Medical Schools in Iowa: How to Get In (2024)
/Learn everything you need to know about Iowa medical schools, including admissions statistics, degrees, rankings, and tuition
LEARN HOW TO GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN IOWA
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: List of medical schools in Iowa: 2024 admissions statistics, rankings, tuition, and more
Part 3: Iowa medical school profiles
Part 4: Iowa medical school admissions strategies
Final Thoughts
Appendix A: Iowa medical schools by degree type
Appendix B: Iowa medical schools by institution type
Appendix C: Iowa medical schools by region
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Part 1: Introduction
The mention of Iowa likely brings to mind images of farmland filled with rows upon rows of crops. After all, 85% of its land is used for farming, and it’s the largest producer of corn in the country. It’s also the setting of the iconic American Gothic portrait featuring a farmer and his daughter standing before their white farmhouse, pitchfork planted ominously between them.
But the Hawkeye State has much more to offer than agriculture alone. For those interested in a career in medicine, Iowa could be an ideal choice. The state proudly sits at #6 on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best States ranking list, which is determined based on multiple factors including quality of education, standard of living, and access to healthcare.
This bodes well for anyone within the state of Iowa, but especially for medical students, who can anticipate a lower cost of living and a higher quality of education if they choose to call the state home for the duration of their medical school journey.
If you’re interested in attending medical school in Iowa, read on to learn more details about the state’s two medical schools and how to put together a competitive application for either of them.
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Part 2: List of medical schools in Iowa: 2024 admissions statistics, rankings, tuition, and more
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Iowa’s only MD-granting medical school, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (or CCOM for short), is also its only public medical school. So, although the in-state tuition cost of $38,165 per year is far more affordable than most medical schools, if you plan to apply as an out-of-state resident, you should prepare to pay an additional $20,000 per year.
CCOM was ranked Tier 2 in both Primary Care and Research by U.S. News and World Report in 2024-25, but that’s no reason to discount its value for your money. The average GPA and MCAT scores of the 153 new students who matriculated in 2024 are nearly on par with the stats of some of the top medical schools in the nation, and you’ll be held to a high standard of excellence should you find yourself among the next entering class. To that end, you’ll want to be sure you’re prioritizing your academics and test prep strategies if you’re hoping to get in.
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU COM) is the only place in the state of Iowa where you can obtain an osteopathic medical degree, and as it’s a private institution, you’ll also have to set aside a significantly larger sum of money—$64,459—to pay for your medical education here than at CCOM.
However, you’ll also have more wiggle room with your GPA and MCAT scores, as the averages among the most recent incoming 232 matriculants were 3.71 and 507.
Still, you won’t want to let off the gas too much as you prepare to apply to medical school. Your GPA and MCAT are only two pieces of the puzzle of your overall profile. Your extracurriculars, clinical experiences, essays, and interviews will also factor heavily into the adcom’s decision about whether you deserve a spot at DMU COM.
| Iowa Medical Schools | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine | Tier 2 (Primary Care) Tier 2 (Research) |
$58,940 (OOS) |
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| Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine | Unranked |
*IS - In State. OOS - Out-of-state
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Part 3: Iowa medical school profiles
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Founded in 1870, CCOM has a claim to a monumental (yet little-known) piece of American history: eight of the 37 students in its inaugural class were women, making it the first coed medical school in the country.
In 2024, 70% of incoming students were Iowa residents, and although graduates are not obligated to practice in Iowa upon receiving their white coats, programs like the CCOM Rural Iowa Scholars Program (CRISP) are designed to foster a passion among future medical professionals for serving rural communities.
However, CCOM students will also have multiple opportunities to serve non-rural communities. The main campus is located in downtown Iowa City, and the branch campus is in Des Moines. Students with a special interest in emergency medicine, internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, psychiatry, or pediatrics are encouraged to complete their core clerkship, advanced pathway rotations, or elective rotations at the Des Moines campus.
