Welcome to the University of Iowa Stead Family Department of Pediatrics Residency Program. The pediatric residency at UI Hospitals & Clinics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Information specific to program requirements for a pediatric training program may be found at the ACGME’s Pediatric Residency Review Committee (RCC).
Pediatrics Residency
Welcome
We are confident you can find what you're looking for here: broad clinical exposure to all aspects of primary and tertiary care pediatrics, outstanding evidence-based curriculums, extensive teaching and mentorship, unparalleled research opportunities, and passionate, engaged colleagues. We’re lucky to have all of this in a dynamic, diverse, and safe city.
We prioritize a few things in our program:
- Individualized rotation scheduling focused on career exploration or planning.
- Collaborative, approachable residents, fellows, and faculty members.
- Innovative didactics and broad-based curricular initiatives.
- Personalized mentorship and targeted feedback.
Our program can give you great clinical experiences with lots of flexibility in scheduling, and close relationships with your colleagues and supervisors. We really are a community here.
Check out our state-of-the-art UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital! It opened early 2017, and with it we grew the size of our faculty, increased our clinical volume, improved access to our resources, and engaged the community and the state. It’s an exciting time to be at Iowa.
About half of our graduates go on to primary care pediatrics, and about half match into choice fellowships across the country. Check out some of the resident profiles to meet the people you'll get to work with.
We encourage you to review our website to get to know the people and opportunities that make our program great. Reach out to our education team, our chief residents, and anyone you see here to find out why they joined our team. We think you’ll find your place here too.
We invite you to consider the advantages of a program that will expose you to:
- High-powered faculty members dedicated to your success
- Comprehensive exposure to all subspecialties
- The opportunity to see some of the most unique cases across all subspecialties
- A state-of-the-art clinical facility: take a virtual tour of UI Stead Family Children's Hospital, which recently celebrated its fifth year.
The accomplishments of our residency graduates demonstrate our commitment to help you develop necessary medical judgment to succeed in your career endeavors. Learn about our graduates.
Training at a Glance
The pediatric residency training program at University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital lasts three years and provides each resident physician with a sufficiently diverse experience.
To view a summary of all three years of the residency training program, download our 2020-2021 training outline. Please see this page for further rotation descriptions.
We have designed the first year of training to emphasize the care of the sick child of all ages, allowing our residents to develop expertise in distinguishing the ill from the well child. Close guidance and supervision is provided by senior residents and attending faculty members from all subspecialties in pediatrics. In addition to inpatient, critical care, and nursery experiences, residents spend time in our busy outpatient general pediatrics clinic, evaluating the full range of primary care and urgent care issues. Residents are introduced to our comprehensive developmental center in our developmental behavioral pediatrics rotation. In order to individualize their residency experience, every first year resident is able to choose one subspecialty selective and also an elective to pursue a possible career path, learn more about a field, or develop skills in an area of interest.
During the first year, our residents begin to develop a personal panel of patients seen in their weekly continuity clinic. These patients are cared for by a consistent team of residents and general pediatricians assigned to each day of the week, but identify with one resident to provide continuity for the resident and the family over the course of three years. Residents build their panel of patients through inpatient, nursery, and general pediatrics experience, and see a diverse range of ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, and conditions. Included in the general pediatrics experience are children with complex or chronic conditions that get specialized care through our Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
Second Year
Below is a typical second year schedule. Each block is four weeks long:
- Senior Night Team (2 Blocks)
- Red Day Team (1 Block)
- NICU Bay 1
- PICU Days (2 Blocks)
- Blank Children's Hospital ETC
- Community Pediatrics
- Adolescent Medicine
- "Selective" subspecialty clinic (see above, 2 blocks)
- Career Elective
- Call-Free Elective
The second year of our program provides residents with further experience in a number of pediatric subspecialty areas, including two "Selective" rotations in the following subspecialties: allergy-immunology/pulmonology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, infectious disease, genetics, neurology, nephrology, and rheumatology. During these busy outpatient months, residents see patients in clinic, provide consultative services for the hospital, and participate in procedures. Residents may also choose one additional elective. Residents also have the opportunity to participate in specialized educational conferences, research, and multidisciplinary discussions.
Second year residents also gain further experience caring for our sickest patients in the pediatric and neonatal critical care units, and working with junior residents and medical students in a supervisory role on the inpatient floors and in the general pediatrics clinic. In addition, two blocks of "Red Day Team" are included in the second year schedule where two second year residents manage the inpatient hematology/oncology service each block as well as spend time in the outpatient heme/onc clinic and perform procedures.
To experience pediatrics outside a large, university-based academic center, our residents spend one block learning at a local private general pediatrics practice, and another at an urban children’s emergency room in Des Moines, Iowa. Travel and lodging are provided by the program.
Many residents use the second year to hone their interests and determine their future career path. Our Career Elective rotation provides a mentored opportunity to design a rotation with clinical, educational, administrative, and research experiences in each resident’s field of interest. An additional elective block can be used to further this interest or pursue other learning goals during the second year of training.
This final year of pediatric training allows our residents to further refine their clinical skills and judgment in a variety of settings. Residents serve as the senior resident and team leader on the inpatient units, in the ICUs, and in the general pediatrics clinic. They are the first-line consultant and supervisor for first year residents and medical students, and gain valuable experience in team leadership, education, and patient care. Residents continue to work in the pediatric subspecialty clinic and the emergency room as experienced members of our department.
Throughout the three-year program, residents are able to design their own combination of clinical, research, and procedural experiences to prepare them for independent practice or fellowship. As a third year resident, three full blocks are available to pursue these interests, with the guidance of the program leadership, program mentor, and divisional resources.
Our Facilities
University o
f Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital
All services have now moved into the new, approximately $360 million, 507,000-square-foot University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital facility! Adjacent to UI Hospitals & Clinics, the 14-level structure (12 above ground, 2 below ground) will offer 183 beds, an increase from the 164 beds in the current UI Children's Hospital. There will also be eight pediatric operating rooms as well as features that focus on the needs of patients and their families. You can take a closer look inside the new hospital here!
PICU
Our 28-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) is the only comprehensive health care center in Iowa that offers the full range of pediatric critical care therapies. We have the people, the expertise, the experience, and the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to provide the highest level of care for a wide range of complex, and sometimes rapidly changing, medical problems.
NICU
Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is the only NICU in Iowa to have a Level IV designation, which is the highest level recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This means that we care for the tiniest and most critically ill babies, offering the greatest range of neonatal services and support. The state-of-the-art NICU houses up to 81 critically ill newborns, all in single rooms with four larger rooms that will accommodate twins. The unit is equipped with the latest equipment and staffed by a large team of highly trained nurses and other staff. A laboratory within the NICU provides around-the-clock service.
University of Iowa Dance Marathon Pediatric Cancer Center
Level 11 of the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital is dedicated entirely to the University of Iowa Dance Marathon Pediatric Cancer Center and includes inpatient and outpatient services. The center includes our pioneering Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) program, the only pediatric BMT program in the state of Iowa.
Iowa River Landing
Our clinic at Iowa River Landing is a short 2.5 miles from the main hospital campus. Our main general pediatrics clinic, as well as most of the residents’ continuity clinics, are located here. The facility is equipped with laboratory and radiology services, as well as an outpatient pharmacy.
Patients and their families enjoy the ease of access with its location right off I-80. Many pediatric subspecialties as well as pediatric providers of other specialties also have clinics at IRL. For example, otolaryngology is located on the same floor as the general pediatrics clinic. This allows us to collaborate with these providers when needed and coordinate care for our more complex patient populations.
North Liberty Clinic
This outpatient clinic for General Pediatrics and Family Medicine is another continuity clinic site for our residents. This clinic serves as a medical home for patients and families living in the fast growing community of North Liberty just north of Iowa City.
