Interdependence Day

Happy birthday to the United States of America! One of my favorite pieces of art in the department is a global map that highlights the countries of origin of our faculty and staff. I suspect it needs an update, but there are close to 70 nations represented on the latest version on display. This variety in our community gives us an undeniable advantage in problem-solving and in exposure to new ideas and perspectives. Regardless of the paths that led us to the United States or to Iowa, I believe that we all share a love for and faith in the ideas that were first written down on parchment 250 years ago tomorrow. Is our nation perfect today? Have we ever been perfect? Of course not. But the experiment—a nation uniquely bound by a set of principles rather than by blood or by heritage—has endured and will endure. As we get together this weekend with friends and family in parks and backyards, over cookouts and swimming pools, I hope you will join me in a moment of appreciation for what makes us fortunate, as well as what we owe to each other. We have been entrusted with something special to preserve and improve. What a gift! Happy Fourth!

Photo for reflection
Welcome to our new interns! Their first day on the job officially was just a couple days ago, but a lot of work has preceded it. We have been getting ready for this class since Match Day in March, and it has been genuinely exciting to finally see all these new faces in person. There is also a lot that our newly minted physicians have been doing, including participating in our skills evaluation earlier this week. I hope they have been settling in all right. Our residency program is one of the best in the country and a big part of what makes it so great is how hard our program leadership and administrative team work to get interns off on the right foot. I was fortunate to get a few minutes with them last week to meet them in person finally, answer some questions, and pose for a photo. Let’s call this one here “BEFORE” and then we can hold it up next to one like this at their graduation in three years. What changes will separate those two photos? We know the proficiency and prowess you will have in hand as physicians, but in what other areas do you want to grow as well? Change is coming either way, better to plan the direction you travel.

Upi’s “Oh, WOW” moment
Speaking of change and growth, I was reading over the bios that our new Chief Residents write for themselves each year. Each one is as unique as they are, but their introductions also share some common themes, particularly when it comes to the environment of the program that they are now helping to lead. Dr. Ashten Sherman wrote, “The supportive culture encourages everyone to become the best physician they can be while ensuring no one has to do it alone.” I think that is a great way to put what this program does so well. Each trainee sets their goals about what kind of physician they want to become. Maybe it’s a particular subspecialty that they know they will pursue for fellowship, maybe there’s a research question they are curious about, or maybe they have a passion for clinical education. Not only will we clear a path for them to develop that passion, but we will check in with them on their progress and support them at every step. Iowa offers personalized training in a collaborative environment while still ensuring each trainee gets a firm grounding in the fundamentals. Every new academic year gives us a chance to reaffirm our commitment to that mission.

And since I am doing so much thinking about the residency program this week, here is one final example of how that support manifests itself in our training program. The University of Iowa is of course known not just for our medical and law schools, but also our creative writing programs. Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature, the first in North America, means that writing and self-expression is part of the air we breathe. For many years, our residency program has also had a Humanities and Wellness committee responsible for ensuring our trainees have a more well-rounded experience. Holiday-related parties, cookouts, even a running club have grown from their efforts. One of the committee’s recent innovations is an annual creative arts competition, which has included the visual arts as well. This gives trainees a chance to flex muscles that they might not otherwise develop. As much as we practice “whole-person” health care, at Iowa we also practice “whole-person” training.