Thank you for your interest in the Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency Program at the University of Iowa. 

We use a holistic approach to application evaluation. We value diversity in our faculty and residents. If you decide to apply to our program, please follow the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) guidelines. Only ERAS applications will be accepted. Our ERAS application will only show an AP/CP option. If you have an interest in AP-only or CP-only training, you will have the opportunity to indicate this before the interview.

The University of Iowa Health Care supports both H-1b and J-1 visas. A personal statement and curriculum vitae should be submitted with your ERAS application. A minimum of three letters of recommendation and a Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) should also be submitted through ERAS. Application components that can enhance the likelihood of an interview offer include:

  • Pathology rotations or observerships in a clinical setting
  • Letters of recommendation from pathologists with whom you have had direct experience in anatomic or clinical pathology, particularly if they can attest to your aptitude for histopathology and/or clinical pathology
  • Clinical externship (post-sophomore fellowship) in pathology
  • Ph.D., or M.S. from a U.S. medical school, particularly for those with a gap in clinical training
  • Scholarly activity, for example peer peer-reviewed publications, publications other than peer-reviewed, educational content creation, application development in a related field
  • High ranking (upper 15%) of your medical school class
  • Passing USMLE step one, available passing score for USMLE Step 2
  • ECFMG certification if applicable

This year, interviews will be virtual using Thalamus as the platform. After we receive your completed application and letters of recommendation, we will contact you concerning an interview date. Interviews will be conducted from October through December.

We look forward to receiving your completed ERAS application. Please e-mail kelly-j-schnoebelen@uiowa.edu if you have any questions.   

Interviews

We will be interviewing candidates beginning in October and ending in mid-January. December orientation for all new residents begins June 24th, so you must be available for that start date and be licensed in Iowa by May 31st.

  • I got an interview! Now what?
  • What should I expect the day of my interview?

The Department of Pathology utilizes Thalamus for our interview platform, specific instructions will be provided ahead of the interview.

Interviews will be approximately 4 hours in the morning starting at 8:30 a.m.

There will be a total of four candidates interviewing each day and approximately four AP and CP faculty interviewers will be included.

The interview day will begin with a program overview from the program director and faculty. From there, you will join your individual interview sessions that will last approximately 25 minutes per session, totaling 4 for the day. Next, you will have the opportunity to meet our Department Chair. Then you will meet with our Chief Residents who will provide information about life at Iowa and a virtual tour of our facility. Finally, you will join a breakout room with current residents for Q & A about our program.

For Prospective Pathology Applicants:

Choosing a pathology residency can be an exciting, but sometimes anxiety-provoking, experience. Given the diversity of pathology residency programs available, distinguishing among the individual programs can be a daunting task. Additionally, the application and interview process can be hectic and exhausting, and one can easily leave an interview without a clear feeling for what a program has to offer. The most important aspect of selecting a residency training program is finding one that works well for the applicant and the institution.

It is with these thoughts in mind that the residents at Iowa decided to try to facilitate communication with prospective residents. We collectively composed the following resident-written descriptions of the program rotations in order to give an accurate picture of the resident's duties on each of the rotations. Descriptions of our teaching conferences are also provided. Additionally, we have included a question-and-answer section with questions applicants frequently ask, and some important questions that may not immediately come to mind.

As pathology residents at The University of Iowa, we are proud of our program and are extremely satisfied with our training. We believe that the program is "resident-oriented" and provides an outstanding learning environment. We look forward to meeting many of you over the next few months.

If you have questions about our program or about living in Iowa, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sara Bigelow, DO, M.Ed
​Co-Chief Resident
sara-bigelow@uiowa.edu

Juan José Sánchez Ramírez, MD
Co-Chief Resident
juan-sanchezramirez@uiowa.edu