Rotations
Inpatient
Blue Team
- Day Team consists of one 3rd year senior resident, three to four pediatric interns
- Night Team consists of one 2nd year senior resident and one pediatric intern
- Additional team members: 2nd year family medicine residents, advanced medical students (M3/M4), and clerkship students (M2/M3)
- Patients on Blue Team:
- General pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Pulmonology
Green Team
- Day Team consists of one 3rd year senior resident, three to four pediatric interns
- Night Team consists of one 2nd year senior resident and one pediatric intern
- Additional team members: 2nd year family medicine residents, advanced medical students (M3/M4), and clerkship students (M2/M3)
- Patients on Green Team:
- General pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Nephrology
Red Team
- Day Team consists of one 3rd year resident and one 2nd year resident
- Night Team typically covered by ARNP
- Additional team members: advanced medical students (M3/M4)
- Patients on Blue Team:
- Hematology
- Oncology
Newborn Nursery
- Day Team consists of one to two pediatric interns
- Night Team covered by ARNP
- Additional team members: family medicine residents and clerkship students (M2/M3)
- Includes attendance at delivery of cesarean births and performing neonatal resuscitation
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
- NICU has 5 bays: residents rotated through bay 2/3 as interns and bay 1 as 2nd and 3rd years
- Bay 2/3: “step down unit” includes one to two pediatric interns or family medicine residents
- Bay 1: one to two 2nd year residents rotate during the day, one 3rd year resident covers overnight shift
- Additional team members: NICU fellows, Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, medical students, occasionally Emergency Medicine residents
- Residents have opportunity to care for wide variety of neonatal conditions including extreme prematurity (22 weeks and beyond), HIE and cooling protocol, congenital diaphragmatic hernias, congenital heart disease, ECMO, and much more.
- Residents rotating on Bay 1 perform neonatal resuscitation for all emergent deliveries, unscheduled caesarean births, and sick neonates. Residents have the opportunity to perform UVC/UAC line placement, intubations, and more
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
- Day Team consists of two to three 2nd year resident plus off-service rotator from Anesthesia or Emergency Medicine
- Night Team covered by one to two 3rd year residents
- Additional team members: PICU fellows, advanced medical students (M3/M4)
- Black team: resident led team, medical and post-operative patients
- Gold team: ARNP led team, cardiac patients
- Residents may rotate through CVICU as an elective (encouraged for those interested in pediatric cardiology or critical care medicine)
Teaching Rotation
- Available to 2nd or 3rd year residents on certain inpatient rotations (Blue Team, Green Team, or NICU)
- Flexibility to make self-directed teaching rotation in different unit if interested
Outpatient 
Resident Continuity Clinic (RCC)
- All residents assigned to one weekday for duration of residency
- Allows for consistency with colleagues, nurses, and general pediatric attendings
- During most blocks, residents spend one half-day per week in RCC caring for their own panel of patients
- Most residents have RCC at UIHC Iowa River Landing (IRL) and a few have RCC at UIHC North Liberty Pediatrics
- During the third year, residents can spend their RCC in a specialty of their choosing (e.g., if pursuing cardiology, resident will have RCC at pediatric cardiology clinic)
General Pediatrics Acute Care Clinic (GPC)
- Residents provide primary care service under supervision of academic general pediatricians
- Residents rotate through GPC twice during intern year (2-3 interns on per block), and once as 3rd year acting in senior role
- Additional rotators include residents from family medicine, psychiatry, family medicine/psychiatry, and dentistry. Clerkship medical students (M2/M3) also present most blocks
- Rotation performed at UIHC Iowa River Landing Clinic (IRL)
Adolescent Medicine Rotation
- Residents in their second year will rotate through Adolescent clinic and partner with adolescent medicine specialist for care of adolescents and young adults
- Adolescent Clinic is located at UIHC Iowa River Landing (IRL)
- Additional clinical opportunities include UI LGBTQ clinic, UI Sports Medicine Clinic, Healthy Kids School-based clinic
- 3rd year residents can rotate through adolescent as elective for additional adolescent directed learning
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
- Residents rotate through CDD (Center for Disabilities and Development) during their intern year
- Residents participate in management of children with attention deficit disorders, psychosomatic diseases, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and more.
Community Pediatrics Rotations
- Second year residents spend one block working in a busy private pediatrics practice in Cedar Rapids, IA (within 30 min of Iowa City)
- Residents are able to work in independent fashion with guidance and supervision provided by community pediatricians
- Transportation provided by program
Electives
- Flexibility to make your own rotation to individualize training to meet personal goals
- Six blocks of electives available across three years
- Many residents tailor their electives to prepare for independent practice or fellowship
- Popular clinical electives include Infectious disease, palliative care, dermatology, and research
- Popular specially designed electives include maternity/paternity electives, teaching rotations, procedure electives, advocacy projects, and research
- More information about popular electives can be found here
Electives
Any outpatient subspecialty rotations can also be taken as an elective rotation.
Advocacy
This is a 4-week elective is designed to assess cultural and socioeconomic influences of health care in our community, work with community-based organizations and other professionals (i.e., lawyers, dentists, policymakers), and advocate for culturally competent healthcare for children. Designed by residents with a faculty mentor (see advocacy page for more info).
Allergy/Immunology
Residents rotate with pediatric allergy/immunology to learn more about allergy recommendations, testing, when to refer, etc. Primarily located in clinic setting.
Anesthesiology
Residents rotate with pediatric anesthesiologists and CRNAs to improve procedural skills such as bag/mask ventilation, intubation, IV placement, as well as increase exposure to sedation techniques and medication usage.
Cardiology
Residents rotate through our busy pediatric cardiology clinic. There is good exposure to complex congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, syncope evaluation, murmur evaluation, and more. Residents will learn how to take a targeted cardiac history and physical, evaluate ECGs, learn basic review of echocardiogram imaging, and apply this knowledge to formulating patient assessments and plans.
Career
This elective during the second year of residency is self-designed by residents with a faculty mentor to help prepare them for their chosen profession/fellowship. This elective is separate from Research and focused more on professional development.
Child Psychiatry
This rotation provides a basic overview of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which includes evaluating new patients, both individually and as part of a multidisciplinary team, to determine diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment plan. Residents have their own patient panel that is staffed with Child and Adolescent Psychiatry faculty.
Dermatology
Residents are exposed to many children with unique skin disorders, as well advance skills in basic eczema and acne management.
Endocrinology
The endocrinology rotation is a clinic-based rotation, as residents have good exposure to inpatient endocrinology training on our green team. Residents will participate in the evaluation and care for new diabetes, established diabetes, adrenal insufficiency, hypo/hyperthyroid work-up, precocious puberty, transgender care, and more. During this rotation, residents rotate through our multidisciplinary Cardiometabolic clinic. There is also opportunity to participate in our multidisciplinary LGBTQ+ clinic.
Gastroenterology
In this clinic-based rotation, residents participate in the care of children and adolescents with a variety of GI complaints such as G-tube dependence, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cyclic vomiting syndrome, failure to thrive, to name a few. For interested residents, there are opportunities to participate in procedures (endoscopy, colonoscopy, liver biopsy).
Genetics
The medical genetics rotation is designed to give an awareness of clinical and counseling approaches to genetic disorders and birth defects. Residents will attend the following clinics: general genetics, NF, metabolic, and PKU.
Hematology/Oncology
While residents experience inpatient hematology and oncology, there are different learning opportunities in a heme/onc clinic. With this rotation, residents learn to assess and evaluate common (and less common) hematologic conditions.
Infectious Disease
Residents rotate with on-call pediatric infectious disease specialist to learn from direct patient care in both clinic and inpatient consults. Residents are encouraged to develop an approach to the differential diagnosis of pediatric patients with infectious disease problems.
