Mount Pleasant Podiatrist Named Des Moines University's 2023 College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Alumna of the Year

Tiffany Hauptman Chose Profession That Keeps People Moving

West Des Moines, IA (07/07/2023) — Tiffany Hauptman, D.P.M., a 1998 graduate of Des Moines University's College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery and a podiatric physician with Great River Health Specialists in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, was named the 2023 CPMS Alumna of the Year. The honor is given annually to one graduate of each of DMU's three colleges who is a member in good standing of their respective professional state or national organization and the DMU Alumni Association; demonstrates excellent service to DMU, its students and their profession; and demonstrates a record of service to their community on a local, state and/or national level.

Hauptman taught seventh- and eighth-grade mathematics and coached track, softball, volleyball and basketball in Central Iowa for three years, but then her attendance at a sports medicine conference changed her course.

"I'd always wanted to help people, and that conference made me realize I needed to be in health care," she says.

Hauptman graduated with the CPMS Leadership Award and the Timothy Holbrook Memorial Award for Excellence in Orthopedics. After completing a podiatric surgical residency at Trinity Regional Hospital in Fort Dodge, Iowa, she opened a practice in Mount Pleasant. In 2016, her practice joined Great River Health as Southeast Iowa Podiatry. She is serving a two-year term as chief of staff at Henry County Health Center. She says her experience in education and coaching has been useful in medical practice.

"It's important for me to explain to patients and for patients to understand what is going on with their feet, why it's happening and the reason for my treatment recommendation. I feel strongly that if patients can understand that, they'll have a much better chance of following my recommendation," she says.

Hauptman is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association and the Iowa Podiatric Medical Society, including as a past board member. At DMU, she served on the CPMS Alumni Council. When the university merged its three colleges' alumni councils into a unified Alumni Board of Directors, she stayed on as a CPMS representative. She also has contributed financially to the university for many consecutive years.

Beyond her medical practice, Hauptman is active in the Daughters of the American Revolution, including as state officer for Iowa. DAR is a service organization for women directly descended from a person who fought for the United States' independence. An ancestor on her father's side, Elias Seymour, fought in the Continental Army for the state of Connecticut.

"I grew up hearing stories about how my ancestors helped to make this country, so that's been ingrained in me," she says.

Hauptman also is a location coordinator for Wreaths Across America. This nonprofit organization coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies to honor American veterans of all wars interred at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 3,700 additional locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad. She works to obtain donations so that the graves of the 107 veterans buried at a local cemetery will have a wreath in December, when the ceremonies occur.

"The program has grown exponentially, with volunteers and donors across the country," she says. "It's something I'm proud to be part of."

Located in West Des Moines, Iowa, DMU offers 10 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.

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