also secures one slot for a Hastings student aspiring to join DMU鈥檚 Doctor of Podiatric Medicine program and another for a student pursuing a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree.

鈥淭his agreement offers many opportunities for Hastings students,鈥� says Molly Moeller, senior director of admissions and recruitment at DMU. 鈥淭his agreement is part of DMU鈥檚 ongoing efforts to meet the demands of an anticipated workforce shortage. This partnership opens doors for more students to enter medical careers.鈥�

Barb Dietrich Boose, who serves as the editor of the magazine and editorial director at the university, earned the first-place award in the Best Feature Article category for her piece titled 鈥�A Bold Vision Made Real.鈥� It highlighted the development of DMU’s new 88-acre campus in West Des Moines, which the university moved to in June 2023.听

AACOM鈥檚 Excellence in Communications Awards Program is designed to recognize the important role communications plays in advancing osteopathic medical education and the profession. Each year, more than 70 entries are reviewed in multiple categories and winners are chosen by an expert panel of judges. Entries are judged on creativity and effectiveness in fulfilling the mission of each submitting osteopathic medical school.  

AACOM includes all the colleges of osteopathic medicine from around the nation. DMU is the second oldest osteopathic college in the U.S. The communication awards were presented at the association鈥檚 annual meeting in April. 

After an extensive national search, David Connett, D.O., FACOFP (dist.), has been appointed as the new dean of the 含羞草研究所 College of Osteopathic Medicine, effective July 1, 2024.

“An accomplished physician, educator and visionary in osteopathic medicine, Dr. Connett brings exceptional experience and qualifications to his new role. He is a recognized leader in osteopathic medicine education. He is exactly the right person to continue the standard of excellence DMU is known for and propel the university to the next level to help address national health care workforce shortages and more,” says Angela L. Walker Franklin, Ph.D., president and CEO.

Connett has a distinguished career spanning decades. A 1984 graduate of the Western University of Health Sciences – College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, he completed his postgraduate training at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. His professional journey includes distinguished service in the United States Air Force as a board-certified family physician and flight surgeon, where he notably served as chief of aerospace medicine.

Connett has also served as the chief medical officer of an osteopathic teaching hospital and has been an integral part of the faculty at Western University of Health Sciences since 2007, progressively assuming roles as the dean of postdoctoral training, vice dean, and currently, acting dean. He is a national consultant in residency development. A distinguished fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, he was inducted into the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Board of Governors in 2018.

“This is an exciting time to join the DMU community and the College of Osteopathic Medicine,” Connett says. “DMU is a highly respected osteopathic medical school. It’s number one in the nation for board scores. The faculty are harmonious. It’s an amazing place and the campus that has been built under Dr. Franklin’s leadership is impressive.”

In his leisure time, Connett enjoys various outdoor pursuits, including biking, fishing and sporting activities. In addition to his career, Connett’s family is also a priority. His daughter serves as a D.O. surgeon in South Dakota, and his son is a cybersecurity expert living in Michigan. Relocating to Iowa from California brings him closer to his family, including one grandchild, with two more expected to join the family by the end of 2024.

“DMU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine holds a distinguished reputation as one of the nation’s premier medical institutions, renowned for producing top-tier primary care physicians,” Franklin says. “The college also has enjoyed exceptional performance on national exams and high Match Day rates. Dr. Connett is poised to further enhance and expand on this legacy of excellence.”

David Kapaska, D.O., a 1986 graduate of DMU, has served as interim dean of the college since February 2024. He will return to his service as a member of the DMU board of trustees.

The free events, part of the university’s youth outreach programs, were organized by DMU鈥檚 community relations department and student organizations, including the Women鈥檚 Medical Alliance and Pediatrics Club. More than 100 students, faculty and staff in many of the university鈥檚 10 graduate degree programs in medicine and the health sciences guided GEMS and BROS attendees in activities at more than a dozen stations. Activities included making take-home products for healthy skin, gazing at bacteria through microscopes, properly donning surgical gowns and gloves in the university鈥檚 mock operating room and riding a blender bicycle to mix up healthy smoothies. 

The programs are designed to expose youth to careers in health care and science and the fun, fascinating aspects these careers entail.  

CASE is a global nonprofit association that serves educational advancement professionals in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and advancement services. It offers programming and networking through eight districts in the United States and Canada. District VI comprises Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. 

Franklin became DMU鈥檚 15^th president and CEO in 2011 after serving as executive vice president, provost and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Meharry Medical College in Nashville. During her tenure at the university, DMU launched its $25 million the largest fundraising effort in DMU鈥檚 history. That goal was surpassed a year later, so DMU doubled the goal to $50 million, which it exceeded in January 2024.  

Franklin also led the university in building and moving its campus from 3200 Grand Ave. in Des Moines to a new 88-acre campus with state-of-the-art facilities and technology at 8025 Grand Ave. in West Des Moines. The 2023 move coincided with DMU鈥檚 125^th anniversary. 

Frequently featured in local and national publications, Franklin often speaks on the topics of women leaders, transformative leadership and the importance of fostering a culturally competent and diverse health care workforce ready to serve people and populations of all backgrounds. She has led DMU in developing partnerships with Iowa health systems and other higher education institutions to benefit aspiring health professionals. 

