Transitional Year Residency Program - Iowa Methodist Medical Center

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Message from the Program Directors

Welcome to the Transitional Year Residency Program at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Currently, Dr. Steven Craig is the Transitional Year Residency Program Program Director and Dr. Patrick Shaeffer serves as Associate Program Director. In July 2023, Dr. Shaeffer will become the Program Director.

The residency program was established in 1991 and over 120 residents have completed training in the program as of 2022. The program is fully accredited with commendation, and we train four residents per year. Our residents have proceeded on to complete subsequent categorical residency training at top programs in specialties such as anesthesiology, dermatology, diagnostic radiology, ophthalmology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and radiation oncology.

Our program has developed a solid reputation for providing excellent teaching, superb clinical training, and superior resident achievement. Surveys of our graduates and of the categorical program directors who subsequently train our graduates confirm the outstanding training available here. We hope you find the many resources on this website helpful, but please don't hesitate to contact us with your questions or comments.

Steven R. Craig, MD
Program Director
Steven.Craig@unitypoint.org
Patrick J. Shaeffer, MD
Associate Program Director
Patrick.Shaeffer@unitypoint.org

About Our Program

The Transitional Year Residency Program provides direct experience in a broad range of medical disciplines, designed to prepare you for your future sub-specialty or clarify long-term educational goals.

Our program is designed for residents who:

  • Have chosen a career specialty for which the Transitional Year Residency fulfills a prerequisite.
  • Have not yet chosen a specialty and seek a broad-based year to assist in deciding.

Our fully accredited program accepts four residents per year. Established in 1991, over 110 residents have completed the program and universally passed their Step 3 examinations and have emerged well prepared to enter the categorical training program of their choice.

Program Overview

Strengths

The year-long program provides excellent training experience in the diagnosis and treatment of common and unique medical disorders, building a solid foundation in the development of:

  • Clinical judgment
  • Clinical skills
  • Humanistic qualities
  • Professional attitudes

The level of patient care responsibility of the transitional year resident is equal to R-1s in our other programs, which include general surgery, pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine and psychiatry.

Residents of the Transitional Year program attend a variety of conferences including:

  • Check-in rounds
  • Morning reports
  • Daily noon conferences
  • Morbidity and mortality conferences
  • Weekly grand rounds

Transitional Year residents will enjoy a close working relationship with fellow residents, teaching faculty, the program director and attending physicians, who emphasize and value quality patient care and training and professional development.

Mission Statement

The Iowa Methodist Medical Center Transitional Year Residency Program will provide high quality individualized clinical training with an emphasis on wellness and experiential learning in patient safety and quality improvement.

This training will provide a solid clinical foundation for our residents who subsequently enter a variety of specialty residency programs.

Program Aims
  1. Individualized Training / Curriculum Development
  2. Experiential Learning in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
  3. Residents Learn to Practice High Value Care
  4. Graduates Well Prepared for Subsequent Categorical Training
  5. Residents Learn and Begin to Practice Personal Wellness Strategies

Facilities

The Transitional Year Residency Program provides education and experience at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Blank Children's Hospital, VA Central Iowa Healthcare System and Broadlawns Medical Center.

 

Transitional Year Residency Tour

Key Faculty

Current Residents

Curriculum

The Transitional Year Residency Program provides an excellent combination of required experiences and elective rotations that allow residents to tailor the curriculum to meet their needs. All residents will develop the fundamental clinical skills that are the core of transitional year residency training.

Inpatient General Pediatrics, Blank Children's Hospital (4 weeks)

Residents will work on an inpatient team with a pediatric hospitalist attending physician, a senior pediatrics resident, a pediatrics intern, and two medical students at Blank Children's Hospital. Great patient variety is available, and the average intern census is 4-6 patients.

On call experience: One weeknight coverage (five nights); three weeks day only coverage.

Surgery Service, Iowa Methodist Medical Center (4 weeks)

Residents complete a surgery rotation at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, that includes both trauma and general surgery components. The general surgery component provides operative experience with an excellent variety of surgeries and surgical pathology available. The trauma surgery component provides an opportunity to evaluate, triage, stabilize and manage a wide variety of patients presenting after major trauma to Iowa Methodist's Level 1 Trauma Center.

