Will I receive excellent clinical training at the University of Iowa?

Yes. While we have traditionally been known as a research institution we are a full service clinical division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, with a separate floor in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

How will I identify a research mentor and project?

University of Iowa is a very strong research institution with basic translational and clinical research.
During the first few months of fellowship, fellows are encouraged to meet with several clinical and basic science investigators who have ongoing projects that match their own interests. Should a fellow enter the program with a strong background in research or an identified project, a mentor with similar interests will be identified. A strong mentor-fellow relationship is imperative to success in research.

Will I have protected time to perform a research project and meet board eligibility requirements?

Research blocks are protected time. It is requested that fellows attend their weekly half day outpatient clinic and equational conferences. All other activities should be dedicated to research.

What is the call schedule?

First-year fellows cover 1-2 weekends per month, with a decreasing number of weekend calls each subsequent year. During all three years, fellows take one weeknight call each week. The second and third year fellows will concentrate on a scholarly project. Fellows will continue to attend their weekly half-day continuity clinic and educational conferences throughout all three years.

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 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. Its clean, safe, nothing is farther than a 15 min 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 back yard.

How ethnically diverse are the 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.

What's the weather like in Iowa City?

It depends on what you like. Our weather was a lot better than the East Coast this year! For about 2 weeks every winter it's very cold and windy and for 2 weeks every summer it's really hot and humid. The rest of the time it's pretty nice. We have a lot of sunny days even in winter-166 per year. Our average snowfall is 28", average rainfall is 35", average temperature in the summer is 72.6 and in the winter, 23.7. We consider our weather character building.

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, 9 golf courses, 6 public tennis courts, 6 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's always something going on. 

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 3 beaches, 9 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. 

Are there any job opportunities for my spouse/significant other?

Yes, in March 2020, Iowa City had an average of 2.7% unemployment. Also check out The University of Iowa's Dual Career Network.

Do you have a freestanding children's hospital?

Yes. The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is a state of the art pediatric facility opened in 2017.