WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (March 26, 2025) — The National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators (NAOME), part of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), recently welcomed a new group of fellows in the Teaching and Evaluation category. Maria Barnes PhD, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition at Des Moines University (DMU) Medicine and Health Sciences, has been named part of this cohort.
"I envision this fellowship will increase my skill set and broaden my network outside of DMU. I anticipate and hope that the combination of these and my collaborative spirit will foster numerous opportunities for me to collaborate on projects to enhance osteopathic medical education," Barnes says. "I hope that when opportunities present, I am brought to the table to play an integral part in helping shape how medical education is delivered and evaluated at DMU."
The NAOME is a service-focused academy of experts who contribute to helping shape the future of osteopathic medical education and advancing key AACOM initiatives. Fellowships are awarded to faculty who meet or exceed designated standards, recognizing their sustained efforts in advancing osteopathic medical education. Chosen fellows have integrated osteopathic principles and practices into the academic program.
"I want to be a sponge and soak up the vast amount of knowledge that will allow me to expand what I do in the classroom and how I evaluate the effectiveness of different teaching modalities," Barnes says. She adds she plans to pay it forward by returning her knowledge to DMU's campus and mentoring faculty new to medical education.
"Dr Barnes's selection as a NAOME Fellow is an honor," says Wayne Wilson PhD, department chair and Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition. "Her recognition underscores the outstanding contributions she has made to the education of our future physicians." Barnes was first introduced to the fellowship by Wilson, a current fellow, who recognized her interest in incorporating different teaching modalities and evaluating student outcomes and their alignment with the NAOME goals.
DMU is highly represented among NAOME Fellows. Barnes is the seventh faculty member to earn recognition. She joins the following DMU faculty:
- Sarah Clayton PhD, interim department chair of Physiology and Pharmacology, NAOME Fellow — Teaching and Evaluation
- Matthew Henry PhD, associate dean of Academic Programs and Curriculum for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, NAOME Fellow — Teaching and Evaluation
- Martin Schmidt PhD, professor of Biochemistry and nutrition, NAOME Fellow — Teaching and Evaluation
- Lisa Streyffeler PhD, chair and associate professor of Behavioral Medicine, Medical Humanities, and Bioethics, NAOME Fellow — Teaching and Evaluation
- Wayne Wilson PhD, department chair and professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition, NAOME Fellow — Teaching and Evaluation
- Leslie Wimsatt PhD, FNAOME, associate dean for Academic Assessment, Quality, and Development for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, NAOME Fellow — Educational Leadership category
"Seven faculty members from DMU's College of Osteopathic Medicine are now fellows of NAOME, an achievement that reaffirms our institution's commitment to providing the highest quality medical education," Wilson says.
Located in West Des Moines, part of Iowa's capital metro, Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences offers ten graduate-level professional-degree programs in anatomy, biomedical sciences, health-care administration, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, physician-assistant studies, podiatric medicine, and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students' scores on national examinations, pass-rates on board certifications, and match-rates for medical residency programs are consistently higher than national averages and rates at peer institutions.