Also under her leadership, DMU: 

• Received national recognition among all U.S. medical schools as one of the top producers of much-needed primary care physicians.  
• Became the nation鈥檚 first medical school to partner with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to offer NAMI鈥檚 provider education program to osteopathic medical students to equip them to recognize mental health issues among patients. 
• Opened a new behavioral health clinic within the DMU Clinic to provide much-needed services. 
• Added a Ph.D. program in biomedical sciences and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. 
• Was named a 鈥淕reat College to Work For^庐鈥� and an Honor Roll institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and a 鈥淭op Iowa Workplace鈥� by the Des Moines Register. 
• Received the Institutional Excellence Award of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education; Iowa鈥檚 Healthiest State Initiative Award in the large workplace category; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and West Des Moines Chamber. 
• Earned its second platinum-level Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Council of America. 

Franklin has served on the boards of UnityPoint Health, Bankers Trust, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Harkin National Advisory Council, the Science Center of Iowa and United Way of Central Iowa. She chaired the Assembly of Presidents of the American College of Osteopathic Medicine, United Way of Central Iowa Health Cabinet, Greater Des Moines Partnership Workforce Education Board, American Heart Association Go Red for Women Movement Luncheon, JDRF One Walk to Cure Diabetes, and the Mental Health Workgroup of the Central Iowa Community Health Needs Assessment. 

Franklin also has served on the boards of the Association of Academic Health Centers and Furman University and as a member of the Adaptive Work Group Addressing Racism in Healthcare of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. 

Her many awards include AACOM鈥檚 2022 Dale S. Dodson Award in recognition of her significant contributions to the advancement and support of osteopathic medical education; the 2017 American Psychological Association Training Advisory Committee Special Award; the 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award from the Iowa Department of Human Rights; the 2015 Mary McLeod Bethune Award (Educator of the Year) from the Iowa Juneteenth Observance Committee; and the 2013 African American History Maker Award from the African American Museum of Iowa. In 2022, she was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame, which honors the achievements of Iowans who have made outstanding contributions to developing and enhancing the state鈥檚 business climate. 

Treace, the parent company of the patented Lapiplasty system, not only sells the product to foot and ankle surgeons but also provides intensive and ongoing training for the surgeons that use its products. This assures that the Lapiplasty surgeon fully understands the principles of the procedure and carries them out with the highest success rates.

Bunions, which affect an estimated 65 million Americans, are complex, three-dimensional deformities caused by an unstable joint in the middle of the foot. It causes the metatarsal bone that connects to the bones of the big toe to drift out of alignment, which then makes the big toe move toward the smaller toes. That creates a bump on the side of the foot that can make it painful to stand, walk and wear certain shoes.

Showing success: Dr. Kelly John took this photo right before operating on the bunion on this patient’s left foot. John had performed Lapiplasty surgery on the patient’s right foot three months earlier.

“Rather than just shaving off that bump, Lapiplasty starts with the unstable joint in the midfoot,” John says. “For most patients, its advanced technology allows for better outcomes, better straightness of big toe joint and greater longevity of the correction.”

Lapiplasty fixes bunions by bringing the bones back into alignment and stabilizing the metatarsal with patented, titanium plates. The advantages of using the Lapiplasty system over other bunion procedures include:

• Shorter non-weight bearing post-operative protocol and earlier return to weight bearing.
• Improved range of motion of the big toe joint after surgery as compared to traditional bunion surgery.
• Long-term correction and a very low rate of bunion recurrence.

That’s key, because as a bunion develops, the metatarsal “rolls” as it moves out of alignment. If it isn’t secured in place during surgery, the bunion can redevelop.

John began training on Lapiplasty procedures in 2019. While elective surgeries like bunion correction greatly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, she resumed the elective surgeries in 2021 and attended the first Lapiplasty Centurion Conference in 2022.

“The number-one criterion for bunion correction is pain, and the true test of the surgical correction is how well the deformity is corrected and maintained,” she says. “I’ve been really happy with the outcomes my patients have had with Lapiplasty surgery.”

If you suffer from a painful bunion, Dr. John can determine if the Lapiplasty procedure is right for you. Contact her at the DMU Clinic – Foot and Ankle at 3200 Grand Ave. in Des Moines at 515-271-1731.

Astro maps the home environment so it can smoothly move about, follow users if desired and monitor activity. 

It can detect and send alerts if a person falls, needs to contact someone outside the home, or leaves the stove on or a door open. 

Astro lets users Facetime with others and enables them and their loved ones to receive activity alerts and remote live views of the home. 

It can be programmed to send reminders of upcoming calendar events and when to eat, take medications or complete other timely tasks. 

Astro is fun! Users can command it to dance with them, play favorite music, podcasts or shows and tell jokes, among many other actions. 

The scholarship awards are named in honor of past PCMS Executive Director Kathie Lyman for her lifelong work furthering medical education.