On call experience: No overnight call.  Rounds two weekends during the block.

Critical Care, Iowa Methodist Medical Center (4 weeks)

Residents work in the Medical ICU at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, under the direction of a board-certified critical care teaching faculty. The team consists of a senior IM resident and a junior IM resident and one senior medical student. Extensive procedural experience is provided. A variety of patients with multisystem disorders and patients requiring mechanical ventilation and hemodynamic support will be encountered.

On call experience: No overnight call. Rounds one weekend day each weekend during the block.

Inpatient Internal Medicine (IMMC, BMC, VAMC) (12 weeks)

Residents complete three inpatient general medicine rotations at Iowa Methodist medical center and our two affiliated teaching hospitals: Broadlawns Medical Center and the VA Medical Center. These experiences provide residents with an outstanding variety of patient pathology with excellent senior resident supervision and strong faculty teaching. Daily noon conferences, weekly grand rounds conferences, and monthly journal club and morbidity and mortality conferences assure excellent didactics during these experiences.

On call experience:

  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center: 12-hour weekend day shift, three weekends during the block
  • Broadlawns Medical Center: No nights but mixture of short and long (into evening) call days during the week round, one weekend day each weekend during block
  • Iowa Methodist Medical Center: 12-hour weekend day shift each weekend during the block
Ambulatory Internal Medicine, Iowa Methodist Medical Center (6 weeks)

Residents work in the outpatient clinics with core ambulatory medicine faculty seeing a wide variety of patients. Patients presenting for health maintenance, minor acute concerns and more major acute problems will be seen during the month.

Emergency Medicine, Iowa Methodist Medical Center (4 weeks)

Residents work in the emergency room of the very busy Level 1 Trauma Center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Residents work 16 ten-hour shifts during this rotation and participate in the triage, evaluation and treatment of patients presenting with a variety of acute medical and surgical concerns. The rotation includes seeing patients with a wide variety of acute medical and surgical concerns, patients presenting after minor trauma (lacerations, strains, fractures, etc.) and patients suffering more serious trauma-related injuries.

Night Medicine, Iowa Methodist Medical Center (2 weeks)

Residents will work five nights per week during the night medicine rotation under the direct supervision of the hospitalist teaching faculty at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Responsibilities include providing coverage for patients previously admitted to the inpatient medicine teaching services at Iowa Methodist while also evaluating and treating new patients requiring overnight admission to one of the three inpatient teaching services.

Elective Rotations: Great Opportunities & Flexibility (16 weeks)

You can shape the remaining 16-weeks of your residency training through your choice of elective rotations, to help assure that the curriculum meets your individual needs and goals. A wide variety of additional training experiences are available in a broad mix of specialties. You may repeat any of the required experiences as elective options. There are no night or weekend call responsibilities during these elective rotation experiences.

A brief description of each of the elective rotation options is provided below.

