Future of Division III

[Gregory Sager]

I admit that to me it seems kind of odd for an institution that maintains a sabbath-rest mandate against playing sports on a Sunday to host a logistically enormous and labor-intensive activity like a commencement ceremony on a Sunday ... but I can see the practical utility of it in ensuring that spring student-athletes graduate alongside their classmates.

[IC798891]

Ithaca has held separate ceremonies for graduating athletes.

[WUPHF]

Dubuque is starting a medical school, no way!

https://www.kcrg.com/2026/04/30/iowas-first-new-medical-school-century-takes-shape-dubuque-targets-2028-opening/

[y_jack_lok]

Dubuque is starting a medical school, no way!

https://www.kcrg.com/2026/04/30/iowas-first-new-medical-school-century-takes-shape-dubuque-targets-2028-opening/

From the article: "State and community leaders got a tour of the University of Dubuque's proposed John and Alice Butler College of Osteopathic Medicine Thursday.

Definitely an ambitious undertaking, but not exactly like the Wash U School of Medicine.

https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/

[WUPHF]

Definitely an ambitious undertaking, but not exactly like the Wash U School of Medicine.

https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/

The future of Division III may be ambitious undertakings, particularly at the graduate level.

Drake would have been the logical candidate for a medical school as they already offer graduate-level pharmacy, physical therapy and more and they are the only research university in Iowa that does not have the constraints of the publics.

This really is pretty remarkable.

The United States could use more medical schools, but key to the success of this program and other potential programs would be training opportunities, particularly residency programs.

Unfortunately, not all medical school graduates match with residencies.

[Ralph Turner]

Dubuque is starting a medical school, no way!

https://www.kcrg.com/2026/04/30/iowas-first-new-medical-school-century-takes-shape-dubuque-targets-2028-opening/

Not a wise strategic choice for the growth of a university...

https://rewskidotcom.substack.com/p/ai-will-displace-physicians-the-only

[WUPHF]

Not a wise strategic choice for the growth of a university...

https://rewskidotcom.substack.com/p/ai-will-displace-physicians-the-only

That may be true, though I am not sure that the future of medicine and AI has been written.  Medicine is so highly regulated and the American Medical Association and other lobbying groups are highly influential...

In a world in which even the doctors are displaced by AI, is there any reason to go to Dubuque to study anything?  Rhetorical question...

[jknezek]

In the AI world some of these people think is coming we are going to make ourselves extinct. It's kind of embarrassing. You may end up ordering food at restaurants from a tablet in the table, though it has failed several times already, you are going to check in to a hotel with a vending machine, but a Dr? Probably not. Especially at the high end.

AI is not the answer to every question. It is the answer to "how do we make humanity functionally useless" if we aren't careful.

[WUPHF]

A part of me wishes the primary care industry would be disrupted because I have far too many examples, including three of my own, of a PCP pushing statins and scoffing at the idea of using diet and exercises to manage metabolic health, but this is probably the farthest I have ever been off topic, lol...

[Ralph Turner]

Not a wise strategic choice for the growth of a university...

https://rewskidotcom.substack.com/p/ai-will-displace-physicians-the-only

That may be true, though I am not sure that the future of medicine and AI has been written.  Medicine is so highly regulated and the American Medical Association and other lobbying groups are highly influential...

In a world in which even the doctors are displaced by AI, is there any reason to go to Dubuque to study anything?  Rhetorical question...

The access to the databases, such as Open Evidence, and close adherence to protocols of "best practice" in the hands of experienced NP's and CNM's makes access to care more accessible across underserved communities.

You are right that the human aspect of the care delivery cannot be replicated, but one may not always need 7-13 years of post-bacclaureate credentialling to handle most clinical problems.

[Gray Fox]

I'm not looking forward to an AI prostate exam.

[WUPHF]

You are right that the human aspect of the care delivery cannot be replicated, but one may not always need 7-13 years of post-bacclaureate credentialing to handle most clinical problems.

I could not agree more with the latter part of that statement.

If Iowa needs more doctors, they should work with Loras to open a physician assistant or accelerated doctor of nursing practice program.

[y_jack_lok]

A part of me wishes the primary care industry would be disrupted because I have far too many examples, including three of my own, of a PCP pushing statins and scoffing at the idea of using diet and exercises to manage metabolic health, but this is probably the farthest I have ever been off topic, lol...

Yes, we are definitely getting off topic. I was just trying to point out the distinction between "traditional" medicine as taught at places such as Wash U Med School vs Osteopathic Medicine which is what Dubuque is undertaking. As for statins, I resisted them for years, but finally caved about three years ago. I have, for decades, eaten a healthy diet that seems unlikely to contribute to increased blood cholesterol. My cholesterol numbers weren't alarming, but always just high enough to get the attention of any doctor I saw. One doctor said that some people just have high cholesterol for which there is no explanation. Statins definitely work to lower cholesterol readings and I have not experienced any side effects. Whether or not they can be the reason why I haven't had a stroke or heart attack since starting them is unprovable. There seems to be better evidence that they are beneficial for those who have already experienced one of those traumatic events.

Anyway, let's hope Dubuque's new med school is a success and that the institution remains in D3. (How's that for getting back on topic? )