Welcome from Ronald J. Weigel, MD, PhD
Professor and Head, UI Department of Surgery
The UI Hospitals and Clinics Department of Surgery is part of
one of the largest university-owned teaching hospitals in the country and
is affiliated with the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The Department is organized into seven divisions: gastrointestinal surgery, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, pediatric surgery, transplantation, and the division of trauma, critical care, and burns. The Department provides surgical staff for the Level I Trauma Center, the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Burn Center. All of these centers are critical and unique resources in the State of Iowa.
Patient Care
Departmental faculty see patients in the Surgical Outpatient Clinic, the Burn Clinic in the Burn Center as well as in multispecialty clinics such as the John and Mary Pappajohn Clinical Cancer Center at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, the James A. Clifton Center for Digestive Diseases, and the UI Children's Hospital.
Surgical Research
The UI Department of Surgery has active laboratory investigations in surgical oncology, pediatric surgery and gastrointestinal surgery with National Institutes of Health-funded bench research. There are active clinical research projects in all of the Surgical Divisions. Members of the Department have established collaborative investigations with other faculty members throughout the Carver College of Medicine and the core research centers at the University of Iowa.
Surgical Education
The Department has an approved residency in general surgery leading to Board Certification by the American Board of Surgery. John Sharp, MD, has served as the residency director since 1999. There are currently 29 surgical residents and we have the approval to finish six chief residents each year. One to two years of research is available to residents who are interested in a career in academic surgery.
The UI Department of Surgery has approved fellowships in transplantation, critical care, and vascular surgery. Medical students in the third year rotate through surgery as part of their core clerkship under the directorship of Kim Ephgrave, MD. Fourth year sub-internships, advanced general surgery electives, and research opportunities are available in the divisions.
On the clinical services, general surgery residents benefit from a careful separation of responsibilities between senior residents and fellows. In pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, minimal access surgery, and surgical oncology, the senior residents benefit as the lack of a fellow provides a uniquely rich training environment.
We welcome your questions and feedback.