Dr. Stephen Barnes grew up in a small town in north central Iowa. After high school he participated in collegiate football and studied Biology and Chemistry at Central College in Pella, IA. While there, he was blessed to meet his wife, Heather, and they are now parents to 7 pretty great kids. Dr. Barnes went on to study medicine at Des Moines University, followed by a family medicine residency at Broadlawns Medical Center.

For over a decade, Dr. Barnes has served his community as a full-time emergency physician, chief of staff and ED medical director- providing critical care in high-stakes situations. While he values the opportunity to  help people in their most vulnerable moments, Dr. Barnes became increasingly aware that traditional medicine (often focused on “sick care”),  wasn’t designed to help people stay healthy and thrive. This realization sparked a deeper passion for preventative health and wellness, which lead Dr. Barnes on his own personal health journey. His exploration in lifestyle medicine and hormone optimization ultimately lead to the creation of Peak Health Medical Institute. 

At Peak Health Medical Institute, Dr. Barnes combines his extensive experience in emergency medicine with advanced hormone optimization  and personalized health coaching to guide men and women through their  health journey. His goal is to help each patient regain their vitality, prevent chronic disease, and live their fullest life by focusing on root causes rather  than simply treating symptoms. He sees himself not just as a physician but  as a guide…leading his patients toward their “peak health” through a combination of science-backed treatments and proven lifestyle changes.