The University of Iowa Department of Surgery faculty and staff take pride in providing leading-edge patient care, advancing the field of surgery through first-rate research, and delivering superior education and training to the next generation of surgeons.

The department’s surgeons and medical professionals address a wide variety of complex medical issues, from matching donors with recipients in the Organ Transplant Center to providing continuous care for both adult and pediatric trauma victims in one of the state’s two designated Level I Trauma Centers and a certified regional Burn Treatment Center. Specialists provide critical surgical support among comprehensive, multidisciplinary teams for the treatment of cancer, gastrointestinal and colorectal diseases, and vascular ailments, as well as advanced surgical care for the smallest pediatric patients. Skilled plastic and reconstructive surgeons manage complex reconstructive issues resulting from deformities, traumatic injuries, or cancer excision in both adult and pediatric patients, in addition to surgical and non-surgical cosmetic services for adults.

Education

Research

About Us

The department provides critical and unique resources for Iowa. 

Years ago, surgery faculty at Iowa performed the world’s first gastric-bypass surgeries for morbidly obese patients. Today, the department continues its commitment to innovative surgical procedures and techniques in all areas, such as minimally invasive and robotic surgery, while offering advanced technologies like the positive pressure isolation room and state-of-the-art hydrotherapy facility for burn patients.

Patient care in the UI Department of Surgery is informed by basic science and clinical research—translating the latest discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside as well as into every aspect of education and training. Fellows, residents, and medical students are exposed to revolutionary medicine and surgical techniques that will enhance their skills, and the department’s faculty value the opportunity to shape today’s learners into tomorrow’s best and brightest surgeons.

>41K

Department of Surgery Visits

35

consecutive years ranked as one of the best academic hospitals in the U.S.

# 1

Iowa's #1 hospital as ranked by U.S. news & world report

News

'C' To Believe

Friday, April 18, 2025

UIHC Kenny Lab Published in Cell-Press

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Carver College of Medicine Events

Health Sciences Research Day promotional image

Health Sciences Research Day

Friday, May 2, 2025 12:00pm to 6:30pm
Medical Education Research Facility
Hardin Open Workshops - EndNote Desktop (Zoom) promotional image

Hardin Open Workshops - EndNote Desktop (Zoom)

Friday, May 2, 2025 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Virtual
EndNote is a reference management tool that helps you to easily gather together your references in one place, organize them, and then insert them into papers and format them in a style of your choosing. This session will walk you through the basics of using EndNote to collect and format your citations. The class will be hands-on, and there will be time for questions at the end.
2025 UI College of Pharmacy Zada Cooper Leadership Symposium promotional image

2025 UI College of Pharmacy Zada Cooper Leadership Symposium

Saturday, May 3, 2025 8:00am to 1:00pm
College of Pharmacy Building (CPB)
The Zada Cooper Leadership Symposium celebrates the legacy of Zada Mary Cooper, a trailblazer in pharmacy education and leadership. A graduate of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 1897, Cooper dedicated her career to advancing the profession, serving as a faculty member for 45 years until her retirement in 1942.Cooper was regarded as an exceptional educator, guide, and innovator who inspired her students. She was one of the founders of the Women’s Section of the American Pharmacists...

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