And for medical students who hope to branch out even farther than the branch campus, CCOM’s Global Health program affords various opportunities for serving patients in diverse cultural contexts worldwide through courses, clerkships, and exchange programs.
Degree programs at University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Over the course of its long history, CCOM has developed a variety of degree options in addition to the MD degree. These include official combined degree programs such as the following:
MD/MBA
MD/MPH
MD/PhD
MD/JD
Additionally, the school offers several Master’s degree programs, a few of which we have listed below. Even if you don’t intend to pursue a combined degree or a Master’s degree, the presence of these programs (and related research opportunities, volunteer opportunities, and student organizations) cultivates an environment where you’ll be able to learn and serve patients alongside various types of future healthcare professionals—not just other future doctors.
Master of Clinical Anatomy
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
Master in Medical Education (MME)
Master of Science in Athletic Training
Master of Clinical Nutrition
Curriculum at University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
CCOM’s New Horizons curriculum centers around Innovation, Integration, and Individualization, with the goal of training physicians who are fully prepared to thrive amidst the rapid technological and societal changes in our world.
Specifically, the key objectives of the curriculum are:
Interpersonal and Communication Skills with patients, families, and colleagues
Medical Knowledge of foundational principles of health and disease—in addition to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment methods
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement in all aspects of patient care, emphasizing a commitment to lifelong learning
Patient-centered Patient Care, including a thorough understanding of how to perform physical examinations; take patient histories; interpret test, lab, and imaging results; and develop a differential diagnosis
Professionalism, ethics, and value for diversity
Development of System-Based Practice to instill better appreciation for the cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors that influence healthcare access
In addition to this curriculum, students who wish to pair their studies with more specialized knowledge can pursue Distinction Tracks in one of the following areas: Global Health; Humanities; Healthcare Delivery Science, Management, and Policy; Research; Service; or Teaching.
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Founded in 1898 by married couple Drs. Summerfield Saunders Still and Ella Still, Des Moines University followed the example of CCOM by admitting a significant proportion of female students for the first few decades after its founding. Despite a dip in enrollment throughout the better part of the 20th century, the number of female med students shot up again in the 1970s—and today, more than 55% of the student body is female.
Degree programs at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Des Moines COM has undergone many changes and phases of growth since its founding, accumulating several specialized programs in addition to its DO degree over the years. Physician Assistants, Health Care Administrators, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and more undergo their training here, and it’s one of just 11 podiatric medical schools in the entire country.
Curriculum at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
If DMU COM’s 90% residency match rate is any indication, its curriculum does an excellent job of preparing medical students for successful careers in healthcare.
With an emphasis on evidence-based and preventive medicine, it also weaves in disciplines such as medical humanities and bioethics to ensure that students are well-rounded and prepared for any real-world scenario.
The curriculum follows four phases and incorporates various mediums for learning, including lectures, group discussions, case studies, clinical and community service experiences, and lab exercises.
Year 1: students learn the basic principles that form the foundation for the rest of their medical education
Year 2: students learn about organ systems from a clinical perspective and participate in labs and patient care simulations
Years 3-4: students apply what they’ve learned in their first two years to clinical training experiences at hospitals and clinics in various settings
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Part 4: Iowa medical school admissions strategies
Strategy 1: Write memorable and meaningful essays for Iowa medical schools.
If you’re applying to either CCOM or DMU COM, you’ll need to budget a significant amount of time for writing, revising, and finalizing your essays.
Des Moines COM has two essay prompts (and an additional prompt if applicable to you), all of which are located within the AACOMAS primary application. CCOM requires three secondary essays of all applicants, and an additional two if applicable to you.
Among other things, both schools ask applicants to share their prior clinical experiences, the activities they’re currently involved in, and their reasons for applying to that specific program. The best way to address the latter of those topics is to show how your own personal and professional goals align with specific opportunities at their institution.
