09MD, 16MME

Daniel Runde is recognized for his multifaceted contributions to medical education at the University of Iowa, where he serves as the Department of Emergency Medicine’s vice chair of education and a course director for first-year medical and physician assistant students. A passionate supporter of patient-centered medicine and harm reduction, he has mentored countless medical students and trainees at Iowa, fostering a culture of compassion and dedication in the next generation of health care providers. 

As a new faculty member, Runde became involved with the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition, a nonprofit that provides support services for people who use drugs. He played an integral role in the organization’s start-up phase, and his continued commitment to this work stems from his belief that access to stigma-free health care is the fundamental right of all patients. 

“The phrase in harm reduction is that we need to meet people where they’re at,” he says. “Sincerely embracing that philosophy profoundly changed the way I practice medicine.” 

Runde’s dedication to community medicine also shines through his work with the UI Mobile Clinic, a free, student-run medical clinic that serves vulnerable populations across eastern Iowa. Since he became medical director in 2015, the clinic has more than doubled in reach and expanded its services through partnerships with community organizations, including food pantries and an organization that serves immigrant communities throughout Johnson County. 

“It’s been one of the best parts of my time here at Iowa,” Runde says. “We serve a huge variety of high-barrier communities, from people who have been recently decarcerated to elderly folks to folks experiencing homelessness.” 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinic played a crucial role in local vaccination efforts, successfully partnering with community organizations to provide immunizations to thousands of individuals. 

“There’s a mobile home community on the southeast side of Iowa City, and you can’t just show up there with a University of Iowa Health Care placard and expect people to come get shots,” he says. “We partnered with Antelope Lending Library, who have been going there for years and know everyone in the community by name. That relationship created the trust necessary for people to be open to getting vaccinated.” 

Beyond his volunteer work, Runde plays a key role in shaping the educational experience of Iowa’s medical learners. As course director of Clinical and Professional Skills for first-year medical and physician assistant students, he guides curriculum on the fundamentals of exam skills, patient interviewing, and biomedical ethics. His educational leadership within the emergency medicine department allows him to engage with students and trainees across multiple stages of training, nurturing their professional growth. 

“It gives you more grace for the residents knowing what they’ve been through and where they’re going,” Runde says. “To see medical students who are so excited to be here, and then to see them again as they grow into residents who are able to take care of critically ill patients—that energy is so exciting.” 

Recently, he accepted a new position as co-strand director for Clinical and Professional Skills, expanding his oversight to all four years of the curriculum. As his own career progresses, recognizing and elevating talent has remained central to Runde’s leadership philosophy. 

“We have such amazing people here at Iowa,” he says. “It’s our biggest strength and our greatest resource. Getting to collaborate every day with such a passionate and talented cohort is a gift. I am incredibly grateful.”