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Frequently Asked Questions


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. It is clean, safe, nothing is farther than a 15-minute car ride, it has a great city bus system (with bike racks!), wonderful parks, sports, schools, and even sailing. Those who have lived here and left, frequently return because what they were looking for was in their own backyard.

How diverse is the patient population?

We have a surprisingly large international community here, drawn both from the university students and staff and from refugee resettlement programs in the local area. Iowa City itself is 80% white and primarily English speaking, but it’s also quite common to hear Spanish, French, Swahili, and Lingala whether you’re out around town on a weekend or working in the clinic. We also have several small Amish and Mennonite communities in the area. The university works hard to recruit and retain a diverse group of residents and faculty and is regularly named to US News & World Report’s list of top employers for diversity, as well as its list of top employers for women.

What is there to do in Iowa City when you're not working?

There are 15 different festivals and art fairs, plus concerts and race events. There are many music venues, sports events and neighborhood street fairs and garden walks. We also have a really big mall and several smaller ones, 41 parks, nine golf courses, six public tennis courts, six public pools, some lakes and a reservoir with trails, camping, & boating. There are bike trails, some famous bookstores, a ton of galleries, and excellent museums. There are half a dozen or more performing arts venues including Hancher Auditorium. There is always something going on. Find more information from the Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

What's Iowa City like for kids and families?

There's ice skating, bowling, organized sports, 50 public parks, miniature golf, a great public library, a toy library, fun centers, swimming pools and three beaches, nine museums including a children's museum, dance companies, and public recreation centers that feature many activities for kids and families at little or no cost. We also have 20 movie screens and 50-licensed daycare providers. The Iowa City schools are perennially ranked among the top schools in the nation. Iowa City is unique in the facilities and services available for individuals with disabilities. Many families who have a family member with a disability are reluctant to leave Iowa City because they cannot duplicate those services in another location.

Is this a family friendly program?

Yes! We love children and support residents in their efforts to balance work with family life. Female residents receive up to six weeks of paid maternity leave after delivery. Male residents get five 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.

Is there sufficient patient volume so that I can have multiple exposures to a variety of diseases?

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program at UI Hospitals & Clinics has a patient volume that allows you to become a well-trained private practitioner who is confident in your ability to see a child of any age with a wide variety of mental illnesses.

What's the call schedule like?

Our residents do not take overnight call unless they are transferring from the Psychiatry Residency Program at UI Hospitals & Clinics and have time remaining to complete their call obligations.

Residents cover clinic call during business hours when they are assigned to the outpatient clinic. Residents do not cover clinic call when assigned to the inpatient unit or off-service rotations.

Do you have a research project requirement for graduation?

While we do not have a requirement to complete a research project, residents are encouraged and supported in scholarly work. A resident may choose to spend one-half day a week during their outpatient rotation in their second year of training to pursue a research project. A senior presentation, in the form of a didactic presentation on a topic of choice, is required of residents during their second year of training.