First-year medical student Olivia Baxter grew up in a family of people committed to serving others: Her dad is a police officer, her mom works in the local school district, and she had a grandfather and two uncles who were firefighters. The environment she grew up in instilled Baxter with a sense of responsibility to serve her community with her own career someday.

For the families of babies born prematurely, weeks—or even days—can mean the difference between heartbreak and hope. Mary Ferentz still remembers the phone call in August 2014. Football season would soon arrive in Iowa City. A few days earlier, Kirk Ferentz had opened preseason practice for his 16th season as Iowa’s head coach. Life had other plans. Their daughter-in-law went into labor…

Residency training is a marathon, not a sprint. Family medicine resident physician Kayla Bean channels her love for helping others into every step.

The physician-scientist and educator is honored for fostering a culture of curiosity, connection, and growth among the next generation of researchers and clinicians.

Few academic programs are as demanding as medical school, and few face more high-stakes drama than a fourth-year med student. Iowa Magazine followed one future physician through her final year at the Carver College of Medicine—a journey shaped by family tragedy and a calling to provide care for rural Iowans.

The five-year award will provide funding for three surgical trainees each year to complete a two-year research fellowship in basic science or clinical research, helping prepare the next generation of surgeon-scientists and cancer researchers.

Colin P. Kenny, PhD, assistant professor in the University of Iowa Department of Surgery, has been awarded a highly competitive National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute to support research focused on understanding how melanoma adapts and progresses.

When a patient develops a serious bacterial infection, doctors often need to begin treatment before lab results show which antibiotics will work. Researchers at the University of Iowa hope a new machine learning model can make those early decisions more accurate by giving a clearer picture of which drugs are most likely to be effective for each patient.

Recent reports on Iowa's cancer rates have raised concerns, so encouraging news about progress against the disease is especially welcome. Late July and August have seen major advances in three new treatment options for some of the deadliest cancers, offering real hope of improved survival for patients. These new therapies are cause for celebration for everyone involved in caring for patients with…

On Friday, August 14, 2026, first-year medical students were welcomed with a ceremony commemorating the next step of their health careers.