Family Medicine Residency Program - Iowa Lutheran Hospital
Message from the Central Iowa Family Medicine Residency Program Director
Welcome to the UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Family Medicine Residency Program, now with tracks at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines and Allen Hospital in Waterloo. Our Iowa Lutheran Hospital track has trained high-achieving family medicine physicians for over 50 years. In July of 2021, we added the Allen Hospital training track to our program and look forward to many years of success in Waterloo. Our program has a history of training residents for a wide range of careers. In the past five years we have had graduates practice in the following settings: rural full-scope family medicine, outpatient clinic, faculty positions, hospitalist medicine, emergency medicine, urgent care and direct primary care. Our graduates are consistently and highly recruited by multiple health systems across the Midwest.
Our Des Moines track trains primarily at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, a community-based hospital within UnityPoint Health, the largest hospital system in the state of Iowa. This permits our residents to enjoy a small hospital atmosphere while still reaping the benefits and stability of a large hospital system. In addition to Iowa Lutheran Hospital, our Des Moines track residents benefit by rotating at other UnityPoint Health hospitals without having to leave town. These hospitals include Blank Children's Hospital, a dedicated pediatric center, and Iowa Methodist Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center and home to Iowa's largest birthing center. Our East Des Moines clinic completes over 25,000 patient visits per year and allows for a broad mix of pathology across a diverse patient population. UnityPoint Health – Des Moines currently leads the region in market share for every service line. This allows each resident to tailor his or her education with the assurances that the needed patient experiences and procedural opportunities will be attainable.
Our Waterloo track primarily trains at Allen Hospital. Allen Hospital was founded in 1925 and is now recognized as a leading hospital for the Cedar Valley catchment area. For more than 40 years, Allen Hospital has provided training for family medicine residents but in 2021 became the primary site for our Waterloo track. Allen Hospital provides patient care in all service lines and offers the diversity in patients and pathology needed for a successful, well-rounded residency experience. The Waterloo track also includes our new Family Medicine Residency Clinic located at the larger UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – Prairie Parkway location. Prairie Parkway is a 90,000 sq. ft., three-story campus located on 20 acres in the growing Pinnacle Prairie area of Cedar Falls. This clinic represents a new care model that offers patients and families a "one-stop shop" for coordinated, comprehensive and patient-centered health care services.
Our two-track system has allowed us to innovate and change the way medical education is delivered. We are now able to share best practices across regions, lean on experts located at each track for lectures and education opportunities and better use health care dollars during these unprecedented times. In addition to being located in two regions, our program is also affiliated with the University of Iowa which gives our residents access to the resources and perks that come with an academic affiliation.
The best part of our program is the people. We have worked over many years to build a collegial atmosphere where everyone can learn in a non-threatening environment. Our faculty will look for ways to improve your medical knowledge and shape your education, all while focusing on wellness.
Please browse our website and reach out with any questions. Thank you for considering entrusting us with your education. Together, we can enhance our program and continue our successful tradition.
Best,
Joshua Rehmann, DO
Central Iowa Family Medicine Residency Program Director
Message from the Associate Director – Iowa Lutheran Hospital – Des Moines Track
Welcome to the Iowa Lutheran Hospital Track of the UnityPoint Health Central Iowa Family Medicine Residency Program. We are thrilled you have come to learn a little more about what we have to offer. The main hospital for our Des Moines track is Iowa Lutheran Hospital which has been dedicated to teaching since its inception in 1914. It is a hospital with an open ICU, busy ED, large psychiatric unit and attached chemical dependency program. Our residency has been producing wonderful family medicine physicians trained at Iowa Lutheran since 1973. Our residency clinic, UnityPoint Clinic East Des Moines/La Clinica de le Esperanza is located directly across the street from Iowa Lutheran Hospital. It is a busy, primary care clinic that serves an extremely diverse patient population. In-house we are lucky to have a pharmacist, behavioralist and care coordinator to assist in the care of our patients.
In addition to training at the above locations residents also rotate at Blank Children's Hospital and Iowa Methodist Medical Center. We are also affiliated with the University of Iowa, which grants residents access to their Hardin Medical Library and other resources such as the visiting professor's program that allows us to partake in a wide variety of lectures.
We are excited to welcome new residents into the UnityPoint Health family and look forward to learning more about you. We strive to be a welcoming environment that prepares residents for a rewarding career as a family physician. Thank you for taking the time to explore our website; please reach out to us with questions.
Sincerely,
Alex Hubbell, DO
Associate Director, Iowa Lutheran Hospital – Des Moines Track
About Our Program
The Iowa Lutheran Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Des Moines, Iowa, offers an unopposed, community-based program, with a focus on treating patients and their families. Our highly regarded program has successfully trained hundreds of family medicine physicians in a compassionate, respectful and comprehensive learning environment.
