Pediatrics & Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program

Welcome to Iowa, where medical researchers thrive.

We are a newly accredited combined residency training program in Pediatrics & Medical Genetics and Genomics, a 4-year fast-track combination of our categorical Pediatrics and Medical Genetics and Genomics residency.

What you’ll love about us

  • You can save an entire year with our four-year combined residency.
  • You'll be board-eligible for both Pediatrics and Medical Genetics and Genomics.
  • We are the only clinical care and training center for Medical Genetics and Genomics in the state of Iowa.
  • We are the only combined genetics training program in the Dakotas, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
  • We’re growing! Our established faculty already lead one incredible residency dedicated to Medical Genetics & Genomics, and another dedicated to Pediatrics.
  • Our people are unbeatable. 

Iowa has one of the best-run newborn screening/metabolic disease programs in the country. Even while achieving excellence, everyone is very down-to-earth and friendly. Iowa City has a fantastic quality of life and low cost of living. It feels like the Midwest's best kept secret.

Match at Iowa

A graduating med student celebrates her match with UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics.

Many of our pediatric residents match from Midwest medical colleges, along with residents from national and international schools. We promise you a personalized rotation schedule to explore the career that’s right for you. About half of our graduates go on to primary care pediatrics and about half match into choice fellowships. Meet our grads.

Our children's hospital

University of Iowa Health Care Facility Dogs

Facility dogs Nacho and Corrin welcome you to our children’s hospital! They'll fill you with pawsitivity, confidence and companionship. Check them out on Instagram to see what you have to look forward to!

You’ll spend a lot of time here, so facilities are important. Picture yourself in the state-of-the-art University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital, opened in 2017. Level 11 is named after the university’s Dance Marathon – a 24-hour dance party raising more than $35 million for kids. The view is especially nice on football Saturdays when 70,000 fans wave to our patients. Come wave with us!

Hawkeye fans and cheerleaders wave to the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital during a football game at Kinnick Stadium.

Ensuring your success: Our top priorities

  • Collaborative residents, fellows, and faculty members
  • Innovative didactics and broad-based curricular initiatives
  • Personalized mentorship with targeted feedback

Here you’ll have great clinical experiences with lots of flexibility in scheduling, and close relationships with your colleagues and supervisors. We really are a community here. 

Our People

Content coming

People

2024-2025 Chief Pediatrics Resident Physicians

Joshua Mifflin, MD, Indiana University School of Medicine
Irene Morcuende-Gonzalez, MD, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Medical Genetics and Genomics Resident

Dylan Todd, MD, PhD fellow in Medical Genetics and Genomics at University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
Dylan Todd, MD, PhD

I love going to world-class shows at Hancher Auditorium. There is something magical about dressing up and seeing once-in-a-lifetime events with my family. I also love visiting Barrett's Quality Eats in Coralville (a charming town 10 minutes away from Iowa City). The founder, Cory Barrett, is a 3-time James Beard award semifinalist.

Your program leaders

Alpa Sidhu, MBBS, PhD

Alpa Sidhu, MBBS, PhD

Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Program Director, Medical Genetics and Genomics (MGG) and Combined Pediatrics and MGG residency

Clinical Director, Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics

Amy Stier, MD, MME

Clinical Professor of Pediatrics

Associate Program Director, Pediatric & Medical Genetics and Genomics residency

Hello from the Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics!

Faculty and staff of the Division of Pediatric & Medical Genetics and Genomics

Faculty and staff of the Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics

Division Director Hatem El-Shanti, MD

Hatem El-Shanti, MD

Professor, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics

Director, Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics  

Program coordinators

Lisa Neff Letts, program coordinator

Lisa Neff-Letts

Jolynn Leyden-Schevers

Jolynn Leyden-Schevers

About the Program

Quick facts

Residents accepted each year: 1

Program length: 4 years

Combined program: Total of 4 years of pediatrics and medical genetics and genomics training with eligibility for both boards.

Location: UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, home to Iowa’s only comprehensive Medical Genetics and Genomics services.

Benefits

  • Competitive stipends
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, hospitalization and pharmacy benefits for residents/fellows and their dependents
  • 21 days of annual paid time off

Education

The residency is part of the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics. In this combined program, your first year of education and training will focus on pediatric care. In years 2-4, you’ll train in both pediatrics and medical genetics and genomics. This includes six months of individualized training based on your unique interests.

The physicians, genetic counselors, and the rest of our teammates are so eager to share their knowledge and expertise. This seems to stem both from a desire to teach but also a genuine enthusiasm for genetics and taking excellent care of our patients. I am practically swimming in interesting cases, clinical pearls, and enriching experiences. I am incredibly fortunate that I get to learn at least ten new things a day from passionate teachers as a part of my job.

Clinical training

This is a sample rotation schedule. Learn more about these rotations on the Medical Genetics and Genomics individual residency’s website.

Sample rotation for Pediatrics & Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency

Research

Residency at Iowa will help you advance your career quickly through our strength in research. We are a leader in medical genetics research with strong programs including multiple clinical trials in lysosomal storage disorders, Neurofibromatosis type 1, and metabolic conditions. Clinical research spans various areas of genetics. Benchwork research includes lysosomal storage disorders, genetics of eyes, ears, and complex diseases. Our programs also cover Genomics and Bioinformatics.

How to Apply

We look forward to getting to know you during the application process. Applications to the Pediatrics & Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency are only accepted through Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). You also have to register with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP # 1203765C0). Please, note you only have to apply to the Pediatrics & Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program.

We will have one position available to start 2025-2026.

Orientation for all new residents begins June 24, so you must be available for that start date and be licensed in Iowa by June 30.

Your complete ERAS application must include:

  • Medical school transcript
  • Dean's letter
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • USMLE transcript
  • ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
  • Personal statement
  • Photograph

Deadline

You must apply by December 1. We will interview applicants starting in October of the application period and finishing in January. Your interview will take place over two days – one day with pediatrics faculty and the other with medical genetics and genomics faculty.

Students on campus crossing a river bridge in the fall.

I felt that every interviewer I had spent time on my application, and each of them literally recited parts of it back to me. I was very grateful and flattered they had spent that much time preparing for me.

Contact

Please contact our program coordinator with any questions related to your application.

Lisa Neff-Letts
Pediatrics & Medical Genetics and Genomics  Residency Coordinator, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
1-319-384-6138
Email:lisa-neff-letts@uiowa.edu