  • Adolescent Medicine
    Participate in a variety of outpatient adolescent medicine clinic experiences, including Blank Children's Hospital adolescent clinic. Polk County Public Health Department and other community-based programs, including school-based clinics and Planned Parenthood clinics.
  • Ambulatory Pediatrics
    Participate in outpatient pediatric clinics in the Blank Children's Clinic area and in the Blank Emergency Room area working with general pediatric and pediatric emergency room faculty.
  • Anesthesiology
    Participate in a wide variety of operative cases including cardiac, vascular, thoracic, orthopedic, urologic and neurosurgical cases. There will be opportunities to perform procedures such as endotracheal intubations, central line placements, arterial line placements, etc.
  • Anesthesia Pain Management
    Work in a busy outpatient pain management center directed by anesthesiologists board-certified in pain management. Residents will see patients with a wide variety of pain syndromes of different types, locations and etiologies. Residents will learn about medical pain management options and about the many types of interventions available to treat patients with chronic pain syndromes.
  • Cardiology
    Work with cardiology faculty participating in a variety of patient care activities including office evaluations, hospital admissions and consultations, and review of non-invasive cardiac studies including EKGs, Holter monitor studies, nuclear cardiology studies and echocardiograms.
  • Dermatology
    Work with dermatology faculty participating in a variety of activities. This includes evaluation of new patients seeking dermatology consultation, seeing patients returning for follow-up care of chronic dermatology concerns and participating in a variety of dermatologic surgery procedures conducted in the office setting. There is also an opportunity to participate in review of dermatopathology studies during this rotation. Dermatopathology Work with board-certified dermatopathologists reviewing large numbers of specimens submitted for analysis by dermatologists and other physicians from across central Iowa. This will include the opportunity to review skin cancer excisions submitted in real time during Mohs surgical procedures.
  • Gastroenterology
    Work with gastroenterologists on a busy hospital consultation service at Iowa Methodist Medical Center.  There is an opportunity to see a wide variety of patients with gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic concerns.  Patients will be seen and then staffed with a member of the group so there is extensive one-on-one teaching provided, including an opportunity to review multiple radiology studies and to participate in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy procedures.
  • Hematology-Oncology
    Work one-on-one with a hematology-oncology faculty physician at the John Stoddard Cancer Center on the Iowa Methodist Medical Center campus. There will be an opportunity to see patients with both hematology concerns and patients presenting with a wide variety of cancers. Patients will mostly be seen in the outpatient clinic setting but there will also be an opportunity to see new hospitalized patients referred for hematology-oncology consultation.
  • Hospice/Palliative Care
    Work one-on-one with a hematology-oncology faculty physician at the John Stoddard Cancer Center on the Iowa Methodist Medical Center campus. There will be an opportunity to see patients with both hematology concerns and patients presenting with a wide variety of cancers. Patients will mostly be seen in the outpatient clinic setting but there will also be an opportunity to see new hospitalized patients referred for hematology-oncology consultation.
  • ICU/Critical Care
    Participate in an additional elective experience in critical care at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. You will see and care for a wide variety of critical care patient problems. You will gain additional experience in performing endotracheal intubations, managing ventilators and completing a wide variety of invasive procedures during this rotation.
  • Infectious Disease
    Participate on the Infectious disease Consult Service at Iowa Methodist Medical Center with an opportunity to work one-on-one with the ID Service Consult Staff Physician for the month. You can see many hospitalized patients presenting with an array of ID-related concerns. There will also be an opportunity to participate in some outpatient clinics that allow for exposure to chronic ID concerns like the patient with HIV infection and follow-up of patients seen in the hospital who return for post-hospital care.
  • Neonatal Intensive Care
    Care for critically ill newborns, including neonates needing mechanical ventilation and learn application of physiologic principles in critical care. You will care for selected critically ill neonates under the supervision of senior pediatric residents and staff neonatologists. You will also participate in the twice-weekly morning report, daily noon conference and weekly Pediatric Grand Rounds.
  • Nephrology
    You can participate on the Nephrology Consult Service at Iowa Methodist Medical Center and be provided an opportunity to work one-on-one with the Nephrology Service consult Staff Physician for the month. You will see many hospitalized patients presenting with a vast array of renal concerns. There will also be an opportunity to participate in some outpatient clinics that allow for exposure to proper diagnosis and treatment of common acute and chronic nephrology concerns.
  • Neurology
    Participate in the evaluation of patients presenting to clinic with new neurology concerns or follow-up of known neurology problems, and patients hospitalized at Iowa Methodist Medical Center needing neurologic consultation. There will be extensive opportunities to review neuroimaging studies and, if requested, an opportunity to review other neurologic diagnostic studies such as EEG and EMG-NCV studies.