International
The goal of this rotation is to gain perspective on the practice of medicine in a resource-limited setting and within a different cultural context. It is the resident’s responsibility to find a location, coordinate the elective with an on-site preceptor, complete the required University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics paperwork, obtain the necessary credentials, update immunizations, and arrange travel plans. Residents will be expected to maintain a patient contact log and procedure log during the rotation. Residents then share their experiences with the residency program via a noon conference presentation or other formal mechanism such as a conference presentation (for example, a global health conference). Rotation is a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 4 weeks.
Nephrology
The goal of this rotation is to gain an understanding of pediatric kidney disease and hypertension in both the inpatient and ambulatory setting, and be able to effectively diagnose and treat common problems. Subjects to be covered will include fluid and electrolytes, hypertension, glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, acute and chronic renal failure, congenital anomalies of the urinary tract, UTI’s, dialysis and transplantation.
Neurology
Residents rotate in outpatient neurology clinic to improve skills with performing a targeted neurologic evaluation and physical exam at various stages of development. Additional opportunities to improve understanding of use of various head/spine imaging modalities and basic review of how to interpret imaging findings.
Ophthalmology
Outpatient clinic experience: most of the time spent observing and assisting in evaluations of patients.
Orthopedics
The primary educational objective for this rotation is to expose the residents to the entire spectrum of general pediatric orthopedics as well as routine and complex pediatric spine surgery.
Otolaryngology
The resident can become a member of the pediatric otolaryngology service and participate in resident activities during the month with an emphasis on spending time in the clinics.
Parental
The parental elective is allowed once per residency and can be utilized by any resident who parents a new child. For non-birthing parents, this elective does not have to be taken at time of delivery. Residents are expected to prepare a presentation for the residency on a topic of their choosing related to newborns, parenting, or similarly applicable topic.
Pain and Palliative Care
Residents on this rotation work with our Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care providers both on consult services and in clinic. During this rotation resident’s have the opportunity to visit a local care facility for children with complex health needs, attend meetings with the Continuity of Care group, and attend COPE sessions/debriefings.
Pumlonology
In addition to common diagnoses of asthma, tracheostomy/ventilatory dependence, residents work with pediatric pulmonologists during multidisciplinary neuromuscular clinics and cystic fibrosis clinics.
Psychology
This rotation is a basic overview of Pediatric Psychology, which includes psychopharmacology clinic and wrap up meeting, outpatient mood disorder clinic and outpatient evaluation clinic.
Radiology
To observe and participate in the interpretation of various imaging modalities, as well as to receive various didactic lectures and to personally interact with the radiologists and staff. During this rotation you should learn anatomic and physiologic basis of pediatric disease as well as to understand the various imaging modalities and indications of each modality to evaluate specific pediatric diseases.
Research
The research elective is designed to allow the resident to have dedicated time to work on a clinical or basic research project, or to further knowledge in an area of their choice. Prior to the start of the rotation, the resident will identify a faculty mentor and a project. The rotation is not designed for preparatory work, but for research to be performed in order to work toward the completion of the scholarly project.
Rheumatology
The primary goals of this rotation are to help the resident to learn the presenting symptoms/signs of rheumatic disease in children; develop focused musculoskeletal examination skills; expand the differential diagnosis of arthritis/joint pain in children; and systematically construct a plan in the evaluation of a child with arthritis/joint pain. This service sees patients in both the outpatient and inpatient settings including inpatient consultations. Residents are responsible for participating in clinics (which is the setting of primary emphasis during this rotation) with in-patient consults and rounds as time allows.
Special/Self-Designed
The special elective is designed to allow the resident to have flexibility in establishing an elective to meet their individualized professional needs. Residents will identify a faculty mentor to assist in scheduling the elective and creation of associated project or presentation.
Sports Medicine
Residents will develop skills for taking Sports Medicine focused history and physicals in addition to development of knowledge base for prescription of fitness programs, for health maintenance and for specific diseases (eg asthma, hypertension, diabetes). Residents work directly with sports medicine faculty, and have opportunities to work with the physical therapists and athletic trainers to learn specific rehabilitation programs for common musculoskeletal injuries and the appropriate use of treatment modalities (eg ultrasound, ice massage, iontophoresis).
Surgery
The goal of this elective is to expose the resident to the full range of clinical experiences within pediatric surgery inpatient and clinics. The resident will become familiar and comfortable in the evaluation, stabilization, and management of pre-operative, post-operative, and trauma patients. The resident will also become knowledgeable in the indications for emergent, urgent, and elective referral of patients to a pediatric surgeon, and in appropriate pain management of a surgical patient.
Teaching
Available to 2nd or 3rd year residents to advance teaching skills through active participation in inpatient setting. Residents are able to work directly with medical students and junior residents to improve.
Wellness, Mentors, and Social Opportunities
House Staff Lunch: Bi-monthly lunch where residents meet with Program Director, Associate Program Directors, Program Coordinator and Chief Residents to discuss current ongoings of the residency
- Wellness Committee: Comprised of residents from all three classes, led by chief residents. Participation in improving residency wellness at GME level. Create curriculum for didactics and structured wellness activities. Keep a pulse on the wellness of the program.
- Wellness lunches: Occur at the start of each rotation and intermittently throughout. Some lunches directed at having residents spend time as an inpatient team off the floor, others directed at lunches for each class. Other more formal didactic lunches called “Wellness in Medical Practice,” which include our integrated wellness curriculum. This was designed to promote resident wellness and covers specific topics such as resources at UI Hospitals and Clinics, building resilience, burnout and burnout prevention, mindfulness, debriefing, healthy living habits, and interconnectedness
Retreats
These occur annually with directed teaching according to year or residency. All residents are excused from clinical duties to complete two-day retreat activities:
- Annual retreat for PGY1s focusing on team building, stress management, and end-of-life issues
- Annual retreat for PGY2s focusing on teaching and supervisory skills
- Annual retreat for PGY3s focusing on life after residency
Additional “retreats”
- Career Day: 2nd year residents excused from clinical duties to discuss careers in general pediatrics, private vs academic, and fellowship training
- Advocacy Day: 1st year residents excused from clinical duties to learn more about advocacy opportunities
Mentors
- Each resident is assigned a formal mentor, with consideration of possible career interests. Residents will meet with this mentor at least twice per year
- Research “speed dating” event held each fall to help residents find research mentors if desired
- Senior residents act as informal mentors to many junior residents
Social Events
- Social events occur in a variety of settings! Scheduled social events, hosted by the residency program, include annual residents and family picnic, post academic half day get-togethers, winter celebration party, and graduation events.
- Program coordinated events also occur spontaneously throughout the year based on resident interests. Past events include baseball games, happy hour, trivia nights, movie nights, wine and paint events, dog park events, and more!
- In addition to program sponsored events, residents frequently plan their own social activities. Common examples include board game nights, birthday parties, dinner (delivery, restaurant, potluck style, etc.), and many more!
Resident Committee Opportunities
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee
Department-wide committee on DEI with opportunity to join as a resident member. For more information on DEI initiatives, please click here.
Program Evaluation Committee
Meets monthly to review issues affecting medical students, residents, and fellows. Committee is led by residency program administrators and key teaching faculty also sit on this committee. All residents are invited to join the committee to provide representation across all three years. This committee reviews the residency training program annually and suggests changes for the future.
Resident Council
One pediatric resident serves as a liaison between the pediatric residency and the graduate medical education office. This resident provides input and feedback on issues that affect house staff. A representative from all core residency programs is appointed to this committee.
Resident Recruitment Committee
This committee meets throughout the year to determine how the residency will conduct recruitment activities and social media presence. This committee helps determine appointments for recruitment dinners and lunches to ensure similar interests are matched up. Committee has representatives from each class
Wellness Committee
This committee is dedicated to promotion of residency wellness. Members work to find speakers for didactics on wellness. Committee also in charge of creating structured wellness opportunities (coffee cards, playing games, etc.)