Show them why their program is the best place for you to become the kind of doctor you want to be. That might look like explaining how the intensive language course you took in Paraguay last summer prompted you to want to take a specific Global Health course offered through CCOM. Or, it might look like writing about how your experience volunteering at a health clinic in an underserved part of your city prepared you to join DMU COM’s Homeless Community Outreach program.
Whichever of Iowa’s medical schools you write essays for, stick to stories and examples from your life that support your points, rather than just describing your accomplishments. Stories are more likely to convince adcoms that you’re the real deal, and they’re more memorable, too—so they’ll help you stand out among thousands of other qualified applicants.
Looking for secondary essay examples? Click below to access sample secondary essays for every prompt required by every MD and DO program in the United States and Canada. 1500+ essays and counting.
Gain instant access to med school secondary essay examples for every single prompt required by every medical school in the United States and Canada. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
Strategy 2: Be prepared for the questions asked in interviews for Iowa medical schools.
Once you’ve made your way through the rest of the admissions process, the final hurdle will be the interview. Many applicants dread this step because it can be unpredictable. Unlike a test, no matter how much you prepare for an interview, no amount of memorization can guarantee that you’ll be able to hit every curveball thrown your way.
But interviews don’t have to be so intimidating. While they’re crucially important to your med school admissions journey, as long as you’re strategic in the way you prepare for them, you can head into that conference room (or, more likely, that Zoom call) with the confidence of a soon-to-be first-year med student.
The first step in your strategy should be to research the type of interview format for each school you’ve been invited to interview with.
For example, DMU COM’s interview consists of (1) an optional, informal video call with faculty members and (2) a required, formal, asynchronous question-and-recorded-response assessment administered through Kira. This provides you with the opportunity to get acquainted with members of the faculty in a more relaxed and natural setting, rather than trying to complete an assessment while also showing off your personality.
CCOM employs a more traditional interview format, giving interviewees the option of meeting either virtually or in person with two faculty members. The full interview takes only 25 minutes, and it’s separated into two sections. In the first section, you’ll be asked a list of prepared questions identical to those that will be asked of all other interviewees. In the second section, your interviewers will ask you follow-up questions about your responses and allow you to ask them questions in return.
Although CCOM doesn’t publicly share the list of prepared interview questions, they do state on their website that you should be prepared to talk about your interests and experiences related to medicine, your personal strengths and characteristics, and your perspective on medical issues today. Additionally, it’s worth noting that interviewers will not have access to any part of your AMCAS application (including your academic record or your MCAT score[s]), so their report back to the adcom will be solely based on their interaction with you.
Once you’ve thoroughly familiarized yourself with the format of your upcoming interview(s), you should begin practicing your responses to common interview questions so you can be as prepared as possible when it’s time to perform under pressure. Check out the resource below if you’re ready to start perfecting your interview performance.
Were you invited to a med school interview? Check out the resource below to learn strategies for approaching any question the interviewers might throw your way.
Gain instant access to the most common traditional and MMI interview questions, plus sample responses for each, to help you craft responses that lead to acceptances. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
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Final Thoughts
Whether you want to pursue an MD or DO degree, you have two excellent options in the state of Iowa. Both schools are rooted in a history of gender equality in medicine, having trained up several female doctors before the dawn of the 20th century. Additionally, both offer a broad range of clinical experiences—so you can get a taste of what practicing medicine is like at a family clinic in the rural midwest, at a busy hospital in an urban center, or even at a far-reaching overseas spot on the map.
As an applicant, you’ll need to do your fair share of research on each school’s curricula and campus environments before writing your essays or interviewing. That way, you can adequately express why you believe you’ll fit right in among the long line of doctors proud to have earned their degrees from CCOM or DMU COM.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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Appendix A: Iowa medical schools by degree type
Allopathic medical schools in Iowa (MD)
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Osteopathic medical schools in Iowa (DO)
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Appendix B: Iowa medical schools by institution type
Public medical schools in Iowa
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Private medical schools in Iowa
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Appendix C: Iowa medical schools by region
Medical Schools in eastern Iowa
Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Medical Schools in central Iowa
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
