Allergy / Immunology, Endocrinology, and Rheumatology Fellows Graduation, 2019

As with last year the Divisions of Immunology and of Endocrinology and Metabolism combined their respective fellowship graduations into one event. A ballroom in the Coralville Marriott was carefully prepared to handle the influx of the two divisions’ worth of guests. But before attendees even entered they were greeted with displays honoring each of that evening’s seven graduates.

Each station featured a personalized photo cube, a large IOWA sign guests could leave notes on, and a memory box full of cards and a large stack of personalized photographs taken over the duration of each fellow’s years at Iowa.

Inside the ballroom, a large decorated stage and two screens dominated one end of the room. Smaller food stations for salads, tacos, pizzas, desserts, and even a build-your-own-mac-n-cheese bowl were positioned around the rest of the hall. Guests admired artfully crafted and displayed cookies in the shape of the children’s hospital and graduation caps as well as a running slideshow of photographs and quotes from colleagues.

After everyone had a chance to eat, the formal presentation of the graduates began. Immunology Division Director Scott Vogelgesang, MD, welcomed the guests and introduced a short video from Mary Beth Fasano, MD, MSPH, Allergy/Immunology fellowship director, who was unable to attend.

Presentation duties fell to Assistant Director Amy Dowden, MD, who spoke briefly about the two graduates before calling each of them to the stage to receive a couple small gifts. Endocrinology Fellowship Director Amal Shibli Rahhal, MD, MS, presented her program’s three graduates, and Rheumatology Fellowship Director Rebecca Tuetken, MD, PhD, introduced the final two graduates. The graduates gave a few words of thanks as well to family, friends, and colleagues, noting how much the program had meant to them, had made them better physicians.

Following the presentations, Vogelgesang introduced a video produced by fellowship coordinator Cory Sheets in which each of the fellows went into greater detail about their experience at Iowa. They offered advice to incoming fellows and highlighted some of the challenges and successes they found in their years at Iowa. We are grateful to present it below.

The formal presentation was concluded but as with every other event this last month, no one was quite ready to leave. Plans were made, photos were taken, hugs were exchanged. Time forces change, and although some were saying good-bye or will soon, the bonds formed only seemed more solidified by the end of the evening.