The University of Iowa Department of Surgery faculty and staff take pride in providing leading-edge patient care, advancing the field of surgery through first-rate research, and delivering superior education and training to the next generation of surgeons.

The department’s surgeons and medical professionals address a wide variety of complex medical issues, from matching donors with recipients in the Organ Transplant Center to providing continuous care for both adult and pediatric trauma victims in one of the state’s two designated Level I Trauma Centers and a certified regional Burn Treatment Center. Specialists provide critical surgical support among comprehensive, multidisciplinary teams for the treatment of cancer, gastrointestinal and colorectal diseases, and vascular ailments, as well as advanced surgical care for the smallest pediatric patients. Skilled plastic and reconstructive surgeons manage complex reconstructive issues resulting from deformities, traumatic injuries, or cancer excision in both adult and pediatric patients, in addition to surgical and non-surgical cosmetic services for adults.

Education

Research

About Us

The department provides critical and unique resources for Iowa. 

Years ago, surgery faculty at Iowa performed the world’s first gastric-bypass surgeries for morbidly obese patients. Today, the department continues its commitment to innovative surgical procedures and techniques in all areas, such as minimally invasive and robotic surgery, while offering advanced technologies like the positive pressure isolation room and state-of-the-art hydrotherapy facility for burn patients.

Patient care in the UI Department of Surgery is informed by basic science and clinical research—translating the latest discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside as well as into every aspect of education and training. Fellows, residents, and medical students are exposed to revolutionary medicine and surgical techniques that will enhance their skills, and the department’s faculty value the opportunity to shape today’s learners into tomorrow’s best and brightest surgeons.

>41K

Department of Surgery Visits

35

consecutive years ranked as one of the best academic hospitals in the U.S.

# 1

Iowa's #1 hospital as ranked by U.S. news & world report

News

Dr. Dionne Skeete recipient of 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Carver College of Medicine Events

REDCap Advanced Training

Tuesday, December 16, 2025 10:00am to 11:00am
Virtual

This is the fourth step in the REDCap training series. In this training we will cover advanced features such as:

Importing data from a CSV file Ways to customize your data entry experience with form display logic Making your forms more dynamic and personalized with context aware smart variables Sending automated, conditional email alerts Ensuring data is high quality by executing data quality rules, creating data 'missingness' codes, and opening data queries

Register by clicking the...

Neuroscience and Pharmacology Seminar - Vadim Bolshakov, PhD promotional image

Neuroscience and Pharmacology Seminar - Vadim Bolshakov, PhD

Tuesday, December 16, 2025 10:30am to 11:30am
Bowen Science Building

Neuropeptide-mediated gating of innate fear circuits

Vadim Bolshakov, PhD
Professor, Harvard Medical School
Director, Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital

ACB Seminar Series - Dr. Guo-Chang Fan  promotional image

ACB Seminar Series - Dr. Guo-Chang Fan

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 9:30am to 10:30am
Bowen Science Building

Dr. Guo-Chang Fan, a Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neurobiology from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine will present a seminar titled "Sectm1a and Probiotic EVs in Efferocytosis-Mediated Repair of Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury."

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