By supporting scholarship in ethics and the arts, the UI Carver College of Medicine’s Humanities Distinction Track gives medical students space to explore the artistic and philosophical side of medicine during medical training. Students have completed projects ranging from novels, memoirs, and poetry collections to scholarly writing, photography, and more in search of a deeper understanding of medicine.

University of Iowa medicine alum Wanakee Carr finds meaning in the care she provides as a doctor practicing obstetrics and gynecology in the Des Moines area. She describes helping bring a new child into the world as “such a beautiful experience.”

For Marc Doobay, MPAS, PA-C, the road to a career as a physician assistant (PA) and becoming a passionate educator and advocate for the field isn’t one’s usual path. Initially pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, he soon realized his true calling lay in the PA profession—a choice driven by his desire for balance and a connection to the patient-centered, team-based care model.