We tailor our program to meet your individual needs while providing a full range of family medicine services. We will help you prepare for the ever-changing, real-world clinical environment.
Practice Facilities
UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – East Des Moines/La Clinica de la Esperanza is the focal point of the residency program. For over 35 years, we've seen multi-generational families and patients from all walks of life in a stable working neighborhood. Here you'll learn how to manage and care for patients in a productive and efficiently managed clinic.
Average time spent at clinic:
- First Year Resident: 5 Hours Per Week
- Second Year Resident: 10 Hours Per Week
- Third Year Resident: 15-20 Hours Per Week
The spacious UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – East Des Moines/La Clinica de la Esperanza includes:
- 36 exam rooms
- Space for 20 residents and seven full-time family physicians
- Full-time clinical pharmacist
- Behavioral therapist
- Laboratory and technicians
- Radiology and technicians
- Epic Electronic Medical Record in use since 2005 (clinic and hospital)
- Workspace for each resident, equipped with a personal computer
- Resident giving baby well check
- Osteopathic manipulation tables
- Reference library
- Point of care ultrasound
For over 30 years, residents have been an integral part of the Iowa Lutheran Hospital medical team. Iowa Lutheran Hospital's unique environment has provided a wide variety of medical experiences through a tightly knit, community-based program.
A full-service community hospital, Iowa Lutheran specializes in cardiovascular care, women's services, emergency treatment, chemical dependency treatment, behavioral medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, transitional care and critical care.
Iowa Lutheran is also home to Iowa's largest private, hospital-based mental health facility. Combining advanced medical care with psychiatric diagnostic and treatment capabilities, it addresses mental illness and emotional or behavioral problems alike.
For physicians, the hospital's Family Medicine Residency Program was established in 1973. This highly regarded program has trained hundreds of family medicine physicians who have gone on to practice in towns all over Iowa and the Midwest. Iowa Lutheran's unique environment gives these residents a wide variety of medical experiences through a tightly knit, community-based program. The commitment of Iowa Lutheran Hospital to the community it serves is illustrated in part by its support of maternal and childcare services at UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine - East Des Moines/La Clinica de La Esperanza.
Residents and faculty staff maternal-child clinics two afternoons each week at UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine - East Des Moines/La Clinica de La Esperanza, dedicated to serving the community as a consistent medical home for the Spanish-speaking Latino immigrant families and for others in the community without health insurance.
Through this experience, residents see how quality health care can be provided at a reduced cost.
Other community activities in which our residents participate on a regular basis include:
- Refugee physicals
- Health class presentations at our local grade school
- Nursing home rounds
- Patient home visits
- Call coverage for the alcohol and substance abuse treatment program
- Medical back up for hospitalized mental health patients
Each of these opportunities teaches our residents to care for people with special needs in our community.
Key Faculty
Joshua Rehmann, DO, ABFM
Program Director
Alexandra Hubbell, DO, ABFM
Assistant Program Director
Alex did her undergraduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis, MO before attending Des Moines University for medical school. She completed her residency at Iowa Lutheran Hospital where she served as chief resident and joined the faculty in 2016. She has done considerable work with autistic children and for a time considered further study in clinical psychology. Unlike many of our residents, Alex didn't play musical instruments because she believes she is completely tone deaf. Her music teacher once asked her to just lip sync, so maybe she's right about the tone-deaf thing. That's okay because she doesn't need to sing to her patients anyway and she is way talented with loads of other things.
Holley Bermel, DO, ABFM
Family Medicine
Holley Bermel, DO, started in 2013. She also sees patients part-time at the UnityPoint Health Family Medicine at Parks Area clinic. Dr. Bermel obtained her undergraduate degree from Drake University and is a 2006 graduate of Des Moines University. She proceeded to a transitional internship year at Oakwood Southshore Medical Center in Trenton, MI and completed her residency training at the Iowa Lutheran Family Medicine Residency Program. She holds a faculty appointment at the University of Iowa. She has previous work experience in toxicology and dermatology. In 2013 she started a dermatology clinic at the residency program. Dr. Bermel's professional interests include medical dermatology, women's health and preventive medicine. In her spare time (if that's what you call it!), she enjoys spending time with her husband and twins. She also enjoys cooking and kickboxing, the former of which requires her to do more of the latter! She's little but she's mighty!
