The history of Des Moines University reflects a continuing commitment to teach, to learn and to serve. Founded in 1898 by Dr. Summerfield Saunders Still and his wife, Dr. Ella Still, the Dr. S.S. Still College of Osteopathy was located at 1422 West Locust Street, in downtown Des Moines. The College Infirmary, located across the street, provided an opportunity for students to work directly with patients during their medical training. Students’ coursework included classes such as descriptive anatomy, theory of osteopathy and dissection. From its founding through the early 1920s, the college admitted large numbers of female students, sometimes comprising over one-third of the class, who attended classes and trained alongside their male classmates as equals. Over the decades, female enrollment waned but experienced a resurgence during the 1970s. Today, female students make up over 55% of the student body.