Advocacy
Within medicine, advocacy is the act of speaking out on behalf of our patients. The skill to advocate for our patients at an individual level is essential for all pediatricians. In addition, advocacy occurs within our communities, at a state level, and federally, to protect the health and well-being of all children and adolescents.
Advocacy Rotation
Guided by residents’ interests, this elective is designed to assess cultural and socioeconomic influences of health care in specific communities, work with community-based organizations and other professionals (i.e., lawyers, dentists, policymakers), and advocate for culturally competent healthcare for children. The day-to-day specifics of this rotation are designed by the resident with guidance of a faculty mentor. Faculty mentors are chosen with the assistance of Residency Program mentors, chief residents, and program directors and APDs.
Past projects
- Dr. Michael Cole: Assessed hospital and local community resources for patients with complex medical problems to have the best knowledge of ways to assist these patients.
- Dr. Hillary Herman: Met with local childcare centers to discuss vaccination policies with the goal to increase vaccination rates, particularly for influenza.
- Dr. Lance Nelson: Learned more about care of and resources for adolescents such as high school clinics, LGBTQ clinic with Dr. Larson Ode, Johnson County Health Department, STI testing clinic, United Action for Yourth, WIC of Johnson County, and Planned Parenthood.
- Dr. Blair Wright: Learned about advocating for mental and reproductive health in Adolescent clinic and Child Psychiatry clinic. Developed age-appropriate (middle school, high school) on these topics to use in her future practice.
- Dr. Alex Flanagan: To advocate for non-English speaking communities within the Iowa City area, Dr. Flanagan worked with translation services at UIHC to have after visit summaries in French, Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, and Chinese Mandarin.
- Dr. Shriya Subramani: Participated locally in the AAP “Vote Kids 2020” Campaign and educated providers, patients, and families on prominent election topics related to kids.
- Dr. Alex Keating: Developed pamphlets with information on summer safety for patients and families
- Dr. Ashley Schumaker: Advocated for low-income families and youth sports by addressing socioeconomic disparities in sports. Collected college sporting equipment from University of Iowa for donation to local middle schools.
Faculty mentors and advocacy interests
- Dr. Larson Ode’s main area of advocacy interest is access to gender affirming care for gender diverse youth in the state of Iowa. She is always excited to talk about standard of care for gender diverse youth. Dr. Larson Ode is also interested in addressing racial disparities in diabetes care, specifically in her area of expertise, which is cystic fibrosis related diabetes mellitus (CFRD), and has worked towards updating CFRD guidelines to acknowledge disparities in this area.
- Dr. Ana Cary enjoys seeing infants and children in general pediatrics clinic. She works hand and hand with parents/caregivers to empower them in childrearing and being a support each step of the way. Being a Chicana herself, Dr. Cary also enjoys being an active member of the Communications Committee within the AAP's Section on Minority Health Equity and Inclusion.
- Dr. Mike Colburn is our Adolescent Medicine specialist and works closely with UAY (see below for link) to advocate for the young adults of Iowa City.
- Dr. Marguerite Oetting is a general pediatrician who advocates for the Hispanic community and uninsured/underinsured populations in the Iowa City area. She is fluent in Spanish and sees many Spanish-speaking patients in her clinic. She funds and works with local school free clinics (see info in CATCH grants section below).
- Dr. Temitope Awelewa is an IBCLC certified lactation consultant and general pediatrician. She advocates specifically for cultural integration of breast feeding in African immigrant communities of Iowa City (see CATCH grants section below).
- Dr. Lisa Woodroffe is Pediatrics and Sports Medicine trained and advocates for female athletes by providing specialty care for them alongside Stead Family Department of Pediatrics Endocrinologist, Dr. Vanessa Curtis.
Community Partners
- United Action for Youth
- IC Compassion
- WIC
- Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County
- University of Iowa College of Dentistry
- University of Iowa College of Law – Citizen Lawyer Program and Immigration Law with Professor Bram Elias
- Common Good Iowa
- Iowa City Community School District
- University of Iowa Athletics Department
Advocacy Day
Advocacy Day is a day geared towards learning the fundamentals needed to take advocating for our patients and their families from the bedside to beyond. Organized annually by our third-year pediatric resident AAP Program Delegate and Dr. Colburn (our Associate Program Director of Development + Advocacy), first-year pediatric residents are excused as a class from clinical duties to begin exploring how to better partner with local community resources, function as a member of the AAP, and lobby for change at the state and federal level. Our program's dedication to advocating on behalf of children's health and be seen in all the ways our residents have been involved with advocacy initiatives.
To be a pediatrician is to be an advocate for child and adolescent health and wellbeing. When a pediatrician expands their advocacy beyond the exam room, communities thrive. When our communities thrive, we pediatricians thrive. Advocacy Day's goal is to help pediatricians on their journey towards achieving better health for both their patients and themselves.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
AAP membership fees are fully paid by the program annually. Several University of Iowa Pediatric faculty are involved with the AAP on both a state and national level.
AAP Annual National Conference
Second year program delegate is funded by the program each year. Residents outside of this are encouraged to go pending additional funding.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Trainees
- Program Delegate: Chosen during the first year of residency, the SOPT program delegate attends quarterly meetings with the SOPT during their second year, relays AAP information including the annual Advocacy Campaign to residents and is funded by the program to go to the National AAP Conference in October of their 2nd year. As a third year you participate in choosing the intern class delegate and assist the second year.
- SOPT Leadership: The leadership opportunities are highly supported by our program and are within subspecialties and broad committees. The delegate assists residents with interest in these positions.
CATCH Grants
Iowa faculty are well-versed in applying for and assisting residents in obtaining AAP CATCH grants.
CATCH Grant Pediatric Resident Recipients
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2019: “LatinXchange” by Dr. Melanie Reyes Hernandez. Used funds to access the evidence-based “Girls Circle” curriculum and apply this to form a group empowering young Latinx individuals to take ownership of their health care with a focus on sexual health.
- 2019: “Healthy Hawkeye Smiles” by Dr. Rachel Segal and Dr. Michael Cole. Collaborated with Pediatric Dentistry to obtain fluoride varnish in the IRL General Pediatrics clinic and educate Pediatric Residents on applying it with the goal to improve oral health care and education of patients and parents.
CATCH Grant Pediatric Staff Recipients
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2018: “Little Hawks Clinic” and 2020: “Green & Gold Clinic” both by Dr. Marguerite Oetting. These are no cost clinics based in local Iowa City high schools serving the uninsured or underinsured adolescents in the area.
- 2021: “BreastFeed Iowa Black Immigrant (BIBI) Partnership” by Dr. Temitope Awelewa. Assessed sociocultural factors surrounding breastfeeding in African immigrants of Johnson County to then create a cultural breastfeeding guide. Ultimate goal to increase access to breastfeeding information and lactation services in low-income African immigrant mothers within Johnson County.
Temitope Awelewa, MBChB, MPH, FAAP, IBCLC
Dr. Awelewa is a board-certified general pediatrician, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics' division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. She has enjoyed serving as a breastfeeding support advocate in the last five years for the AAP's Iowa Chapter. She received a lectureship grant award from the AAP to promote physician breastfeeding education statewide, and to reduce disparities among Iowa communities. She is interested in culturally sensitive breastfeeding care, and is a recipient of an AAP CATCH grant award (see above) to improve breastfeeding among black immigrants in the Johnson County, IA area.
Meredith Fishbane-Gordon, MD
Meredith Fishbane-Gordon is interested in prevention of pediatric obesity; she’s partnered with Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative to roll out the implementation of Healthy Habits Questionnaires during all well child visits starting at two years of age in all outpatient clinics. She has partnered with the City of Iowa City, the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department, and Healthy Life Stars programs locally to facilitate unique opportunities for our pediatric patients including providing prescriptions for at-risk youth to free activity programs and free in-home family educational opportunities to learn how to improve healthy habits.