Christopher Champion, DO, ABFM
Family Medicine
Christopher Champion became a faculty member in 2003. He received his medical degree in 2000 at the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, MO. He completed his residency training at the Iowa Lutheran Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Des Moines where he served as chief resident. He holds a faculty appointment at the University of Iowa and serves as Director for La Clinica de la Esperanza. Dr. Champion's professional interests include maternal-child medicine and multicultural medicine. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, fly-fishing and jogging. No matter what he is doing, he will stop to watch "Urban Cowboy" like a bad car wreck. Dr. Champion is a charter member of the "No meat left behind" club. He also has a real way with words, which we refer to lovingly as "Champisms."
Christine Davis, DO, ABFM
Family Medicine
This California girl grew up doing what you would imagine typical California girls do. She did competitive swimming in high school and college, watched competitive swimming on TV and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. Iowa was not even a part of her vocabulary. So, what did she do next? Well, of course, she applied and went to medical school in Iowa where she fell in love; first with Iowa, then her husband, then their twins. It happens a lot here. Not twins, necessarily, but falling in love with Iowa.
Anish Keshwani, MD, ABFM
Family Medicine
Anish Keshwani joined the faculty in 2007. He received his medical degree from Bombay University in India and completed his residency training at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI where he served as chief resident. He was in private practice in rural Iowa from 1999 until joining our faculty. Dr. Keshwani's professional interests include obstetrics, geriatrics and pediatrics. He likes to spend his spare time watching movies, doing photography and singing along to the Eagles, and if you have any questions about technology, Dr. Keshwani is your man. He has single-handedly saved about 1,475,231 calls to our IT department.
Kristen Moriarty, MD, ABFM
Family Medicine
Kristen attended Iowa State University in Ames for her undergraduate studies before attending medical school at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She served as the chief resident for the Iowa Lutheran Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program and joined the faculty in 2018. When she was younger, she couldn't decide between being an astronaut or the president of the United States, so she went to medical school. She enjoys reading Sherlock Holmes novels with her husband, James Moriarty, although The Harry Potter series gives her the warm fuzzies. She has also resurrected the term "grody." It's a good word.
Stacey Neu, MD, ABFM
Family Medicine
Stacey Neu MD Stacey Neu joined the faculty in 2005. She received her medical degree from the University of Iowa and completed her residency training in Williamsport, PA where she served as chief resident. Dr. Neu practiced medicine and was on the faculty as a preceptor at the Williamsport Hospital and Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program prior to joining our faculty. She holds a faculty appointment at the University of Iowa. Her professional interests include OB, gynecology, adolescent medicine, women's health and bone densitometry. She used to play the clarinet and piano, but she gave up those activities because they required actually sitting down. She's like watching a much better-looking version of the Tasmanian Devil in tornado mode.
Kelli Roenfanz, DO, ABFM
Family Medicine
Kelli Roenfanz, DO attended Minnesota State University in Mankato where she served for two years as captain of the women's basketball team and was a member of the North Central All Conference Team. Kelli graduated with a BS in Chemistry and minor in Biology before attending Des Moines University where she earned her medical degree. What she and her family enjoy most about Des Moines is that it is family friendly, has nice trails, it's very easy to get around, has good amount of entertainment and a lot of good food at local restaurants and breweries. If you need an exercise in humility, just challenge Kelli on the basketball court. We dare you!
Dan Harkness, PhD, LMFT
Behavioral Scientist
Dan Harkness earned his B.S. in Psychology at the University of Iowa, and his M.S. (Northern Illinois University) and Ph.D. (Iowa State University) were both in Human Development and Family Studies with a Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. He also completed a Families and Health research fellowship at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York. He was the supervisor for the Employee Assistance Program at Iowa Health before joining our faculty. Dan facilitates the Balint sessions, coordinates the behavioral science and community medicine curricula for the residents and sees private patients. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his family and friends, Iowa Hawkeye sports, running marathons and golf (either with friends or alone so he doesn't have to count all of his strokes!). It is not commonly known that Dan is a closet research nerd. His nickname is "Gator" but it's a long story, so we suggest you ask him about that.
Morgan Herring, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist
Morgan Herring became a faculty member in 2012. She received her pharmacy degree in 2008 from the University of Kansas and completed her residency with the University of Iowa at Mercy Family Pharmacy in Dubuque, Iowa. Previously, Morgan held a faculty position at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy in Salt Lake City, and she is currently shared faculty with the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. Her professional interests include inter-professional education, chronic disease management and cultural competency. In her free time Morgan enjoys spending time with her husband, two children and her goldendoodle, Moose. She also enjoys working out, attempting to avoid last place in the clinic's fantasy sports leagues and watching cheesy movies.
