The University of Iowa Department of Surgery gathered at the beginning of September for its annual State of the Department Town Hall, where Chair Dr. Vikas Dudeja reflected on the department's accomplishments over the past year and outlined a vision for continued growth in patient care, research, and education.

Several University of Iowa Department of Surgery providers have been recognized with 2026 Patient's Choice Awards, earning placement among the top 10% of providers nationally for patient experience based on patient survey feedback. The awards recognize providers who consistently demonstrate excellence in communication, patient-centered care, and the overall patient experience.

After years of leadership in surgical education and resident training, Jerrod Keith, MD, has been named Vice Chair for Education in the University of Iowa Department of Surgery.

Colin P. Kenny, PhD, assistant professor in the University of Iowa Department of Surgery, has been awarded a highly competitive National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute to support research focused on understanding how melanoma adapts and progresses.

As demand for surgical services continues to grow across eastern Iowa, University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown is expanding access to high-quality general surgery care while bringing advanced surgical technology closer to the communities it serves.

Ronald J. Weigel, MD, PhD, MBA, Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, and Songhai Chen, MD, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacology have been awarded a prestigious National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health T32 training grant to establish the University of Iowa Surgical Oncology Research Training Program.

Dr. Vikas Dudeja, professor and chair of the University of Iowa Department of Surgery, recently welcomed academic surgery leaders from across the country to Iowa City as part of the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) Executive Retreat.