DMU students who received this year鈥檚 awards:

• Mikayla Brockmeyer, a fourth-year student in DMU鈥檚 Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, received a $500 award in recognition of her participation in global service and education.
• Kevin Morales, a third-year student in the D.O. program, received a $1,000 academic scholarship.
• Chloe Van Vliet, a second-year student in DMU鈥檚 Doctor of Podiatric Medicine program, received a $1,000 academic scholarship.

The awards were presented at the medical society鈥檚 annual membership dinner on March 25.

Founded in 1851, the Polk County Medical Society is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the state of Iowa, representing more than 1,200 physicians and their patients. It seeks to promote the science and art of medicine and the betterment of public health unity, harmony and the welfare of the medical profession. PCMS also provides physician referral and background education and training information for consumers in Central Iowa.

The award recognizes 鈥渆xtraordinary contributions鈥� to the profession鈥檚 advancement, including through outstanding leadership, innovative or emerging practice or political support. 

Feldhacker joined DMU in 2021 as the founding director and chair of the university鈥檚 new occupational therapy program, which welcomed its first cohort in 2023. It has achieved candidacy status from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association.听

鈥淒r. Feldhacker is an exceptional practitioner, educator, scholar and leader who demonstrates compassion and empathy, and strives for excellence and advancement in our profession,鈥� stated her DMU O.T.D. colleagues in their nomination of her for the award. 鈥淪he goes above and beyond to make sure all faculty and staff鈥檚 needs are met to ensure everyone is successful. She consistently demonstrates the DMU image through her high-quality work ethic, teamwork and passion for developing the occupational therapy program. Her leadership has set the O.T.D. department up for continued success.鈥� 

Feldhacker earned her Bachelor of Science degree in health science and Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Creighton University and her Doctor of Philosophy in health science from the University of South Dakota. She holds board certification in physical rehabilitation from the American Occupational Therapy Association and has certifications in Lee Silverman Voice Training BIG, CarFit and the SOS Approach to Feeding. 

A member of several professional organizations, including the AOTA, World Federation of Occupational Therapists, Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity and the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association, Feldhacker has focused her recent research on the role of occupational therapy in disease self-management for individuals with Type 2 diabetes as well as systematic reviews of effectiveness of occupational therapy services. She regularly engages in scholarship related to teaching and learning within occupational therapy education. 

鈥淭here are pros and cons with every organization and position. It鈥檚 important to be self-reflective on what you want to do and to understand whether an organization will support your goals,鈥� says Rich Green, M.S.P.T.鈥�92, chief executive officer of Des Moines Orthopaedic Surgeons in Des Moines, West Des Moines and Ankeny, Iowa, and a member of the DMU Alumni Board.

Here are some basic key questions to ask.

Who owns the organization? Is it a nonprofit health center with a governing board made up of non-medical individuals, such as local citizens or clergy? Is it a physician-owned clinic? Is it a teaching hospital or one owned by the government, as a Veterans Health Administration hospital? Is the organization owned by a private equity firm that prioritizes profits?

The type of structure an organization has offers insights on another key consideration: Who makes the decisions? For example, UnitedHealth Group owns physician groups, health care facilities and the largest health insurer in the nation, UnitedHealthcare. How does that affect patient care and safety? (In February, the U.S. Justice Department opened an antitrust investigation of UnitedHealth Group.)

Green says that at DMOS, which is a private physician-owned practice, the physicians can become partners after two years. That gives them a voice in operational decisions. At a nonprofit hospital, employees may be appointed to committees that make recommendations but don鈥檛 have final say. However, those providers may spend more time in patient care and less on administrative matters.

The takeaway: Know what level and type of control are important to you.

What factors are involved in my compensation? Beyond a salary, does an organization require the providers to see a minimum number of patients in a day or week? How does that affect time spent with patients?

Some positions offer compensation based on Relative Value Units, in which providers are paid more for managing more complex procedures and services. Simplified, they earn a specific number of RVUs based on the types of services rendered. On one hand, RVU-based compensation rewards providers for taking on more work, complex patients and challenging procedures. On the other, that approach can drive a highly competitive work environment among the providers and may discourage practices from taking on lower-paying Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Fixed salary compensation models may create less pressure on providers to work faster and treat as many patients as possible, but that may limit their earning potential.

鈥淢edical students and new graduates typically are excited to take care of patients and are eager to pay off their tuition debt,鈥� Green says. 鈥淭hen they find out, 鈥業鈥檝e got to see how many patients a day?鈥� You want to understand the compensation parameters to make the decision that works best for you.鈥�

How can I build my practice within the organization? As a new provider within an organization of any size, you鈥檒l want to know how patients are assigned to you. Will you have a say? What will be your mix of private-paying patients and those using Medicare or Medicaid? How will that affect your actual compensation? Will you be put on call? If so, how often, and how will that affect your pay?

鈥淗ealth care is so much different from when I graduated from DMU鈥檚 physical therapy program. Students and new graduates need to have some knowledge of health care鈥檚 business and financial aspects,鈥� Green says. 鈥淥ne type of structure or governance isn鈥檛 necessarily better than another, but understanding the impact on one鈥檚 day-to-day practice and compensation and how that fits one鈥檚 goals and values are important.鈥