Education and Conferences
Residents have education time Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and Friday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Conferences include:
Core Curriculum Lecture Series
- Didactic lectures covering American Board of Pediatric board content.
PICU Conference Series
- Lecture series targeted to ICU principles, conditions, and managements provided to residents during their daytime PICU blocks during second year of residency. Presenters include critical care staff, fellows, RTs, and more.
Resident-Led Lectures
Senior Case Conference
- Third year residents present a formal patient case of their choosing. Residents will select a faculty mentor to assist with the presentation, with additional support from a Dr. Colburn, our Associate Program Director of Development and Advocacy. The Case Conference is designed to examine, via case presentations, topics in Pediatric medicine based on current literature and evidence-based medicine.
Journal Club
- Second year residents evaluate and present an evidenced-based, peer reviewed article of their choosing, with assistance from an Dr. Lyndsay Harshman, our Associate Program Director of Research. Through this series, residents learn how to formulate a clinical question, learn techniques on searching the medical literature efficiently, learn how to efficiently read a journal article and critically appraise a variety of journal articles. The objective is for residents to apply above techniques to everyday practice and to continue lifelong learning.
Afternoon Report
- Case conference series facilitated by Chief Residents once per block. One of the inpatient teams prepares and presents an interesting patient case with participation of medical students, interns, senior residents, fellows, and faculty.
Resident Report
- Weekly conference facilitated by Chief Residents where residents present brief patient cases. Each resident is expected to present at least two cases per year.
Departmental Lecture Series
Grand Rounds
- Held every Friday, these state-of-the-art clinical science presentations are given by faculty and guest speakers. Speakers encouraged to include DEI and social determinants of health that apply to chosen topic.
Frontiers in Pediatric Research
- State-of-the-art research science presentations by faculty and guest speakers.
Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Education series
- Multidisciplinary conference discussing topics such as palliative care, psychosocial issues relating to dealing with chronic illness, receiving bad news, and death, as well as pain management and care at the end of life.
Pediatrics Departmental M&M
- Faculty led morbidity and mortality review on specific case to provide additional learning, quality improvement, etc.
Additional Educational Opportunities
Academic Half-Day
- Full afternoon of protected learning, occurring approximately once per block. AHD is often given as case-based session focused on ABP content and will consist of short lectures, small group activities, procedural sills, an/or board prep questions. Pediatrics faculty, faculty from other specialties (such as Pediatric Urology, Pediatric Dermatology, and Pediatric Emergency Medicine), pediatric subspecialty fellows, and senior residents present at these sessions.
PICU M&M
- Pediatric residents are invited to the monthly PICU morbidity and mortality conference series.
Research Opportunities and Funding
Opportunities abound for carrying out clinical or basic research during residency! Our residents are encouraged to take electives with our pediatric or non-pediatric faculty in a variety of areas from clinical to translational to basic research.
UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics faculty members are in key national leadership positions across the disciplines of academic pediatrics and biomedical research, and is currently ranked No. 25 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among all public pediatric departments nationwide.
The Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine is internationally recognized for its excellence and leadership in biomedical research. It is ranked No. 41 in research in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report listing of “Best Graduate Schools,” and it is ranked No. 16 in NIH funding among public institutions by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
A variety of research opportunities exist for our trainees:
Research electives
Since 50% of our residents go on to fellowship, many find research electives helpful in their career choice. Many of our pediatric residents participate in research electives during their training, and will subsequently go on to present their work at national meetings and/or in publication format.
Physician Scientist Training Pathway
Exceptional pediatric residency applicants who already have an outstanding basic or clinical research experience are eligible to apply to the Carver College of Medicine's Physician Scientist Training Pathway (PSTP) Program. The objective of the Physician Scientist Training Pathway Program is to promote the postgraduate training and career development of physician-scientists who will become future leaders in academic medicine.
- PSTP participants receive a $4,000 stipend per year.
- PSTP participants are guaranteed a fellowship spot in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics upon satisfactory completion of their residency training.
- This program takes advantage of alternative pathways of residency - including the Integrative Research Pathway - and subspecialty fellowship training in accordance with established criteria for American Board of Pediatrics.
- Persons interested in applying to the PSTP at the University of Iowa should complete the categorical pediatrics application on ERAS, and additionally complete the PSTP Application Form by December 1, 2022.
Stimulating Access to Research during Residency (StARR) Program
The goal of the Iowa StARR Scholars Program is to attract residents who may not have otherwise considered a career as a physician-scientist, and to provide them with the opportunities, mentoring, and skills they need to succeed.
- One resident per year from Pediatrics may serve as a StARR Scholar. StARR Scholars will pursue 12 to 18 months of mentored research focused in the areas of cardiovascular, lung, blood, and sleep diseases. During this time, trainees will participate in a mentorship program in which physician-scientists interact one-on-one with Scholars. The total duration of clinical and research training will be four years.
- The Pediatrics StARR Scholar is guaranteed a fellowship spot in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics upon satisfactory completion of their residency training.
Applicants to our pediatric residency program who wish to learn more about resident research opportunities (including University of Iowa's PSTP Program) are invited to contact Director of the Pediatrics Physician Scientist Training Program, Lyndsay Harshman, MD, MS.
Honors and Recognition
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is the #1 children's hospital in Iowa and #12 children's hospital in the midwest. We are the only children’s hospital in Iowa nationally ranked for pediatric care by U.S. News and World Report. Read our June 14, 2022 news release.
- 26 in neonatology
- 38 in pediatric cancer
- 23 in pediatric diabetes and endocrinology
- 27 in pediatric nephrology
- 38 in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery
- 36 in pediatric orthopedics
- 50 in pediatric pulmonology
The annual Best Children’s Hospitals rankings recognize the top 50 pediatric facilities across the U.S. in 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.
University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital and the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics are recognized nationally for a number of achievements.
Pediatric researchers at the University of Iowa have a long history of breakthrough discoveries in both the clinical and laboratory setting. Meet members of our research team:
Quick Facts
By the Numbers
- 15 categorical pediatric residents are accepted each year, plus two child neurology residents
- Approximately half of our graduating residents go to subspecialties, with the other half going directly into practice
- 172 faculty members train and mentor pediatric residents
- Strong history of the American Board of Pediatrics certification exam successful passing rate
- 2 chiefs are selected from each class for a post-residency year
Our Patients
As the only stand-alone children’s hospital in Iowa, we care for many complex patients who come from across the state, including some from western Illinois and northern Missouri. We have good exposure to “bread and butter pediatric” patients, in addition to unique diseases and conditions. Both NICU and PICU utilize ECMO (VA and VV). We have bone marrow transplant and solid organ transplant (excluding lung). We care for medically complex patients with trach dependence, TPN dependence, dialysis patients, and more, both in the hospital and in the clinics.
Scheduling Rotations
Primary rotations at located at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and Iowa River Landing UI Healthcare. Residents will spend one block during their second year in Des Moines, IA, (approximately 90 min west) at Blank Children’s Hospital emergency department for additional exposure to general community pediatric emergencies. Travel costs and housing provided. Second year residents will also commute for one rotation to Cedar Rapids, IA, (30 min north) for additional outpatient community pediatric exposure.
For more information on rotations, please click here.
Electronic Medical Record
UIHC uses EPIC. Nearly all resident computer stations have Dragon available, with an option of remote dictation on personal computers.
Benefits
- Competitive stipends
- Comprehensive medical, dental, hospitalization and pharmacy benefits for residents/fellows and their dependents
- 21 days of annual paid time off
Board Certification Requirements
- Visit the American Board of Pediatrics for specifics on board certification requirements
FAQs
How ethnically diverse are your patients?
Like a lot of university towns, we have a large international community. Growing cultural diversity is another reason Iowa City is an interesting place to live. Diversity is embraced and celebrated with city and university events, festivals, clubs and programs. The University works hard to recruit and retain minorities with its affirmative action policies. About 13% of Iowa citizens are non-white as are almost 13% of the patients seen in our pediatric clinic.