  • Obstetrics-Gynecology / Women's Health
    Participate in a variety of obstetrics, general gynecology, high risk OB and family planning clinics. There will also be an opportunity to participate in delivery of infants on the Obstetrics service if desired.
  • Ophthalmology
    Work in several different ophthalmology clinic settings. Gain experience evaluating patients presenting with a wide variety of eye complaints. You can also choose to gain special experience in proper evaluation and treatment of diseases of the retina, diseases of the cornea, pediatric eye disease, and even oculoplastic concerns.
  • Orthopedics
    During this rotation, you will work with orthopedics teaching faculty. See patients presenting to the ER with acute musculoskeletal injuries, participate in several half-day general orthopedic clinics, and see hospitalized patients referred for orthopedic evaluation.
  • Pediatric Orthopedics
    Residents will work with a board-certified pediatric orthopedist and see patients presenting to the clinic and to the ER with a variety of acute musculoskeletal injuries.  In addition to clinic work, there will be an opportunity for residents to work in the OR. This rotation involves extensive review of radiology studies and can be a great benefit to radiology-bound TY residents.
  • Pathology
    During this rotation, you can work in several different areas including reviewing hematology studies (peripheral blood smears, bone marrow results, etc.), participating in anatomic pathology studies, reviewing surgical pathology specimens, and working in different areas of the clinical laboratory.
  • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
    Residents will work with board-certified PM&R physician faculty and can work in both the hospital and outpatient clinic setting. In the hospital, residents can admit and manage patients admitted to the inpatient Younker Rehabilitation Service and see new patient consultations requested for patients on other services. Iowa Methodist Medical Center is both a Level 1 Trauma Center and a Primary Stroke Center so there are many patients needing PM&R consultation and management services. Residents can also see a wide variety of patients needing outpatient PM&R services.
  • Pulmonary Medicine
    Work with pulmonologists on a busy hospital specialty service at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. There is a great variety of patients with varied pathology on the service.  Supervision and teaching will be provided by one member of the group and there is extensive one-on-one teaching provided. There will be opportunities to review multiple radiology studies, review pulmonary function test results, and participate in diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy procedures.
  • Radiation Oncology
    Work with board-certified radiation oncology physicians at the John Stoddard Cancer Center on the Iowa Methodist Medical Center campus. There will be an opportunity to see patients presenting for radiation treatment for a wide variety of different cancers. Patients will mostly be seen in the outpatient clinic setting but there will also be an opportunity to see new hospitalized patients referred for consultation. Participate in the weekly multi-disciplinary Tumor Board Conferences.
  • Radiology (Diagnostic)
    You may choose to concentrate on one area or complete one-week blocks in several different areas, including interventional radiology, body CT / ultrasound, neuroradiology, musculoskeletal radiology and pediatric radiology.
  • Research
    Transitional Year residents may select to use an elective rotation block to work on a research project that they have identified or developed in conjunction with local faculty. Projects may include basic science or clinical research including writing up case reports, case series, clinical reviews, letters to editors, meta-analyses, or original research manuscripts for subsequent publication or presentation at regional or scientific meetings. The Director of Resident and Faculty Research at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines will provide direction and support for the rotation and can assist the resident in accessing resources needed to assure a successful experience (e.g., institutional approval, data acquisition, as well as statistical and writing assistance).
  • Rheumatology
    Work in the outpatient clinic setting seeing a great variety of patients presenting with a vast array of rheumatologic concerns. There will be opportunities to learn about diagnosis and treatment of these concerns, including the review of a great variety of musculoskeletal imaging studies and review of proper laboratory testing of these patients. Learn more about the proper role of PT and OT modalities and new infusion therapies in the care of these patients.
  • Sports Medicine
    Meet with the orthopedics-sports medicine rotation director to determine a schedule for the month. Concentrated training in specific areas like upper extremity, spine and lower extremity injuries can be arranged. There is also an opportunity to work in the Orthopedic Urgent care Clinic seeing a wide variety of patients presenting with acute sports-related injuries.
  • Urology
    Participate in an office-based urology rotation seeing patients presenting with a wide variety of genitourinary system complaints. Experience will be gained in proper physical examination of the prostate and scrotal areas. Review and interpretation of urologic x-ray studies will be completed during the rotation. Experience will also be gained in directing diagnostic workups and planning medical and/or surgical treatment of acute and chronic genitourinary system disorders.
  • Vascular Surgery
    Work with vascular surgery faculty and surgery residents in the evaluation and treatment of patients presenting with a wide variety of acute and chronic vascular concerns.  Experience will be provided in both the interventional radiology suite and operating room areas of Iowa Methodist Medical Center.