Jeri Paca, C-TAGME
Residency Coordinator
Jeri Paca joined the residency program in 1978. She is a member of the Association of Family Medicine Administrators and is responsible for resident recruitment, coordination of curricular activities and the financial operations of the residency program. Jeri is certified by the Training Administrators of Graduate Medical Education and served as a member of the Executive Committee of that organization. In her free time, Jeri enjoys handwork, especially painting - walls, not pictures. Her art instructor once told the entire class in his thick southern accent, "Jeri can sculpt and she can paint but she can't draw." When she was five years old, she wanted to be a boy because she thought her brother had a pretty cushy life. It is a little-known fact that she is a dog whisperer.
Current Residents
Ethan Fabrizius, DO
First Year Resident
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: Kansas State University
- Hometown: Manhattan, KS
- Medical interests: Rural Medicine, Sports Medicine, procedures
Taryn Hye, DO
First Year Resident
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: Northeastern University
- Hometown: San Diego, CA
- Medical interests: women’s health, sexual health, palliative care
Kim Miller, DO
First Year Resident
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: University of Iowa
- Hometown: Carroll, Iowa
- Medical interests: women’s health, prenatal care, OB, pediatrics, dermatology
Michael Olivier, DO
First Year Resident
- Medical school: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Undergraduate: University of Sioux Falls
- Hometown: Rock Valley, IA
- Medical interests: Rural Medicine, Primary Care, EMS
Hannah Pathmaperuma, DO
First Year Resident
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: University of Northern Iowa
- Hometown: Marshalltown, IA
- Medical interests: prenatal care
Sam Storts, DO
First Year Resident
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: Luther College
- Hometown: Clive, IA
- Medical interests: women’s health, rural medicine
Jill Beach, DO
Second Year Resident
Jill enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and immediate family including 5 siblings. As a “crafty” person, sewing and scrapbooking projects come easily to Jill but her true talent outside of medicine is professional house cleaning and organizing. She loves the “genuine” people who make up Des Moines and her favorite local eatery is Motley School Tavern.
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: University of Iowa
- Hometown: Slater
- Medical interests: women’s health, geriatrics, and preventative medicine
Lexi Block, DO
Second Year Resident
Lexi is a former Iowa State basketball player. She was able to travel with her team to Italy. She still enjoys traveling to Italy while not playing basketball. Lexi took singing lessons while in school, but don’t ask her to sing because she will not!
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: Iowa State University
- Hometown: Carroll, Iowa
- Medical interests: Everything! Which is why I choose family medicine
Jonathan Eller, DO
Second Year Resident
Jonathan is somewhat of a handyman and enjoys home improvement projects and fixing things. He once tried to enjoy a vacation cabin in Orcas Island, Washington with his family, but the bats wouldn’t leave so the family had to. Jonathan likes going to the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, Iowa State Fair and Blank Park Zoo Brew. Really, how can you resist sitting down to a tall one with your favorite monkey or llama.
- Medical school: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
- Undergraduate: Des Moines Area Community College for 3 years and Iowa State University for 2 years
- Hometown: Ankeny, Iowa
- Medical interests: smaller town full scope family medicine
Kyle Grover, MD
Second Year Resident
Kyle enjoys reading, playing soccer, football, basketball, snow skiing, running/walking and snorkeling. Sports Illustrated would do well to check in with Kyle. In his “spare time,” Kyle likes to go morel mushroom hunting and brewing his own beer. Try to keep up!
- Medical school: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Undergraduate: Wartburg College
- Hometown: Dyersville, IA
- Medical interests: Rural Medicine
Hunter Pflughaupt, MD
Second Year Resident
Hunter-where do we start? When you meet Hunter, you think he played BB and you would be right. He even got to play against national teams in Costa Rica and in his spare time volunteered at a local orphanage there. He doesn’t play a musical instrument so whole he won’t be playing with the band, he can join as their singer-just as soon as we find a portable shower for him to sign in. He had no idea at 5 years old what he wanted to be when he grew up but he knew he wanted to stay home with his mom to do whatever he decided to be. Ask him which romance novel is his favorite.
- Medical school: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Undergraduate: Coe College
- Hometown: Walker, Iowa
- Medical interests: Full spectrum family medicine in a rural setting
Victoria Whitcomb, DO
Second Year Resident
Victoria is a woman of many talents-some common-other not so much. She enjoys weight lighting and collecting all things pigs. Nobody knows how cute pits are like an Iowan! She has played the viola since 4th grade. We have another band member! She also has a little obsession with meteorology. Her hand-eye coordination wasn’t the best in high school so, of course, she played tennis. Ask her how that went.