Are there any job opportunities for my spouse/significant other?
Yes, in June 2016, Iowa City had an average of 3.2% unemployment. Also check out The University of Iowa's Dual Career Services.
Is it possible to do an international elective in your program?
Yes! Residents can do International Health Electives in PGY2 and/or PGY3.
What are the fellowship opportunities available?
We currently have 29 fellows training in our 10 accredited fellowship programs.
Is this a family friendly program?
Yes! We love children and support residents in their efforts to balance work with family life. We have several dual physician resident and faculty families and understand the stresses. Women residents receive up to 6 weeks of paid maternity leave after delivery. Men get 5 working days off for paternity leave. The house staff health insurance policy provides full coverage for spouses and children. There are several childcare facilities near the hospital and one on-site. The training program also has activities during the year where all family members are invited, such as our annual resident picnic.
[Lab research] Is there sufficient patient volume so that I can have multiple exposures to a variety of diseases?
With 5,400 annual inpatient pediatric admissions and over 218,000 outpatient encounters you will see plenty of the most common illnesses and trauma that children experience and plenty of the "zebras" as well. Our clinical practice serves the general pediatric health care needs of the local community and the subspecialty needs of the region. Our department receives referrals for specialized services from neighboring states as well.
Patients are referred from across the nation for certain specialized pediatric treatments and services, such as bone marrow transplantation, pediatric cardiology, otolaryngology, neurosurgery and orthopedics. In addition, we conduct clinics in other cities and towns throughout Iowa. Our patients represent all pediatric age groups and all socioeconomic strata and they present with virtually all acute and chronic conditions.
What is the program's balance between primary and specialty care?
We seek to provide each resident physician with a sufficiently broad experience that he or she can choose wisely among all the pediatric options to pursue a career in the general practice of pediatrics, a subspecialty service career or an academic career. About half of our graduates go on to practice general pediatrics while the other half go on to fellowships in pediatric subspecialties or academic pediatrics.
Do you have a research project requirement for graduation?
While we do not have a requirement to complete a research project, we do encourage residents to work on bench or clinical research projects along with our faculty. The Stead Family Department of Pediatrics ranks 13th in public institutions for NIH funding and we have 2 Howard Hughes research investigators in our department. Two of our residents have won the prestigious Society of Pediatric Research's Resident Research Awards in the past couple of years.
If you have additional questions please contact our program coordinator at peds-res@uiowa.edu.
About Iowa City
Where is Iowa City?
Iowa City is 220 miles directly west of Chicago on Interstate 80. It's also within a 4-5 hour drive to Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City, and St. Louis. It has the cultural, educational, social, and political opportunities of a bigger city with the values and ambiance of a Midwestern town.
Rankings and Recognition
- Iowa City ranked No. 5 on Business Insider's "20 Best College Towns in America" list.
- Iowa City scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index - rating laws, policies, and services for inclusivity of LGBTQ people.
- Iowa City ranked No. 19 on the Money list of "100 Best Places to Live."
- Iowa City ranked No. 4 on Livability's "Best Places to Live" list, as well as by the American Institute for Economic Research among their "Top 20 College Towns."
Entertainment
The exquisite, state-of-the-art Hancher Auditorium presents a full season of world-renowned entertainment, including Broadway touring shows. The Englert Theatre, FilmScene, and Riverside Theatre engage audiences in live music, performance, and film.
Shopping and Dining
Downtown Iowa City offers more than 100 locally-owned boutiques and more than 70 restaurants to suit every taste. Coral Ridge Mall boasts 1.2 million feet of retail, restaurants, and theaters. Iowa River Landing features upscale dining and shops.
A Culture of Literature
Iowa City's designation as the first UNESCO City of Literature in the United States, as well as the annual Iowa City Book Festival, and the world-famous University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, underscore a long-standing appreciation of the written word.
School Pride
Iowa typically leads the nation in the high school graduation rate. And, Iowa is home to three public universities, 30 private colleges, and a 19-campus community college system.
The Great Outdoors
From anywhere in the region, you're just minutes away from a sprawling recreation area on the Iowa River that welcomes boaters, bikers, anglers, hikers, and wildlife watchers.
Big Ten Sports
The Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten field nationally ranked squads in football, basketball, wrestling, and more. Catch sports and special events at hte new, multipurpose Xtream Arena and GreenState Family Fieldshouse, located at Coralville's Iowa River Landing development.
The First Wave: The Story Behind Iowa Football's Tradition
Oftern referred to as "the greatest tradition in college football," The Iowa Wave turned five years old in 2022 - the same year the Stead Family Children's Hospital celebrated the building's five-year anniversary. The Big Ten Network dedicated its B1G Moment to this tradition on September 12, 2022.
Our People
It takes a special person to dedicate their life to the care and healing of children.
At Iowa, you will be exposed to some of the best clinicians, researchers and teachers in our profession. Through formal mentoring programs, as well as an open-door philosophy, we provide high-powered opportunities for you to learn career-long lessons from these dedicated professionals.
Additionally, our chief residents and fellows are committed to helping you achieve your training aims. Classmates in your residency class will share in the support and encouragement that will help you excel.
Meet our 2022-2023 Pediatric Interns:
Chair and Department Executive Officer
Alexander G. Bassuk, MD, PhD | Chair and Department Executive Officer
Welcome to the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics. We are proud to showcase our extraordinary clinical care, dedication to the education of students and young physicians, and our world-class research programs.
Our comprehensive medical, surgical, and nursing services span the full spectrum of pediatric care. The consistently high rankings we receive on national and international benchmarks attest to the exceptional quality of care we provide. With more than 127,000 annual outpatient visits and more than 10,000 admissions to the 165 beds at University of Iowa Children's Hospital, we draw patients regionally, nationally, and internationally. Our commitment to family-centered care and our outstanding facilities have been praised for their innovative and patient-friendly design.
We are dedicated to excellence in the education of medical students, residents, and fellows, as reflected by a competency-based curriculum that is designed to provide practitioners with comprehensive knowledge and outstanding skills. The clinical and research efforts of trainees are closely mentored and nurtured. Our graduates move on to successful careers in clinical practice and academic pediatrics.
From genomics to cancer biology, from clinical trials to outcomes research, the department consistently ranks among the top National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded Pediatric Departments nationally. Our faculty and staff are engaged in cutting edge basic science and patient-oriented research in our unwavering quest to improve the health and well-being of all children.
Stead Family Department of Pediatrics Faculty
The UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics has a faculty of more than 170 professionals whose clinical, teaching, and research expertise spans the entire discipline of pediatric medicine.
Please select a link below to view faculty clinical and research profiles.
Residency Leaders
Amy Stier, MD, MME
Program Director
Clinical Professor
amy-stier@uiowa.edu
Eyad Hanna, MD, MME
Associate Program Director
Clinical Associate Professor
eyad-hanna@uiowa.edu
Glenda Rabe, MD, MME
Associate Program Director
Clinical Associate Professor
glenda-rabe@uiowa.edu
Erin Howe, MD
Associate Program Director
Clinical Assistant Professor
erin-howe@uiowa.edu
Lyndsay Harshman, MD, MS
Associate Program Director
Assistant Professor
lyndsay-harshman@uiowa.edu
Michael Colburn, MD, MEd
Associate Program Director
Clinical Assistant Professor
Jolynn Leyden-Schevers
Program Coordinator
peds-res@uiowa.edu
Meaghan Pappas
Secretary to Dr. Amy Stier
meaghan-pappas@uiowa.edu
Clover Rohe
Assistant Residency Coordinator
clover-farmer@uiowa.edu
Chief Residents
The Chief Residents' role includes facilitation of Resident Report, Inpatient Direct Observation, preparing schedules for rotation, conference, retreat, emergency coverage, medical student education, and recruitment, and serving on various committees representing residency interests.
