Letter from the Program Director
Welcome to the University of Iowa Surgery Residency Program! We are a large, comprehensive, and rigorous academic program with the mission of training highly skilled and impactful surgeons. At the end of residency, our graduates are fully ready for both subspecialty academic practice at the national level or full-scope general surgery serving communities throughout our state. Our graduates are very successful in securing competitive fellowships nationally in all subspecialties.
As the only academic medical center in our state, we are the referral hospital for sick adults and children throughout Iowa and western Illinois, a catchment area of over 3 million people.
The University has a tripartite mission of excellence in clinical patient care, research, and education, and residents are at the forefront of these areas. We offer 7 categorical residency positions per year. Around half of residents will choose to spend 2 additional years in the middle of residency performing dedicated research in anticipation of an academic practice, while the other half will go straight through training.
The vast majority of rotations are held at the main campus, which is comprised of the University Hospital - an 813-bed tertiary/quaternary referral center and level 1 trauma center in Iowa City - and the connected UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital – a 190 bed pediatric hospital and home of the Iowa Wave. Residents also rotate at the Iowa City VA Hospital located across the street, which is itself a referral center for the VA system. Two months of training is spent in Mason City, Iowa providing general surgery care with a smaller community focus. Elective rotations are also available for residents interested in bread-and-butter general surgery in Iowa City at the downtown medical campus.
At the University of Iowa, we benefit from world-class facilities located in an approachable and community-oriented college town. We strive to create an environment where you will succeed professionally and personally, whatever your goals are. Faculty are approachable and are invested in your success. As a graduate of this program myself, I can personally attest to this. Thank you for your interest in our program, and Go Hawks!
James De Andrade, MD, MME, FACS
Director – Surgery Residency Program
Director - Surgery Residency Program
A comprehensive learning environment
You’ll learn in an environment that encourages scholarly pursuits. We provide you with opportunities to conduct original clinical and basic science research. More than half of our residents enter fellowship programs. The close work you’ll do alongside fellows in our programs will afford you many opportunities to determine your career pathway.
Training future leaders in surgery
A program for you
We invite you to explore how livable Iowa City is for balancing work demands with a great healthy lifestyle. Iowa City offers unmatched cultural and recreation opportunities right outside the hospital’s doors.
A tradition of success
For nearly 150 years, surgeons have been trained at the University of Iowa. We have been responsible for some of the world’s surgical firsts. Our environment encourages innovative thinking with strong collaboration across many disciplines.
Our commitment to excellence sets us apart
Our Care
We hold the country’s highest designation for several of our clinical services, a testament to the vision and dedication of our faculty caregivers. In some cases, we’ve written the criteria for credentialing programs around the country to deliver effective treatment for complex conditions.
Our Programs
Our aim is to give you the opportunity to chart your course, as a general surgeon or as a specialist. Our rotation schedule and the variety in our case loads, provides you with ample experiences. Our programs are committed to balancing the experiences of fellows and residents to provide each with significant roles in patient care.
Our Technology
Our more than 30 ORs and hundreds of other procedure areas are in heavy demand, year-round. Our department is at the heart of the UI Health Care Center for Procedural Skills and Simulation, providing state-of-the-art systems for training in all facets of surgical procedures.