University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Program

Program Identity & Fit

This is a small, academic, university-based five-year Child Neurology program (two positions annually, six residents total) housed within the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics at Iowa's only comprehensive children's hospital, offering both the traditional pediatrics-then-neurology pathway and a newer streamlined option that begins continuity clinic a year earlier for candidates unlikely to pursue general pediatrics boarding. The curriculum blends structured adult and child neurology rotations (stroke, EEG/EMG, neuromuscular, neuro-ophthalmology, neuropathology) with a longitudinal continuity clinic model in which faculty preceptors rotate every six months, emphasizing graduated autonomy and individualized mentorship. Scholarly activity, quality improvement, and morbidity/mortality participation are required of all residents, and the department's participation in the Physician Scientist Training Pathway (with ABP integrated/accelerated research pathways, dedicated funding, and seminars) signals real infrastructure for residents wanting deeper research immersion, though this is optional rather than the default track. The program frames itself as producing well-rounded clinicians prepared either for further fellowship subspecialization or general child neurology practice, valuing longitudinal patient relationships, professionalism, and wellness alongside clinical rigor.