Kacie Rytlewski, MD
Chief Resident
peds-chief@uiowa.edu
Caitlin Thirnbeck, DO, MPH
Chief Resident
peds-chief@uiowa.edu
Current Residents
First Year
- Dr. Thomas Cox, University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
- Dr. Grant Goertzen, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Dr. Morgan Harris, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Dr. Madison Hesse, Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Abigail Koski, Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Christopher Lysons, Rocky Vista University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Valerie McKendry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Brittany O'Brien, Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Ashley Radig, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Veronica Ramirez-Altamirano, Tecnologico de Monterrey SOM & Health Sci.
- Dr. Kathryn Ritter, Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Cara Schoon, Kansas City University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Laura Varan, University of Medicine & Pharmacy Victor Babes
- Dr. Rebecca Waldman, Medical College of Wisconsin
- Dr. Cassie Wassink, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Sarah Westbrook, Creighton University School of Medicine
- Dr. Katherine Wierzbowski, Indiana University School of Medicine
Second Year
- Dr. Moh'd Rawhi Abu Hamad, Jordan University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine
- Dr. Rawan Al-Rawi, Jordan University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine
- Dr. Yahya Almodallal, Jordan University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine
- Dr. John Belz, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
- Dr. Emily Chi, Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
- Dr. Sawyer Clement, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
- Dr. Miranda Deutmeyer, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Farbod Farhang, Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Natalie McIntire, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Dr. Joshua Mifflin, Indiana University School of Medicine
- Dr. Irene Morcuende-Gonzalez, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Zachary Rumlow, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Destinee Schmitz, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Elizabeth Smits, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
- Dr. Danielle Thiessen, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Kayla Walter, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Third Year
- Dr. Elizabeth Daniel, Medical College of Wisconsin
- Dr. Mitchell Edwards, University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Adam Erwood, University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Alexandra Flanagan, St. Louis University, School of Medicine
- Dr. Collin Foster, University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Lydia Hillier, Western Michigan University, Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine
- Dr. Garret Kahle, University of Kansas, School of Medicine
- Dr. Keegan Kavanaugh, University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Melanie Morris, University of Washington, School of Medicine
- Dr. Andrea Nollette, University of Nebraska, College of Medicine
- Dr. Megan Oberbillig, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
- Dr. Ashley Preston, Medical College of Wisconsin
- Dr. Sarah Scott, University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine
- Dr. Daniel Stover, University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Dr. Melinda Whitacre, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
Past Residents
2022 Graduates
- Sirine Belaid, Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Ashlee Graham, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- Megan Kavanaugh, General Pediatrics, Unity Point Pediatrics, Ankeny, IA
- Alex Keating, General Pediatrics, Complete Children’s Health, Lincoln, NE
- Caitlin Lindaman, General Pediatrics, Mercy Pediatric Clinic, Coralville, IA
- Shelby Mestnik, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Ben Palmer, Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Emily Phillips, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- Kacie Rytlewski, Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Jeremy Sandgren, Neonatology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Ashley Schumacher, General Pediatrics, Mercy Pediatric Clinic, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Caitlin Thirnbeck, Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Megan Warneke, General Pediatrics, Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, Ft. Madison, IA
- Blair Wright, General Pediatrics, Northwest Medicine, Sandwich, IL
- Caroline Densmore, Academic General Pediatrics, UAB/Children’s of Alabama, Birmingham, AL
- Karissa Soltys, Academic General Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Coralville, IA
2021 Graduates
- Kathryn Bakkum, Pediatric Hospitalist Fellowship, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, OH
- Caroline Densmore, Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Amy Hobson, Neonatology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Christina Kim, General Pediatrics, Rockford, IL
- Mallory Krahn, General Pediatrics, Kansas City, MO
- Megan Miller, General Pediatrics, Lincoln, NE
- Natalie Mushitz, General Pediatrics, Mitchell, SD
- Cari Natvig, General Pediatrics, St. Cloud, MN
- Graciela Parra Villasmil, Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Mariah Sisson, Sports Medicine Fellowship, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
- Matthew Solomon, Critical Care Fellowship, Indiana University, IN
- Karissa Soltys, Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Ryan Squires, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship, Indiana University, IN
- Sriya Subramani, Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship, Seattle Children's Hospital, WA
- Megan Wubben, Academic General Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Coralville, IA
2020 Graduates
- Kristin Avery, General Pediatrics, Clear Lake, IA
- Melissa Baranay, Pediatric Hospitalist Fellowship, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, IL
- Timothy Boly, Neonatology-Perinatal Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Alex Hoover, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, University of Minnesota, MN
- Matthew Maves, General Pediatrics, Coralville, IA
- Tyler Murtaugh, General Pediatrics, Blue Springs, MO
- Haley Plath, General Pediatrics, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Meaghan Reaney, Critical Care, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- Heather Reichert, General Pediatrics, Monroe, WI
- Rachel Segal, Child Abuse Fellowship, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
- Kamel Shibbani, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Ryan Town, Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Alexander Tuttle, Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Oriana Vanegas Calderon, Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2019 Graduates
- Faris Al-Gharaibeh, Neonatology-Perinatal Fellowship, Cincinnati, OH
- Courtney Glos, General Pediatrics, Seymour, IN
- Rachel Han, Neonatology-Perinatal Fellowship, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
- Hillary Herman, General Pediatrics, Appleton, WI
- Bryan Koestner, General Pediatrics, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA
- Stephanie Lind, General Pediatrics, Sedalia, MO
- Kyle Merrill, Nephrology Fellowship, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, OH
- Lance Nelson, Adolescent Medicine Fellowship, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
- Melanie Reyes, Neonatology-Perinatal Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- David Segar, Cardiology Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- Elizabeth Segar, General Pediatrics, Wauwatosa, WI
- Ben Spector, Nephrology Fellowship, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
- Amy Strong, Nephrology Fellowship, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
- Ty Webb, General Pediatrics, Idaho Falls, ID
- Kaitlin Stein, General Pediatrics, Kansas City, MO
2018 Graduates
- Kathryn Halyko, General Pediatrics, Waterford, WI
- Michael Halyko, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- Justin Hammar, Neonatology Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Emily Hvidston, General Pediatrics, Duluth, MN
- Kathleen Larson, General Pediatrics, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Marissa Michel, General Pediatrics, Dubuque, IA
- Sara Pepper, General Pediatrics, Yankton, SD
- Matthew Rysavy, Neonataology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Kristen Sandgren, Pediatric Hospitalist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Laura Socwell, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, OH
- George Spyropoulos, Critical Care Fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- Julianne Torres, Pediatric Hospitalist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Amy Truong, Pediatric Hospitalist, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Patience Ugwi, Completing PhD
- Allison Whitney, General Pediatrics, Ankeny, IA
2017 Graduates
- John Callahan, General Pediatrics, Dubuque, IA
- Benjamin Dexter, General Pediatrics, Mankato, MN
- Anh Linh Hoang, General Pediatrics, Clackamas, OR
- Stephanie Houston, Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Kathryn Kaufman, General Pediatrics, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Margaret Koos, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Kansas City, MO
- Benjamin Landgraf, General Pediatrics, New Berlin, WI
- Natasha Madhoo Reynolds, General Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Padget Skogman, General Pediatrics, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Amy Stanford, Hemodynamics Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Hua Sun, Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Lisa Woodroffe, General Pediatrics & Sports Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Jessica Zimmerman, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2016 Graduates
- Nour Akil, Pediatric Pulmonology Medicine, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Lindsay Blick, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Omaha, NE
