Although we are still waiting on the National Resident Matching Program’s data, which we will share when it is released, all indications convince us that our incoming class of interns represents some of this year’s very best medical school graduates. First, our residency program filled all its spots, a common achievement that should still not be taken for granted. Hailing from 15 different states and Iceland and 20 different institutions, this class’s diversity ensures that a variety of voices and perspectives will be represented in the ranks of our trainees and, hopefully, may eventually be added to our professional ranks. While we celebrate the geographic diversity of the incoming class, we are also pleased that many Carver College of Medicine graduates chose to stay in Iowa. We want to recruit and retain many of our best and it is gratifying that they have also chosen us! Our work with our medical students begins early, representing a critical pipeline. I recently learned from Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education, Dr. Chris Cooper, that nearly 40 percent of the 700 medical student interviews conducted during the recent admissions process were done by Internal Medicine faculty. I applaud our Department’s commitment to graduate and undergraduate education, which is unmatched.

For all our recent talk of resident education, it bears mention that our broad array of subspecialty fellowship programs in the department are equally strong. The rigorous training and support for scholarship is balanced with personal and lasting relationships with faculty mentors. One fellowship program I am continually impressed with is in our Division of Nephrology. Under the leadership of Program Director Dr. Lisa Antes and Division Director Dr. Chou-Long Huang, they have recently expanded their program from 5 to 6 fellow positions, filling them all. In a national climate where many other programs are contracting or experiencing difficulty filling existing slots, this is an impressive achievement. This is one of many noteworthy signs of the division’s strength and growth, a brief summary of which I asked Dr. Huang to produce. One achievement that Dr. Huang did not note is his own, a successful award of a multimillion-dollar R01 that examines Klotho’s ability to mitigate cardiac stress from kidney failure. Congratulations, Chou-Long.

In my last post, I listed a number of ways Internal Medicine faculty are making an impact on the national and international stages. Since then we have seen faculty and trainees achieve success in New Orleans both at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) annual meeting and the Endocrine Society meeting. In my role as president of the Endocrine Society I hope to bring the same attention to mentorship that we have here at Iowa to the larger organization. I am honored to serve and I hope that you all seek out ways to contribute to societies that advance our profession and maximize the impact of our voices. I was pleased to see Dr. Mahi Ashwath taking on a new role as leader of the state chapter of the ACC and wish her success as she pursues the worthy goal of increasing the profile of women in cardiology.

Next week, on Wednesday, April 3, we all will have an opportunity to make our voices heard in the One Day for Iowa campaign. For the last two years, the University of Iowa has set aside one 24-hour period to focus Hawkeye philanthropy in one coordinated push. This has resulted in more than $3 million in donations in previous years. What is unique about this event is how easy the UI’s Center for Advancement makes it to designate your gifts to the specific program of your choice and to watch how our collective efforts add up to unbelievable results. Naturally, I would encourage all of us to direct our participation toward the Department of Internal Medicine Enrichment Fund at this link. Whether you can give $10, $100, or $1,000, let’s show the rest of the institution what Internal Medicine can do.