- Medical school: Des Moines University
- Undergraduate: Iowa State University
- Hometown: Burlington, Iowa
- Medical interests: preventative medicine, women’s health, pediatrics
Curriculum and Policies
- Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
- Family Medicine Ambulatory (8 weeks)
- Family Medicine Inpatient (8 weeks)
- ICU (4 weeks)
- Night Float (4 weeks)
- Obstetrics (8 weeks)
- Pediatrics Inpatient - Blank (4 weeks)
- Pediatrics ER - Blank (4 weeks)
- Surgery (4 weeks)
- Behavioral Medicine (2 weeks)
- Cardiology (4 weeks)
- Community Medicine (4 weeks)
- Electives (8 weeks)
- Electives - Away (4 weeks)
- Gastroenterology (2 weeks)
- Gynecology (4 weeks)
- NICU (2 weeks)
- Orthopedics (2 weeks)
- Pediatrics Ambulatory (4 weeks)
- Pediatrics Selective (4 weeks)
- Psychiatry (2 weeks)
- Pulmonary Medicine (2 weeks)
- Sports Medicine (2 weeks)
- Ultrasound (2 weeks)
- Behavioral Health (2 weeks)
- Community-Based Practice (4 weeks)
- Dermatology (2 weeks)
- Electives (8 weeks)
- Electives – Away (4 weeks)
- Family Medicine Inpatient (8 weeks)
- Nephrology (2 weeks)
- Neurology (2 weeks)
- Obstetrics (8 weeks)
- Ophthalmology (2 weeks)
- Orthopedics (2 weeks)
- Otolaryngology (2 weeks)
- Urology (2 weeks)
- Allergy
- Casting
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- High Risk OB
- Hospice
- Infectious Disease
- Office Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pain Management
- Palliative Care
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Perinatology
- Pharmacy
- Podiatry
- Rheumatology
- Wound Care
These are just a few options available.
Daily morning conference starts with case presentations for new admissions and obstetrical deliveries. Monday through Thursday we have teaching conferences that include topics from the following areas:
- Cardiology
- Pediatrics
- Geriatrics
- Ob/Gyn lectures and conferences
- Practice management/coding specialist presentations
- Psychiatry
- University of Iowa Visiting Professor Lectures
- Electronic medical records
- Pharmacology
- Medical subspecialties
- Ancillary services
- Resident-led Journal Club
- Resident Balint sessions to help us examine the emotional content of the doctor/patient relationship
- Jeopardy™-like board review
Once a year, in December, we schedule breakout sessions, bringing all the residents together to learn procedures, use the chart review process to examine standards of practice, learn from community agencies and participate in interactive seminars, commonly tied together by a common theme or area of medicine.
Recent topics have included community medicine, chronic pain, domestic violence and human sexuality.
- Adverse Weather
- Appeals Procedure for the Resident (Addendum B)
- Business Issues
- Chief Resident Selection
- Clinic Staffing Chart Review
- Clinical Competency Committee
- Documentation of Experiences by Residents
- Home Visits
- Hospital Procedures Policy
- Independent Study
- In-Training Exam Performance
- Library Resources
- Licensure
- Messages
- Morning Report Attendance
- Nursing Home Visits
- Passing Part 3 Boards
- Procedures for Admissions, Discharges, Coverage and Medical Records
- Professional Appearance
- Professional Conduct and Contact
- Program Evaluation Committee
- Progress Committee
- Residency Program Personnel
- Resident Contract
- Selection of Residents Applicant Criteria
- Statement of Stipends and Benefits (Addendum A)
- Supervision of Residents
- Timely Completion of Documentation
- Transition of Care
- UnityPoint Health and UnityPoint Clinic Mission Statements
- UnityPoint Health Central Iowa Family Medicine Residency Program Mission Statement
- Vacation & Time Off Protocol
- Video Recording
- Work Hours
Stipend & Benefits
The annual stipends for the respective levels are as follows (Effective Academic Year 2023-2024):
R1 - $62,944
R2 - $64,505
R3 - $66,065
Housing Allowance
$5,200 housing allowance each year. The allowance is added to each resident's paycheck throughout the year.
Transition Allowance
$750 relocation allowance is given to all incoming residents.
Paid Vacation
All residents receive 20 days of PTO per year.
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 and 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 60% of their monthly salary if they are disabled due to illness or accident, on or off the job, following a 90-day qualifying period.
Residents are allocated five CME days per year $2,100 over the three-year period to attend approved medical meetings, purchase textbooks or educational software.
Classes
- Basic Life Support
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support
- Neonatal Resuscitation
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support
- Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics
- STABLE
- Free Parking: All residents may park in a reserved area of the hospital parking facility at no charge.
- Meal Stipends: A meal stipend is provided while on duty
- Paid Licensure: Fees for the Iowa resident license are paid by the program.