Stipend & Benefits

Stipend

The annual stipend for a first-year resident (Effective Academic Year 2022-2023): $64,691

Transition Allowance
$750 relocation allowance is provided to all incoming residents.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Residents may choose from two health insurance plans that best suit their individual needs. An annual health insurance bonus that partially funds the cost of a single-coverage health and dental insurance premium is given to each resident.

Life Insurance
The program provides group life insurance equal to the resident's annual stipend at no charge to the resident.

Resident Liability Coverage
General and professional liability coverage is provided for residents enrolled in the residency program through a combination of commercial insurance and self-insured retention. Coverages are no less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $5,000,000 aggregate per policy year.

Short & Long-Term Disability Coverage
Short and long-term disability coverage is provided to residents. Short-term disability coverage (STD) is used when the resident is away from work for at least seven (7) days due to a non-work-related illness or injury. STD pays 60% of weekly earnings for a maximum of 26 weeks with no waiting period. Long-term disability insurance coverage ensures that residents will receive a minimum of 70% of their monthly salary if they are disabled due to illness or accident, on or off the job, following a 90-day qualifying period.

Travel Insurance
All residents receive travel insurance coverage while traveling on medical center business.

Vacation
All residents receive four weeks of paid vacation per year.

Education

Residents are allocated $800 per year that can be used to purchase textbooks, educational software or to attend approved medical meetings.

Additional
  • Free Covered Parking: All residents may park in a reserved area of the hospital parking ramp facility at no charge.
  • Monthly Meal Allowance is provided to residents in the medical center cafeteria.
  • Paid Licensure: Fees for all licenses required by the residency program are paid by the program.
  • Lab Coats: Free lab coats are provided to all residents.
  • Fitness Center on Campus (free to residents)
  • Excellent Health Sciences Library on Campus (24/7 access)
  • Outstanding Electronic Library Resources (accessible from anywhere)
  • Free Personal and Family Counseling Services
  • Day Care Services on Premises

Application Process

Applications are only accepted through the Electronic Application Service (ERAS®), a program of the Association of American Medical Colleges. If you have any questions regarding our program or the application process, please contact us at (515) 241-8595.

Selection Process

Our selection process involves reviewing multiple items, including general academic performance, clinical performance, board scores, letters of recommendation, personal qualities and other achievements. Evidence of strong communication and team member skills and evidence of prior service work, especially in underserved and disadvantaged communities, is also sought.

Requirements
  • Main ERAS (with detailed CV)
  • Medical Student Performance Evaluation Letter (formerly Dean's letter)
  • A minimum of three letters of recommendation
  • Medical School Transcript
  • Personal Statement addressing why you would be a good candidate for the Transitional Year Residency Program at Iowa Methodist Medical Center
  • Passing scores on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 or COMLEX Step 1 and Step 2
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Apply

Applications are only accepted through the Electronic Application Service (ERAS®).

Apply through ERAS ®

Our Graduates

Graduating Transitional Year residents leave with a wonderful sense of accomplishment, and personal and professional growth.

Year Specialty                  Location
2022 Dermatology Medical College of Wisconsin
2022 Dermatology University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
2022 Dermatology University of Iowa
2022 Radiology Washington University – St. Louis
     
2021 Anesthesia Standford University
2021 Diagnostic Radiology Indiana University
2021 Diagnostic Radiology Brigham and Women's Hospital
2021 PM&R Mayo Clinic

   
2020 Dermatology University of Missouri
2020 Radiology Washington University – St. Louis
2020 Radiology University Iowa
2020 Radiology University of California – San Franscisco
     
2019 PM&R Medical College of Wisconsin
2019 Radiology Washington University – St. Louis
2019 Radiology Mayo Clinic – Arizona
2019 Radiology Indiana University
     
2018 Dermatology Mayo Clinic
2018 Radiology Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
2018 Radiology University of Iowa
2018 Radiology Washington University – St. Louis

Contact Us

Transitional Year Residency Program
UnityPoint Health - Des Moines
1415 Woodland Avenue, Suite 140
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 241-8595

Gina Fletcher, Program Coordinator
Gina.Fletcher@unitypoint.org