Progress 2026: Learning Together in the 21st Century

One of our longest-running continuing medical education programs returned to the Iowa City area this year, bringing clinicians together at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel from October 1-2. Now in its fourth decade, Progress 2026 offered two days of learning and discussion on the latest in internal medicine and pharmacy, featuring lectures and case-based learning on timely topics.

Presentations covered everything from AI and health care access to cancer trends in Iowa, cardiovascular disease, menopause care, and more. The annual meeting is also an opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas among health care professionals from across Iowa and the surrounding region.

Thursday’s presentations included:

Oncology at the University of Iowa: From the Lab to the Clinic
Mark E. Burkard, MD, PhD; Jill M. Kolesar, Pharm.D., MS

Hypertension Guideline Update and PREVENT Risk Score
Manish Suneja, MD

Cases in Cholesterol Management: Navigating the 2026 ACC Guideline
Ryan B. Jacobsen, PharmD, BCPS; Reed A. Johnson, MD

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener: Sorting Evidence from Hype with Medical Cannabis
Kevin Schleich, PharmD, BCACP

Updates In Perioperative Medicine
Morton Machir, MD; Zackary Hren, PharmD, RPh

Histoplasma, the Fungus Among Us
Michael Olthoff, MD

From Diuresis to GDMT Optimization – Heart Failure for the Internist (and their team)
Nicholas Arnold, MD; Jilene Haas, PharmD

Rounding at Iowa Live: Alzheimer’s Care and Controversy
Scott T. Larson, MD; HyungSub Shim, MD; Morgan Olhausen, PharmD

Friday featured another day of updates from expert speakers.

From Hype to Healthcare as Artificial Intelligence Becomes Part of Clinical Practice
Timothy Aungst, PharmD

Beyond “Fatty Liver”: Unmasking the Spectrum of MASLD & MASH
Tony Huynh, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP; Antonio Sanchez, MD, FACP

What We Learned This Year: Highlights from Recent Publications
Allison Bernard, PharmD, BCACP; Emily Peterson, PharmD

When Less is More: Clinical Decisions and Conversations in Deprescribing
Lorin Fisher, PharmD, BCACP; Margo Schilling, MD

Bridging the Access Gap: Challenges and Opportunities
Stevie Veach, PharmD, BCACP; Joshua Rehmann, DO, CPE

Thriving Through the Transition: Modern Menopause Management
Evelyn Ross-Shapiro, MD, MPH, MSCP; Sarah Shaffer, DO, MME, FACOG, MSCP; Emily B. Walsh, PharmD

In addition to educational sessions, Progress continued its tradition of showcasing trainee research. Thursday afternoon featured a poster session hosted by the Iowa Chapter of the Society of Hospital Medicine. And later, the Iowa Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP) Clinical Vignette Competition, where resident physicians from programs across the state presented unique and instructive patient cases. This competition serves as the state-level final, and the winner earns the opportunity to represent Iowa at the national ACP Internal Medicine Meeting.

This year, a resident from our program took the title. Kirsten Fiestan, MD, won first place for her presentation, “Hiding in the Smear: A Case of Hemolytic Anemia.” Fiestan had advanced to the ACP finals after winning the final round of our ACP Clinical Vignette competition in September. Now, her victory at Progress has secured her an opportunity to represent Iowa at the ACP meeting in Los Angeles next spring.

After the Iowa chapter’s annual business meeting and recognition ceremony, another hallmark competition was underway. Doctor’s Dilemma is a fast-paced, quiz-bowl-style event that brings resident teams from training programs across Iowa together to test their medical knowledge and compete for the chance to also represent Iowa at the national ACP Doctor’s Dilemma Competition. It was an intense match, with UnityPoint Health Des Moines taking 1st place.

Thursday evening took on a heartfelt and celebratory tone amid all the competition. A few providers won awards for their commitment to exceptional patient care and mentorship. Katherine Harris, MD, clinical pProfessor in Hospital Medicine and current governor of the Iowa Chapter, presented the awards.

This year’s Laureate Award winners were Michella Azar, MD, FACP, of MercyOne Genesis Health in Davenport, and Grant Peterson, MD, of UnityPoint Clinic, Des Moines, IA. The Chapter Excellence and Lifetime Achievement Award went to Ronald Reider, MD. For decades, Reider has served patients in Cedar Rapids and been a Cedar Rapids Medical Foundation faculty member.

Steven P. Joyce, MD, FACD, closed the meeting by thanking Harris for her service and leadership in the ACP as chapter governor across her four-year term, which will conclude next spring.

Until next year, Progress! Thank you to all of the organizers, presenters, and trainees who made this year’s conference a success.