Start Your Fellowship Here
The University of Iowa Surgical Critical Care Fellowship offers one of the most comprehensive and versatile critical care training experiences available in the country. Designed for surgeons who want to master not just the ICU, but the full breadth of critical illness — we go beyond the boundaries of traditional surgical critical care.
Our fellows rotate through Surgical Critical Care, Cardiovascular Intensive Care (CVICU), and Neurocritical Care — and train within a nationally recognized, Gold Level ECMO Center of Excellence — graduating with a depth and range of skills that sets them apart in the workforce.
"Built for the surgeon who wants to do it all — and do it well, wherever they practice."
What Makes Us Different
A Truly Broad Training Experience
While most surgical critical care programs focus narrowly on the post-operative surgical patient, our fellowship deliberately expands your clinical exposure. You will become genuinely comfortable managing:
- Complex surgical and trauma critical illness
- Cardiac surgery patients and hemodynamic instability in the CVICU
- Neurological emergencies, intracranial hypertension, and neurocritical care
- Advanced mechanical circulatory support and ECMO — within an internationally recognized, Gold Level ECMO Center of Excellence
This breadth is an asset. Graduates of our program are uniquely prepared to practice at community hospitals, regional medical centers, and smaller academic institutions where versatility is not just valued — it is essential.
A Gold Level ECMO Center of Excellence
The University of Iowa is home to an internationally recognized ECMO program, designated as a Gold Level Center of Excellence. Our ECMO expertise is among the most respected in the world — and our fellows train inside it. Exposure to high-volume, complex extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cases during your fellowship year is an opportunity that simply does not exist at most programs.
For the graduating fellow, this translates directly into a meaningful differentiator on the job market and a skill set that opens doors at institutions seeking to build or grow their mechanical circulatory support capabilities.
The Right Fit for the Right Surgeon
If you are drawn to being the go-to intensivist — the person who can handle the cardiac patient, the neuro emergency, and the post-op complication all in the same shift — this program was built for you.
You will leave fellowship not just as a trained intensivist — but as a surgeon who is ready to walk into a new role with confidence.
Mentorship & Personalized Support
We believe that excellent fellowship training is personal. You are not a number here. Our program is intentionally structured for close, consistent engagement between fellows and faculty.
What Personalized Support Looks Like
- Regular one-on-one meetings with the program director — not just for evaluations, but for genuine career and professional development conversations
- A dedicated faculty mentor matched to your clinical interests and career goals
- An open-door culture where you can bring challenges, questions, and ambitions at any time
- Small program size means you receive real feedback and real attention — not generic group guidance
We are invested in your success beyond your board certification. We want to know where you want to go — and help you get there.
Financial Literacy for the Graduating Surgeon
Our program director, Dr. Godfrey, is the author of a nationally recognized financial literacy curriculum for surgeons in transition. Published in the Journal of Surgical Research (2026), this workshop — Blending Life and the Scalpel: A Financial Literacy Workshop for the Transition Beyond Training — was developed and delivered at a national surgical conference and is now integrated into our fellowship experience.
Fellows gain practical knowledge in:
Building a personal budget and understanding your real take-home income as a new attending
- How surgeon compensation works — RVU-based, salary, and collection models — and what to look for in your first contract
- The insurance coverage every physician needs: liability, disability, life, and umbrella
- Reading and interpreting your attending pay stub, including pre- and post-tax deductions
- Investment basics and why starting early makes an outsized difference
Life in Iowa City
Iowa City surprises people — in the best way. It consistently ranks among the most livable small cities in the country, and for good reason.
Why Surgeons and Their Families Love It Here
- Cost of living that is dramatically lower than most major academic centers — your fellowship stipend goes further here than almost anywhere
- A genuinely family-friendly community with outstanding public schools and safe neighborhoods
- The entire city is accessible in 10 to 15 minutes — no commutes, no traffic, more time for what matters
- A vibrant university town atmosphere: arts, culture, restaurants, live music, and a thriving downtown
- Outdoor recreation — hiking, cycling, rivers, and open space — right outside your door
- A tight-knit medical community where you will build relationships that last a career
Iowa City is a place where you can focus on becoming an excellent physician, build savings, and actually have a life during your fellowship year. That combination is rarer than you might think.
