Free physicals at DMU Saturday for middle- and high-school students

DES MOINES, IA (04/26/2010)(readMedia)-- Middle school and high school athletes from Des Moines and surrounding areas can receive a free sports physical Saturday, May 1 at Des Moines University.

Des Moines University (DMU) has offered free sports physicals to local children for years. This year the school will provide free physicals on Saturday, May 1, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., in DMU's Medical Education Center, 3200 Grand Avenue in Des Moines. Physicians and students from DMU have partnered with physicians and staff from Iowa Heart Center and Pediatric Cardiology, P.C., as Des Moines University TOPS (Team of Providers for Students), to provide the exams. In addition to educational information on health topics, the event will also include free EKGs, and ECHOs if indicated. All services are free.

"We know annual health screenings are important and not everyone can afford one. We love giving local families peace of mind that their child has been checked for serious health risks," explained Karen Crosby, director of community relations.

The EKGs and ECHOs are pain-free screenings of the heart that take only a few minutes to complete. Certified cardiologists will read the results and any unusual findings will be reported for follow up with the child's physician. Sudden death due to heart problems is rare in young athletes, estimated at one in 200,000. Our goal is to reduce this risk even further by screening before the sports season starts for potential cardiac problems, including other abnormalities that are much less serious but still important for athletes to be aware of.

Each student must bring a completed parental consent form and completed physical history forms with them. These forms can be downloaded from www.dmu.edu. All students should wear shorts and t-shirts for the exam to make it easier to do the physical. Females should wear a sports bra.

If you have any questions, please visit www.dmu.edu/TOPS or call 515-271-1041 for more info.

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Des Moines University is the only private medical school in Iowa, offering graduate-level, professional degree programs in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, biomedical sciences, anatomy, health care administration and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students' pass rate on national examinations and board certifications is consistently higher than the national average and the rates at similar institutions.