How to Apply

Applications can be submitted for the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics through the Surgical Critical Care & Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Application Service (SAFAS). The 2025-2026 application submission opens March 1, 2024 and interviews are conducted on two separate dates, finishing up first week of August. The Fellowship Program participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) with results August 28, 2024. 

In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements for the NRMP, all interested applications must also match the eligibility requirements based on the ACGME Guidelines which include:

  • All required clinical education for entry into ACGME-accredited fellowship programs must be completed in an ACGME-accredited residency program, an AOA-approved residency program, a program with ACGME International (ACGME-I) Advanced Specialty Accreditation, or a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited or College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency program located in Canada. Eligibility for ABMS or AOA Board certification may not be satisfied by fellowship training.
  • Prior to appointment in the program, fellows must have completed at least three clinical years in an ACGME-accredited or AOA-accredited graduate medical education program in one of the following specialties: anesthesiology, emergency medicine, neurological surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, surgery, thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, or urology.

American Board of Surgery 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 ABMS;
  • a commitment to life-long improvement for providing the best patient care; and
  • elevates physicians into the ranks of doctors committed to the highest standards of healthcare.

For more information visit the American Board of Surgery's website regarding the Surgical Critical Care Certifying Examination.