The University of Iowa Department of Family Practice was created in 1971 under the leadership of Robert Rakel, MD, who would lead the department through its first 15 years 1971-1985.

In 1973 the first family practice residency class of 10 residents began, and a joint residency program was established with Mercy Hospital, a partnership that would last over 25 years. In the 1970s the department opened two model offices, the first in 1973 at Oakdale Hall, and the second in 1978 in the Steindler Building.

In keeping with the nomenclature of the times, in 1997 the name was changed to the “Department of Family Medicine,” instead of "Department of Family Practice."

In 1998 the Department relocated to the new Pomerantz Family Pavilion Family Care Center. 

University of Iowa Health Care assumes operations of a large family medicine practice and residency program in Sioux City. 

With the acquisition of Mercy Hospital, Family Medicine welcomed an additional 10 clinical sites, 11 physicians, 10 nurse practitioners, and 5 physician assistants to our team. The department now employs a total of 19 clinical sites, 63 physicians, and 37 APPs, representing a growth of 12 clinical sites and 33 providers over the past 3.5 years.

October 2024 the "Department of Family Medicine" became "The Department of Family and Community Medicine."  The name was changed to incorporate the ever-expanding scope of practice such as Prenatal Care, International Clinic, LGBTQ+ Clinic, and many others. 

University of Iowa Department of Family and Community Medicine Advanced Practice Provider Residency Program has been granted Accreditation-Clinical Postgraduate Program status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.