We are a highly regarded psychiatry department nationally in clinical care and research. We similarly believe that excellence in education is central to our mission. We are deeply committed to teaching and mentorship and take great pride in training outstanding psychiatrists who are well prepared for the many different career paths our field has to offer. 

A Distinguished History 

The Department of Psychiatry has been training psychiatrists for more than a century, beginning with Dr. George Sprague, who completed his training in 1922. He went on to a distinguished career that included serving on the committee responsible for the first Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1952. Our original program grew out of the “psychopathic hospital” movement, in which psychiatric hospitals were established in close association with medical schools. In 1991, the department moved to the John Pappajohn Pavilion within University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center, where much of our clinical training continues to occur today.

Multi-Track Residency Program  

While we are proud of this history, our residency program continues to evolve. Over the past several years, we have substantially expanded both the size of the program and the breadth of training opportunities available to our residents. Our new Program Director, Chris Moreau, MD, and his leadership team are building on this strong foundation, with a continued emphasis on responsiveness to resident feedback, innovation in education, and preparing our residents for the rapidly changing field of psychiatry. 

One of the most important areas of growth has been the development of five specialty tracks. In addition to our longstanding Research Track, residents may pursue focused training in Public and Rural Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Intellectual and Developmental Disability, and Interventional Psychiatry. These tracks provide mentorship and additional clinical, educational, and scholarly experiences that allow residents to individualize their training according to their interests and career goals. Our Public and Rural Psychiatry Track has also expanded opportunities for residents to train in rural communities and public-sector settings throughout Iowa, helping us address the substantial need for psychiatric care across our state. 

World Class Faculty  

Our faculty includes internationally recognized investigators whose presence contributes to a strong spirit of inquiry throughout the department. The University of Iowa has a remarkable history of discovery in psychiatry and neuroscience, including pioneering work in psychiatric diagnosis, neuroimaging, schizophrenia, mood disorders, neuropsychiatry, and the biological basis of behavior. Today, our faculty continue this tradition through research spanning neuroscience and genetics, brain imaging and neuromodulation, psychedelic and interventional psychiatry, psychiatric epidemiology, and clinical and translational research. Residents benefit from being immersed in an environment in which new knowledge is being generated alongside outstanding clinical care. 

Our faculty are also deeply committed to teaching. Education occurs through formal didactics, seminars, case conferences, supervision, and—perhaps most importantly—the day-to-day interactions between residents and faculty while caring for patients. I personally see patients with our residents and enjoy discussing diagnostic formulation, treatment decisions, and the complexities of caring for people with psychiatric illness. The relatively informal and collaborative culture of our department makes it easy for residents to interact with faculty at all levels. 

Residents interested in pursuing careers as physician-scientists have exceptional opportunities at Iowa. Our Research Track is part of the Carver College of Medicine’s Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP), which provides a structured pathway for residents committed to developing careers in academic research. Participants receive dedicated research time, intensive mentorship, peer support, and opportunities to work with investigators across the department and the broader university. The program allows residents to begin developing their research interests early in residency while acquiring the skills and experience necessary to become independent physician-scientists. 

Chart Your Future 

Our goal is to provide residents with a broad and rigorous education that prepares them for lifelong learning and for the practice of psychiatry at the forefront of an evolving field. At the same time, we want residents to have enough flexibility and exposure to discover what excites them. Our graduates pursue careers across the full spectrum of psychiatry—including general clinical practice, academic medicine, research, public psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, interventional psychiatry, and other subspecialties. They are highly sought after for both fellowship and employment opportunities, and we are particularly proud that many choose to remain in Iowa and serve the people of our state. 

Welcome to Iowa City and the University of Iowa 

Finally, Iowa City is a wonderful place to train. Both the city and the department are friendly, collegial communities, and our residents enjoy the benefits of living in a vibrant university town while training at a major academic medical center. We work hard, but we also value mentorship, collaboration, curiosity, and the relationships that make residency a rewarding experience. 

We welcome your interest in our program and look forward to getting to know you and sharing more about the opportunities available here at Iowa. Come have a look. We think you’ll like what you find.