- Lab Coats: Free lab coats are provided to all residents.
- Fitness Center on premises
- Employee Assistance Center
- Specialty Society Membership Benefit
Application Process
Residents are selected through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®), a program of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Applications to our residency programs are only accepted through ERAS.
To be considered eligible for application to the Central Iowa Family Medicine Residency Program, the candidate must meet all academic criteria established below. The program director has the prerogative of presenting an applicant who would not otherwise be eligible but whose qualifications are felt to merit consideration.
The selection committee reviews all material and interviews a select group of qualified applicants. Interviews to fill the available positions will start in October.
Applicants with one of the following qualifications are eligible for appointment to accredited residency programs:
- Graduate of medical schools in the U.S. and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
- Graduate of medical schools in the U.S. and Canada accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
- Graduate of medical schools outside the U.S. and Canada who meet one of the following qualifications:
- Have received a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
- Have a full unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. licensing jurisdiction
- Graduates of medical schools outside the U.S. who have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME accredited medical school
To be eligible for a resident license, an applicant shall meet all the following requirements as found in Chapter 10 of the Administrative Rules of the Iowa Board of Medical Examiners:
- Fulfill the application requirements
- Be at least 20 years of age
- Hold a medical degree from an educational institution approved by The Board at the time the applicant graduated and was awarded the degree
- Educational institutions approved by The Board shall be fully accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the board as schools of instruction in medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery and empowered to grant academic degrees in medicine
- The accrediting bodies currently recognized by the board are:
- LCME for the educational institutions granting degrees in medicine and surgery; and
- AOA for educational institutions granting degrees in osteopathic medicine and surgery
- If the applicant holds a medical degree from an educational institution not approved by the board at the time the applicant graduated and was awarded the degree, the applicant must hold a valid certificate issued by ECFMG or have successfully completed a fifth pathway program established in accordance with AMA criteria
Must meet all of the following:
- Preference given to those with recent training:
- Currently attending medical school training and eligible for graduation by the start of the residency year or be a recent medical school graduate
— or — - Been in training in an accredited internship or residency program within the past year.
- Currently attending medical school training and eligible for graduation by the start of the residency year or be a recent medical school graduate
- Must have received passing scores on USMLE or NBOME Step 1 and be eligible for the Step 2 exams.
- Must be fluent in written and verbal English language.
Strengths of Our Program
"Enough cannot be said about our faculty and how lucky we are to have them. They are the most supportive, intelligent, and fun group of physicians I have ever worked with. They do not take themselves too seriously and create a fantastic learning environment where they are always accessible and willing to help in whatever way possible. I can promise you that you will always feel well supported by our faculty." — Daniel Hanson
"One of the main reasons why I chose to attend this program was due to the excellent faculty members. They are great at giving us independence to grow and learn while at the same time remaining available and approachable when we need them." — Madeline Godar
"As a rotating medical student, I found myself captivated by the relationships I observed between residents and faculty members at Iowa Lutheran Hospital. On my first day, I watched as numerous residents and faculty members trickled into the resident lounge over the lunch hour to find any remaining seat (or part of a seat) to eat lunch together (and yes, it was hospital cafeteria food). This simple routine spoke volumes about the program culture at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, one of both mutual respect and comradery among faculty and residents alike. As a resident, I have been fortunate enough to count myself among those lucky enough to learn from such an outstanding group of intelligent, supportive, approachable and fun faculty physicians." — April Forsyth
"One of the reasons I was excited about this program was how the faculty and residents get along. Some of our faculty are graduates from the program, so they have literally been in our shoes. They often stop by the lounge to chat, eat lunch or just check in on us. They remember being an intern calling a specialist for the first time, running their first code, etc. That means they have lots of tips and tricks for us! We have a similar comradery in the clinic. They really make us feel like equals; for example, we all sit at the same workspace while seeing patients. They are always available for a question or to give their advice on a complicated patient, and on rare occassion, they may even need our help!" — Eric Neill
"I love the work environment at Lutheran. I truly enjoy going to work every day, and that is a testament to the people and the program culture. The residents and faculty are very driven and are highly successful because of this mutual drive for excellence. However, while we strive to excel in our work, we also hang out together. This was one of the only programs I interviewed at where the residents and faculty sit to eat lunch together and talk about everything besides work. Our program invests a lot in the people to help prevent burnout and fatigue." — Tyler Olson
