Starting residency · IA
Starting residency in Iowa
Iowa requires residents to hold a training license from the Iowa Board of Medicine: the Resident Physician License. Iowa has a flat income tax (3.8% for 2026).
Training license
- Status
- Training license required
- Called
- Resident Physician License
- Fee
- $100 plus a $45 fingerprint background check
- Renewal
- None; the license expires on the program's expected completion date ($25 extension if training runs longer)
Who applies: Resident; the board does not accept third-party applications. The program director reports on each resident licensee every October 1.
Board rule requires a resident or full Iowa license for any resident in an Iowa training program. The license is valid only in the named program and only for supervised practice there; changing programs, including moving from residency to fellowship, needs a new license. Residents at federal facilities in Iowa do not need an Iowa license. The board says March to July is its busiest period and processing takes longer then.
Full license: After 1 year of approved training for US graduates (MD or DO); 24 months for IMGs. A full license matters if you plan to moonlight.
Source: Iowa Board of Medicine
State income tax
Flat income tax: 3.8% for 2026. Many school districts add an income surtax of up to 20% of the resident's Iowa income tax, based on the district of residence on December 31. Six counties add an emergency medical services surtax.
Source: taxfoundation.org
Match Day to your first loan payment
Assumes you enroll in RAP or IBR when the grace period ends, recertify once a year, and file each tax return by April. Your servicer's dates govern.
Mid-March
Match Day
You learn where you'll train. Your program sends its residency (GME) agreement and onboarding steps.
March–April
Iowa training license
Apply for your Iowa training license as soon as your program sends instructions. Applications often need school records and background checks that take weeks.
April–June
Credentialing and onboarding
Hospital credentialing, health screening, payroll and benefits forms, and a DEA registration if your program requires one.
Late June–July 1
Move and start
Intern orientation usually starts in the last week of June. When the first paycheck arrives depends on the hospital's payroll schedule, so budget for a few weeks of moving costs without one.
About 6 months after graduation
Federal loan grace period ends
Payments start 6 months after you leave school. Choose a plan before then, or request residency forbearance, during which interest accrues and months don't count toward PSLF.
First year of payments
Payments use last year's income
RAP and IBR use the adjusted gross income on your most recent tax return, which for most new residents is a student year. Payments rise after you recertify with a resident's income.
One board licenses MDs and DOs.
Related
- Compare RAP, IBR and Tiered Standard on a resident's income
- Iowa physician non-compete law, for when you sign your first attending contract
- All states
General information, checked on the date above. Board requirements and fees change; confirm with the Iowa Board of Medicineand your program before you apply.