University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center (Sioux City) Program

Our Leadership — Message from the Chair

We appreciate your interest in pursuing advanced training in family medicine. Our department values the three pillars of academic medicine — education, clinical care, and scholarship — and we deliver these services through collaborative interdisciplinary teams. Our mission is to prepare family physicians who are knowledgeable, skilled, compassionate, and ready to lead in clinical and community settings.

The Department of Family Medicine plays a significant role within the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. Our faculty are actively involved in research, teaching, and leadership on institutional committees and in collaborative projects across disciplines. Education and clinical excellence are central to our work.

We offer residency and fellowship programs that emphasize practical, experience‑based learning. Our fellowships build leadership capacity in areas such as geriatrics, academic medicine, and primary care sports medicine in partnership with the University of Iowa Sports Medicine Clinic. Research within the department seeks to improve clinical care, medical education, and health services delivery, particularly in rural settings.

Jeffrey D. Quinlan, MD, FAAFP
Chair & Department Executive Officer
The Donald J. and Anna M. Ottilie Chair in the Department of Family Medicine
University of Iowa

Biography — Dr. Jeffrey D. Quinlan

Dr. Quinlan serves as chair and departmental executive officer for the University of Iowa Department of Family Medicine. He completed dual Bachelor of Science degrees in biochemistry and in chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh in 1988, followed by a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1992. His family medicine residency training was completed at Naval Hospital Charleston (South Carolina) and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (California). He subsequently completed a maternity care fellowship at Florida Hospital in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Quinlan has an established background in graduate medical education. He served eight years as faculty and four years as program director of the Naval Hospital Jacksonville Family Medicine Residency Program. He was also adjunct faculty for the National Capital Consortium's Family Medicine Residency Program, the Department of Defense's tri‑service residency. He concluded his military career at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, where he held roles including vice chair of the Department of Family Medicine, interim chair of the Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, and professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine.

Professional affiliations and service

Dr. Quinlan is a member of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and Alpha Omega Alpha. His service includes participation on the AAFP's Commission on Health of the Public and Science, contributions as an associate editor for the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics Program, and editorial work as a deputy editor for the Family Physician Inquiries Network.

Beyond Your Residency — Alumni Reflections

Why graduates chose Sioux City

"I sought a program that combined a strong academic foundation with ample hands‑on clinical experience, and a place where I'd feel at home for three years."

"This community‑based, unopposed residency offered outstanding full‑spectrum family medicine training."

"Sioux City struck the right balance — not too large, not too small — with plenty to do and a welcoming culture among faculty and residents."

"I was attracted to the robust obstetrics training and the chance to train in an unopposed program where family medicine is the only residency in town. The residents’ confidence stood out to me."

"During a one‑month rotation I built strong relationships with the residents and quickly felt embraced by their community."

Recruitment Process and Eligibility

Program duration

The residency is a three‑year postgraduate training program in family medicine.

Education and certification requirements

- Applicants must have graduated from an LCME‑accredited medical school to apply for entry at the PGY‑1 level.
- International medical graduates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must hold ECFMG certification at the time of application.
- Candidates are required to have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge) with no more than three attempts for each exam.
- If USMLE Step 3 has not yet been completed, the first successful sitting of either Step 1 or Step 2 must have occurred within five years of the intended program start date.
- Applicants must have passed the USMLE clinical skills examination or the COMLEX Performance Evaluation on the first attempt.
- Medical school completion must have taken no more than five years in total.

Advanced entry and second‑year openings

When PGY‑2 positions become available, we will accept applications from physicians who have completed an internship.

Certification eligibility

Upon successful completion of the residency program, graduates are eligible to sit for the American Board of Family Medicine certification examination.

Contact Us — Start Your Inquiry

To arrange a visit or request additional information, please reach out to our residency coordinators. Medical student questions and prospective resident inquiries are managed by separate staff members listed below.

Family Medicine Residency Sioux City
2501 Pierce Street
Sioux City, Iowa 51104

Phone: 1-712-294-5018
Fax: 1-712-294-5091

Medical Student Inquiries

Elly Johnson
Assistant Residency Coordinator
[email protected]
712-294-5024

Prospective Resident Inquiries

Juliana Muhlenbruch
Residency Coordinator
[email protected]
712-294-5018

Community — Welcome to Sioux City

Sioux City functions as a regional center for commerce, employment, retail, healthcare, education, and tourism serving northwest Iowa, southeast South Dakota, and northeast Nebraska. The tri‑state metropolitan area has a population exceeding 165,000 and offers a blend of urban amenities and small‑community character.

Family resources

The Siouxland region supports many families and community organizations, including local churches, the Southern Hills Mall, Sioux City Community Schools, the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, and municipal services provided by the City of Sioux City.

Dining and nightlife

Historic Fourth Street in downtown Sioux City hosts a lively selection of restaurants and evening venues. Local favorites and notable destinations include:

- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
- Food Truck Fridays
- Kahill's
- Trattoria Fresco
- Buffalo Alice
- Minerva's
- The Diving Elk

Arts and culture

Siouxland maintains an active arts scene with performance venues, museums, and community arts organizations such as:

- Sioux City Orpheum
- Tyson Events Center
- Sioux City Art Center
- Sioux City Museum
- Sioux City Symphony
- Sioux City Community Theatre
- LAMB Arts
- Sioux City Conservatory of Music
- Art Splash

Recreation and outdoor opportunities

Outdoor and family activities available in the area include:

- Stone State Park
- Local park system and recreational facilities
- LaunchPAD Children's Museum
- Saturday in the Park music festival
- Cone Park and seasonal community activities

Travel and transportation

Regional travel is convenient through options such as:

- Sioux City Airport
- Sioux City Public Transportation
- Omaha Eppley Airfield (Omaha Airport)
- Sioux Falls Regional Airport

Where We Practice

Family Medicine Center

The Family Medicine Center serves as our primary outpatient training site and is designed to emulate private practice while functioning as a dedicated educational facility. The center is located within approximately five minutes' drive of Sioux City's two hospitals: Mercy One Siouxland Medical Center and UnityPoint–St. Luke's Regional Medical Center.

The facility is a two‑story building of roughly 32,000 square feet and combines patient care spaces with dedicated educational resources.

- Level One: Patient care areas, including two exam pods with 12 rooms each, faculty workrooms, private dictation spaces, on‑site laboratory and X‑ray, procedure rooms, nursing stations, a patient education room, medical records, and a large lobby.
- Level Two: Primarily education and administrative space, featuring a large multimedia conference room, smaller meeting rooms, a library, a resident lounge and resting room, office cubicles, and faculty offices.

UnityPoint Health — St. Luke's Regional Medical Center

St. Luke's is a patient‑ and family‑centered referral hospital serving the tri‑state area of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Services include a modern surgical center, a recognized birth center, around‑the‑clock cardiovascular care, and a Level III emergency department.

Mercy One Siouxland Medical Center

Mercy One–Siouxland is a regional medical center caring for communities across western Iowa, eastern Nebraska, and southeastern South Dakota. In addition to the main hospital, the Mercy system in Sioux City operates a Level II trauma center, primary care and specialty clinic networks, home health and hospice services, paramedic services, and a freestanding surgery center.