The Department of Internal Medicine extends our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Timothy Thomsen, MD, who passed away on July 21.
Dr. Thomsen was an omnivorous physician, moving from general surgery to cardiovascular surgery to orthopedics and eventually to supportive and palliative care. Besides an intern year in medicine at Southern Illinois University, he trained entirely at the University of Iowa from medical school through residency and fellowship. For many years he was based in Mason City as a vascular and thoracic surgeon and even a few years as president & CEO of the Mason City Clinic. All the while, his connection to the University of Iowa never lapsed, keeping an appointment in the Department of Surgery throughout.
In 2004, he made the move to Iowa City for good, moving through a number of leadership roles here within Surgery and within medical student education, for which he received numerous awards. It was in 2010 that he became intensely interested in palliative care, which would define the last decade-plus of his career and shape UI Health Care’s leadership in this field. Dr. Thomsen joined the faculty in our department, establishing and directing the Supportive and Palliative Care Program and its accredited fellowship training program.
Dr. Thomsen stressed how important it was that the word “supportive” be a part of the program’s name at Iowa, advocating for the team’s involvement as early as diagnosis to establish and remain focused on a patient’s goals of care. Under his leadership, the UI Health Care Supportive and Palliative Care program was among the first medical centers in the nation to receive and maintain accreditation from the Joint Commission.
In a video interview a few years ago, Dr. Thomsen described how much he learned from conversations with patients and how important simply listening to them was for him. “They are the best teachers,” he said. He said that working in palliative care was “the hardest and most beautiful work I have ever done.”
Clinical Professor Daniel Miller, MD, graduated from our fellowship program under Dr. Thomsen’s leadership. Dr. Miller had the following to say: “Tim will be remembered as an exceptional human being and influential physician. I truly believe that the work this team does every day is a meaningful way to honor his legacy.”
Though he will be missed, his example inspires us all to never stop learning and growing in new directions and to always keep the patient’s comfort at the forefront of our treatment efforts. His obituary can be found here.
Comments from colleagues:
Dr. Thomsen taught me so many things. I’ve known him for the past 12 years. The best lesson he taught me—at the end of a very challenging day (which were most days), he said and would repeatedly say, “Take care of yourself, Struve. You are a valuable resource.” That was such a balm for burnout—even if the work didn’t change, just knowing that leadership saw us as valuable, capable, and trusted team members; it made the work easier to bear. He will be greatly missed.
– Ann Struve
Dr. Timothy Thomsen forever changed how I care for patients and how I aspire to mentor others. I had the privilege of working alongside Tim in Supportive & Palliative Care from my time as a student through his retirement. Every interaction with him was a lesson—not just in medicine, but in humanity.
What I will remember most is the way Tim cared for people. Tim taught me that the most meaningful care begins with listening—not to respond, but to truly understand. He treated patients with extraordinary compassion, and he extended that same kindness to his colleagues and learners. He understood that the work we do in Supportive & Palliative Care carries an emotional weight, and he never lost sight of the people providing that care. He regularly checked in, as he genuinely wanted to know how we were doing. It always felt like Tim was looking out for you.
Even after he retired, he would occasionally call me just to see how things were going. Those conversations reminded me that his mentorship and friendship didn’t end when he left clinical practice.
Tim believed deeply in the value of every member of the healthcare team. He intentionally referred to pharmacists as “providers,” making sure our expertise was recognized, and our voices were heard. As a young pharmacist, that simple act of respect gave me much-needed confidence and reinforced that I belonged at the table.
Tim also had an extraordinary gift for mentoring. He trusted learners with meaningful responsibility and created an environment where they felt safe to ask questions, contribute, and grow. I experienced this firsthand as a trainee and later watched him instill that same confidence in the pharmacy students and residents we precepted together.
The greatest tribute I can offer Dr. Thomsen is to strive to care for my patients, colleagues, and learners with the same compassion and grace that he showed to all of us.
– Lorin Fisher
Tim Thomsen joined 3 amazing clinicians who took the Hospice and Palliative Medicine boards in 2012–Brent Hadder, Kelly Ann Light McGroary and Becky Benson. Each of them brought skills from their specialty to the Palliative Care team at UIHC and broadened our role in UI Health Care. Tim was a strong communicator and listener in family meetings, but what was truly practice-changing for me is how he taught me about the “covenant” that surgeons have with the patients after an operation. It explained the advocacy of surgeons for their patients in a way that stuck with me for my career.
– Ann Broderick
I could write volumes about Tim and the amazing person that he was. I am so grateful for the role he has played in my life and for his friendship. To keep things so it doesn’t get too lengthy, I will simply share one thing I will always keep with me. Tim would tell us as a team often: “work at the top of your license.” He had so much faith in all of us and he never saw us as the title on our badge. Because of this, we all rose up to our highest level, as we knew that he believed in us one thousand percent. He was authentic, gregarious, tenacious, and a little nuts, and I will miss him fiercely!
– Katey Kooi
One of my favorite Tim memories is how he would wear a bell during the whole month of December, because he was a Christmas baby. He would give his cell phone number to everybody, including patients and their families.
He was an inspiration to me. Being a doctor didn’t mean you stopped being a human being and to always see that humanity in all of our patients.
– Ilonka Molano
Patients and their families were Tim’s North Star. While many of his patients died, Tim’s ability to know them as a person and not just a collection of symptoms often led to healing in the face of death. Tim epitomized the Dr. Francis Peabody quote, “For the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.” Our interdisciplinary team bore witness to his compassionate gifts in the daily care of patients. I felt fortunate to work with him, to grow as a clinician and a person from his influence, and to be able to call him my friend and colleague.
– James Ray