"Being a new intern, I was incredibly nervous about making medical decisions on my own and learning how to function efficiently in my new role. So far, I have had incredible support from my fellow residents, attending faculty, nursing staff and electronic record support staff. I always feel comfortable asking my senior or attendings for help. Everyone is willing to teach and answer questions, no matter how trivial they may seem. Nurses have been helpful in orienting us to different policies on the floors, and EMR staff have been available during clinic hours to help with outpatient charting. I am so glad I chose to come to Lutheran because the welcoming, collaborative environment has made the transition from student to resident much easier!" — Julia Farruggia
"The work environment was one of the main reasons I wanted to complete my training at Iowa Lutheran Hospital. Our program has such an amazing group of people – both co-residents and faculty. I have never once been afraid to ask senior residents or faculty for help. We genuinely enjoy spending time together – as evidenced by the nearly constant lunchtime cribbage games that happen, as well as frequent gatherings outside of work which both residents and faculty attend, such as our intramural softball and volleyball teams. I find that spending time together at work (while not working) and outside of work made it much easier to approach seniors and faculty to ask questions and while staffing patients. The friendly and supportive environment makes it very easy to look forward to coming to work each day and lets us focus on learning and taking excellent care of patients instead of being nervous about interacting with each other or our faculty." — Eric Jones
"As an intern, it can feel both exciting and nerve racking to go from being a student to making medical decisions and learning how to function efficiently in my new role. So far, I have had incredible support from my fellow residents, attending faculty, nursing staff and other health care workers. I always feel comfortable asking my senior or attendings for help. Everyone is willing to teach and answer questions, no matter how trivial they may seem. No matter what role an individual may play in the healthcare system, there is always something to learn from them. I am so glad I chose to come to Iowa Lutheran Hospital because the welcoming, collaborative environment has made the transition from student to resident much easier!" — Jeals Brines
"The people are what make our residency program shine! We have a very supportive community of residents and faculty members who get along well both inside and outside of work. We frequently have formal and informal events outside of work where residents, faculty and their family members can get together. It is more enjoyable coming to work every day knowing that you get to work with such an outstanding group of doctors." — Madeline Godar
"The biggest strength of our program is the amazing group of people we work with. We have a very supportive group of residents and faculty who get along great at work and outside of work. We have many formal and informal outings where residents, faculty and family members can get together. Coming to work is a lot of fun when you are surrounded by an amazing group of doctors who are not only your colleagues but become good friends!" — Sasha Kloos
"I love that I get to take care of all ages and stages of life. Every day is a mix of patients, which makes it fun and exciting! From taking care of moms and babies in the hospital to having end-of-life discussions with patients to increase their quality of life to the everyday well woman or well man physical, we get to do it all." — Samantha Banser
"It's very exciting to work at a community-based hospital in a large metropolitan area. Lutheran Hospital is truly a unique gem on the East Side of Des Moines. You will get to know everyone who works at Lutheran - nurses, housekeepers, cafeteria workers, respiratory therapists, etc. Residents spend intern year becoming very familiar with the hospital as we rotate through the family medicine inpatient service, emergency department and ICU." — Madeline Godar
"There is an incredibly wide spectrum of learning that comes with an unopposed residency. At Iowa Lutheran, we work up patients in the ER, admit patients from the ER, run an inpatient service and respond to MET calls and Code Blues. Being the only residents, we have the opportunity and responsibility to be involved in all different areas of the hospital. This truly is what makes Family Medicine so unique, and being an unopposed program really allows us to experience that at its finest!" — Julia Farruggia
"I chose Iowa Lutheran Hospital because it was immediately obvious to me how much the faculty and residents genuinely enjoyed working together. There is a palpable sense of camaraderie within the residency program, and everyone seems to enjoy what they do. Combine that with being an unopposed program with broad spectrum learning and it checked all of the boxes for me." — Daniel Hanson
"I chose Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines because while I was rotating here as a medical student, it was clear to me how much the residents and faculty enjoyed it here and enjoyed working together. The culture was something I knew I would fit in well with and enjoy being a part of for three years. Additionally, I knew after I completed my residency, I would be prepared for my future career in rural Iowa." — Demi Eble
"Two things stuck out the most to me when I chose Iowa Lutheran Hospital for my residency, the culture and the education. Being from Iowa, I knew I wanted to stay in Des Moines but when it came to choosing between the programs, I ultimately chose Iowa Lutheran Hospital. I think our culture exemplifies comradery between the residents, faculty and clinic staff. I found outside of work we truly care about one another and would describe each other as friends in addition to colleagues. Residency is such a hard time; you might as well be doing it with your best friends. The other aspect is an obvious one. The education at Iowa Lutheran Hospital is outstanding. As an affiliate program of the University of Iowa, we have access to all the resources and education of a university/academic institution while being in a community-based program. We spend the majority of time at Iowa Lutheran Hospital for our inpatient service. We are unopposed, get interesting patients, have access to procedures and are the code team (opportunities we may not get at another hospital). I think Iowa Lutheran Hospital was the best fit for me and hope it is for you too!" — Hannah Hartman