- Christopher Etscheidt, General Pediatrics, Waukee, IA
- Temara Hajjat, Pediatric Gastroenterology Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH
- Jennifer Isham, General Pediatrics, Kansas City, MO
- Sneha Iyer, Hospitalist, University of Chicago, IL
- Katherine Lynch, General Pediatrics, Medford, OR
- Emily Peterson, General Pediatrics, MN
- Catherina Pinnaro, Pediatric Endocrinology Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Justin Schwartz, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH
- Fotios Spyropoulos, Neonatology-Perinatal Medicine, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA
- Jenna Tate, General Pediatrics, Burnsville, MN
- Patricia Watkins, Neonatology-Perinatal Medicine, Sanford Medical Center, Bismark, ND
2015 Graduates
- Chad Dallon, General Pediatrics, Logan, UT
- Osayame Ekhaguere, Neonatology-Perinatal Medicine, Riley Children’s, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
- Morgan Grundstad, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Mercy, Des Moines, IA
- Will Klutho, General Pediatrics, Jefferson City, MO
- Tate Lage, General Pediatrics, Clear Lake, IA
- Tracey Morgan-Harris, Neonatology-Perinatal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Kathryn Newby, General Pediatrics, Scottsdale, AZ
- Dan Pelzer, General Pediatrics, Des Moines, IA
- Shawki Qasim, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor University, College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Kate Robb, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Katie Shearer, General Pediatrics, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Baiba Steinbrekera, Neonatology-Perinatal Medicine, Sanford Medical Center, Sanford, Sioux Falls, SD
2014 Graduates
- Katie Behunin, General Pediatrics, Draper, UT
- Michael Colburn, Adolescent Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Steven Haasken, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Essentia Health, St. Mary’s, Duluth, MN
- Lyndsay Harshman, Pediatric Nephrology Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Erin Howe, General Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Alexandra Iannone, Pediatric Neurology Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Ugochi Ogu, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN
- Rupa Pallavala, General Pediatrics, Indianapolis, IN
- Julie Stecher, General Pediatrics, Bettendorf, IA
- Ali Suliman, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Medicine, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Anita Unnithan, Pediatric Medicine, Springfield, MO
- Jon Willes, Pediatric Cardiology Medicine, Marshfield Children's Hospital, Marshfield, WI
- Robin Williams, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Masaki Yamada, PPediatric Infectious Disease Medicine, National Center for Childhood Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
2013 Graduates
- Brady A'Hearn, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Ashraf Baeshu, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Rockford, IL
- Letrice Blair, General Pediatrics, Albany, OR
- Leslie Greenlee, General Pediatrics, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Suneeti Gupta, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Piedmont Healthcare, Atlanta, GA
- Hasan Hashem, Hematology/Oncology & BMT Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Foundation & Center, Amman, Jordan
- Mina Kim, General Pediatrics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
- Sonya Kirmani, Pediatric Cardiology Medicine, Duke Children’s Hospital, Durham, NC
- Krupa Mysore, Pediatric Gastroenterology Medicine, Baylor University, College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Ashley Sandeen, Critical Care Medicine, Sanford Children’s Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD
- Jennifer Thompson, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children’s Hospital, Minneapolis, MN
Contact Us
If you are interested in applying to the Pediatric Residency Program, applications are accepted only through ERAS. Please include your USMLE scores, Dean's letter, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.
To reach us:
Jolynn Leyden-ScheversPediatric Residency Coordinator
Stead Family Department of Pediatrics - 2015-26 BT
University of Iowa Children’s Hospital
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319-356-3462
Fax: 319-356-4855
Email: peds-res@uiowa.edu
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying to the Pediatric Residency Program, applications are accepted through ERAS. Please include your USMLE scores, Dean's letter, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.
In compliance with institutional, state, and national recommendations, our program will be solely conducting virtual interviews for the 2020-21 residency NRMP Match cycle. We will not offer in-person interviews or visits to our site in support of minimizing health risks associated with travel during this coronavirus pandemic and to provide an equitable interview experience to all applicants.
We will interview approximately 190 candidates for 15 positions beginning Oct. 18 and ending mid-January. 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.
Applications must be received by Dec. 1, 2022. Interviews will begin Oct. 21 and will conclude Jan. 23, 2023.
University of Iowa Pediatric Residency Program NRMP Program Code: 1203320C0
To reach us:
Jolynn Leyden-ScheversPediatric Residency Coordinator
Stead Family Department of Pediatrics – 2015-26 BT
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 1-319-356-3462
Fax: 319-356-4855
Email: peds-res@uiowa.edu
Deadline
Applications must be received by Dec. 1, 2021. All interviews will begin Oct. 18 and will conclude Jan. 14, 2022.
Couples Match
The Department of Pediatrics encourages couples match applications. We will work in conjunction with the corresponding department to attempt to streamline interview dates and times for both applications. More information on couples matching can be found on the NRMP website.
Criteria for Candidacy
Training Program Eligibility Criteria for:
U.S. Allopathic Medical School Graduates
- Passing USMLEs with no more than one failure.
- Application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) including:
- A minimum of three letters of recommendation;
- Dean’s letter;
- Medical school transcript verifying appropriate medical education to train in a large teaching hospital;
- Personal statement (there are no specific requirements for the personal statement but in general it should explain why you are interested in a pediatric residency and justify why you would be a good candidate); and
- Photograph.
- We do not require a “Chairman’s Letter.”
Osteopathic Medical School Graduates
- COMLEX Step 1 and Step 2 scores of at least 500 or USMLE Step 1 score of at least 200
- Application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) including:
- A minimum of three letters of recommendation;
- Dean’s letter;
- Medical school transcript verifying appropriate medical education to train in a large teaching hospital;
- Personal statement (there are no specific requirements for the personal statement but in general it should explain why you are interested in a pediatric residency and justify why you would be a good candidate); and
- Photograph.
- We do not require a “Chairman’s Letter.”
International Medical School Graduates
- USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores of at least 225 on first attempt. Scores must be available before you can be considered for an interview.
- Passing grade on the CSA or USMLE Step 2 CS on the first attempt.
- Medical school graduation date within the last 5 years.
- Appropriate medical education to train in a large U.S. teaching hospital.
- Previous pediatric residency experiences, observership or clinical experience in the U.S. is strongly preferred.
- Previous degree in U.S., (i.e. MPH) is also desirable.
- Application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) including:
- A minimum of 3 letters of recommendation;
- Dean’s letter;
- Medical school transcript verifying appropriate medical education to train in a large teaching hospital;
- Personal statement (there are no specific requirements for the personal statement but in general it should explain why you are interested in a pediatric residency and justify why you would be a good candidate); and
- Photograph.
- We do not require a “Chairman’s Letter.”
- U.S. citizenship or a J-1 Visa.
Pediatric Board Certification
Medical specialty certification in the United States is a voluntary process which serves multiple purposes for the trainee and the public.
Certification is
- One mission of the training program to produce trainees who meet board eligibility criteria
- Distinguishes a physician as someone with a distinct level of expertise
- Provides more opportunities when applying for employment
- Presents resources and tools by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
- A commitment to life-long improvement for providing the best patient care
- Elevates physicians into the ranks of doctors committed to the highest standards of healthcare
For more information visit the American Board of Pediatrics for specifics on board certification requirements.
Interviews
The Interview
In compliance with institutional, state, and national recommendations, our program will be solely conducting virtual interviews for the 2022-2023 residency NRMP Match cycle. We will not offer in-person interviews or visits to our site in support of minimizing health risks associated with travel during this coronavirus pandemic and to provide an equitable interview experience to all applicants.
We will interview approximately 190 candidates for 15 positions beginning November 2 and ending mid-January. 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.
Invitations to interview
Invitations from our program will be extended via Interview Broker, enabling you to self-schedule your interview.
What should I expect on the interview day?
Your interview day will begin around 10 a.m. and conclude around 2 p.m. (Central Time Zone), on the Zoom platform. The components of your day will include an overview of the program, followed by Q&A with our chief residents, a virtual tour, interviews with the program director and two other faculty members and a current pediatric resident.