We are proud to present the incoming Intern Class of 2023. We wanted to take the opportunity to go a little past the names and faces and learn a couple things about them. We asked them each to tell us about why they chose Internal Medicine at Iowa for their residency. And, now that they have been here a month or so, what they like about living in Iowa City or working at University of Iowa Health Care. We will introduce them a few at a time each week for the next couple months. Welcome to Iowa!
Stefano Byer, MD, MS
Hometown: Kansas City
Medical school: University of Kansas
“Why Iowa”: The unique balance of graduated autonomy, supportive leadership, and structured medical education. Observing the senior residents balance complex patient care and team leadership with ease—we interns are excited and thankful knowing Iowa’s IM program will catalyze and foster this growth in us.
What I like about Iowa City: That in our days off, we interns have already explored bike trails, pickleball courts, breweries, farmers markets, concerts, restaurants, and more. This variety of activities, and the ease with which to access them, removes obstacles in organizing activities with other residents, impromptu or otherwise.
Donavon Dahmer, MD
Hometown: Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Medical school: University of South Alabama
“Why Iowa”: I chose Iowa for three reasons: the immediate warm & welcoming culture of faculty and residents, the outstanding educational curriculum and emphasis on teaching & developing competent ophthalmologists, and the heavy focus on resident well-being.
What I like about Iowa City: The slow pace! And the ease of accessibility to nearby parks, trails and great food.
Amira Kupty, MD
Hometown: Beit Sahour, Palestine; Goshen, Indiana
Medical school: Indiana University School of Medicine
“Why Iowa”: I first became interested in Iowa because of recommendations shared by a few neurologists I spent time with during medical school. Once introduced to the program, I realized how genuine and collaborative the environment is. I appreciate the camaraderie among colleagues, susceptibility to resident feedback, and reputation of the neurology program. The city itself is a great size—not too large nor small—that still offers plenty of options for activities and food.
What I like about Iowa City: Yummy food—ok, mostly sweets (Deluxe Cakes & Pastries, Heyn’s), access to hiking/walking trails, farmer’s market.
Calie Morrison, MD
Hometown: Woodlawn, Arkansas
Medical school: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
“Why Iowa”: An advisor in medical school did her training here, and she spoke highly of the program. During the application and interview process, I found that everything that she had told me about the high quality of training as well as the outstanding culture was true! Everyone here truly wants to help you be the best doctor that you can be.
What I like about Iowa City: I love a good college town. There are always festivals and events downtown and the farmers market is hard to beat. I also really enjoy all the outdoor recreational activities in the area!
Adetayo Oladele-Ajose, MD
Hometown: Mediapolis, Iowa; Lufkin, Texas
Medical school: Jacobs School of Medicine SUNY at Buffalo
“Why Iowa”: I came to University of Iowa for undergrad, and I did not realize just how genuinely special and rare Iowa City/University of Iowa was until I left and experienced life elsewhere. The people here are so kind and unfettered in how they care for you. The program itself is top of the line and they value and protect your education. I felt supported and covered by the program when I did my away before I even was part of the department. It honestly felt like coming home, so I had to choose Iowa!
What I like about Iowa City: I love the centralized sense of community here! There’s always an event or a community gathering of some sort happening at any given time, and there’s a sense of connectedness through whatever interest you may find, whether that’s Soca fitness at the Rec Center or taking wine classes at Iowa River Landing. There’s always something to do in this quaint town!