"Since we are the only medicine residents in the hospital, we get to work directly with specialists from all fields. You are not stuck talking with other residents or fellows, but rather communicate directly with them and work right alongside them. These specialists are also used to working one-on-one with us and are great at teaching us and including us whenever there are procedures to be done." —- Daniel Hanson
"In my training at Iowa Lutheran Hospital Family Medicine Residency, I've had the opportunity and privilege to work with medical specialists and experts who not only benefit the lives of my patients but who also take time and effort to improve my skills and knowledge. The relationships that we learn to cultivate throughout our three years at Iowa Lutheran Hospital begin with the network provided to us by our hospital system and afforded to us by the connections already built by our faculty members to UnityPoint Health's medical specialists. In this way, when we call for a consult or go on rotation to a specialist clinic site, we are not only there for our patients' health and well-being, our own learning and development, but to continue to foster a community of learners and support between specialty and primary care. I know anytime that a specialist makes a request of our service or whenever we need to reach out for a consult, it's with this confidence that I can approach the conversation and help UnityPoint Health's patients together." — Austin Pillon
"La Clinica provides the opportunity to work with the under-served Hispanic population for their prenatal care and deliveries. Not only does this give us the opportunity to become well trained in both high risk and low risk OB populations, it also introduces a different culture. These patients are under-served and often under-insured, which is an excellent learning opportunity for how to become more financially cognizant when practicing medicine." — Samantha Keady
"At our OB Clinic, which takes place twice per week, we are able to provide prenatal care to women who are of an underserved population, many of whom are uninsured, of low socioeconomic status and/or refugees. Being able to serve these women and their families and provide them with a high standard of care is incredibly rewarding." — Heidi Klingelhofer
"The Iowa Lutheran Hospital Family Medicine residency has dedicated time on Monday and Thursday afternoons where we see patients of "La Clinica." This is a clinic dedicated to obstetric care. Most patients are underserved and uninsured and many speak Spanish or other foreign languages. This is a great opportunity for residents to get experience with prenatal care for low-risk and high-risk pregnancies, as well as building cultural awareness around how a patient's health care experience is shaped by their cultural values and beliefs. Residents work together as a team when seeing patients so there is a lot of collaboration and teaching among the group. Teamwork makes the dream work!" — Jill Pollpeter
"The East Des Moines Family Care Center provides care to an extremely diverse patient population. We take care of patients of all ages allowing us the opportunity to work with infants, children, teens, adults and elderly individuals. We get practice working with many different cultures and learning how to take that into consideration when developing treatment plans. Many of our patients are underserved and/or underinsured, which provides an excellent learning opportunity to become more financially cognizant while practicing medicine. In our clinic, we have a pharmacist, community care coordinator, lab, X-ray and DEXA scanner available for use. This allows us to complete as much of a workup as possible while the patient is here and the chance to quickly walk over and chat with any of these services if we have questions. You gain more and more responsibility as you progress through residency, giving you plenty of autonomy, but attendings, co-residents and other support staff are always here and eager to help when needed!" — Alexia Fisher
"Des Moines is a young, fun, family-friendly Midwest city! Great place to explore local farmers markets, festivals, concerts and sporting events. No shortage of things to do on the weekends and on days off!" — Cameron Overcash
"There are many bike/running trails throughout the metro area and multiple ponds and lakes within driving distance if you enjoy outdoor activities. Des Moines is small enough to feel like home but big enough that there is never a shortage of things to do." — Samantha Keady
"Des Moines is the best of both worlds - a growing urban center with small town vibes and historic charm. The restaurant scene in Des Moines is booming, making living downtown a blast! Some of my local favorites include St. Kilda for breakfast, Iowa Taproom for Midwest comfort food and Hello Marjorie for drinks." — Matthew Molin
"Living in Des Moines has been a great adjustment for us. With kids, we are always looking for activities to do, and there are plentiful indoor and outdoor activities to fill our time. We also enjoy the perks of city life but still have places to seek out that are secluded and quiet. While overused, the 'it only takes 20 minutes to get there' saying runs true the majority of the time." — Taylor Dreise
Contact Us
We invite you to learn more about the Iowa Lutheran Family Medicine Residency Program. You have the opportunity to grow in a program with a strong academic center, a pleasant and flexible working environment and a diverse patient population. If you have any questions about our program, please feel free to contact us at (515) 265-1050 or reach out to Jeri.Paca@unitypoint.org.
Family Medicine Residency Program – Des Moines Track
840 East University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316