There are 8 LCME accredited medical schools in Illinois that offer a standard quality of education with a duration of five years.
Although a few of them accept a large percentage of in-state applicants, most medical schools in Illinois accept a large percentage of out-of-state students.
Some of the best medical schools in Illinois including The Pritzker School of Medicine and Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine are ranked in the top twenty medical schools for research in the US by US News and World Report.
Going to medical schools in Illinois takes a considerable amount of time, energy, and commitment, but can be incredibly rewarding for your profession.
To become one, having a relevant educational background and considerable field experience can help when pursuing this type of career.
So continue reading to know about the top medical schools in Illinois accredited by Liaison Committee on Medical Education(LCME).
List Of Best Medical Schools In Illinois
If you’re looking for a list of the best medical schools in Illinois, look no further. Click on a facility to learn more about it and see the address to know how to get there.
1. The Carle Illinois College of Medicine
The Carle Illinois College of Medicine is the medical school of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Called the “World’s First Engineering-Based College of Medicine,” the school trains physician-innovators by integrating several engineering and entrepreneurship approaches to healthcare into its medical training, and awards the degree of M.D. upon graduation.
Carle Illinois uses a two-round, rolling admissions process. An MCAT score of at least 498 is required to apply. Carle Illinois considers applications on a holistic basis.
Thus, there is no minimum GPA requirement, letters of recommendation are required as part of the application, and the College suggests that its applicants have strong backgrounds in biology, chemistry/biochemistry, mathematics/statistics, physics, and social sciences.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine is one of few medical schools that have been built from the ground up to focus on the intersection of engineering and medicine. Every course in the college was designed by a team composed of a basic scientist, a clinician, and an engineer.
Related: 4 Best Medical Schools In Georgia
The curriculum’s four pillar approach infuses basic sciences, clinical sciences, engineering and innovation, and medical humanities into all four years and places high value on patient-centered care, systems-based delivery, innovation and research, and early clinical exposure.
Carle Illinois promotes an active learning environment. An important component of this is problem-based learning.
During these sessions, medical education facilitators lead groups of eight students through solving authentic, real-world healthcare problems that are directly related to the topics being covered in classes. It is undoubtedly one of the best medical schools in Illinois.
Address: 506 S Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, United States
Phone: +1 217-300-5700
2. Chicago Medical School
The Chicago Medical School (CMS), another one of the best medical schools in Illinois, is a medical school located in North Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is one of the graduate schools of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). It was founded in 1912 and obtained approval from the American Medical Association in 1948.
Chicago Medical School was founded as a night school in 1912, The Chicago Hospital-College of Medicine.
The nonprofit Chicago Medical School originally operated on the principle that admission should be based on merit alone. In particular, “Chicago Med” admitted women and minority applicants decades earlier than most professional schools.
The MD Program at Chicago Medical School is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Most recently, the school was awarded the maximum eight-year accreditation term in March 2021.
The medical school is an interprofessional health science university; thus, M.D. candidates take courses alongside students in other health professions, including podiatry and pharmacy.
Students spend the first two years learning basic medical sciences and the last two years participating in clerkships at affiliate hospitals. The educational program combines lectures, labs, small-group discussions, team-based learning, and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.
There are eight required clerkships to be completed in the third year: medicine, surgery, family medicine/primary care, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, pediatrics, neurology, and emergency medicine.
The senior requirements include four weeks in internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine/primary care, or pediatrics sub-internship. It is one of the top medical schools in Illinois.
Address: 3333 N Green Bay Rd, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States
Phone: +1 847-578-3000
3. Stritch School of Medicine
Stritch School of Medicine is the medical school affiliated with Loyola University Chicago. It is located at the heart of the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.
The medical campus includes Foster G. McGaw Hospital, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Center for Translational Research and Education, the Loyola Outpatient Center, the Loyola University Center for Health and Fitness along with other administrative buildings and departments that branch off from the hospital.
While the Loyola University hospital, outpatient clinic, and satellite sites serve as the main places of teaching, the Edward Hines Veterans Administration (VA) hospital is within walking distance and also serves as a teaching hospital for the Stritch School of Medicine.
Stritch grants Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degrees to its graduates. Receiving a diploma requires successful completion of all coursework plus passing the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, Step 2CS, and Step 2CK.
Known as one of the top medical schools in Illinois, Stritch uses a unique curriculum as its approach to medical education.
The first two years are done in blocks, with one class being the focus of each block. The first year includes Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, anatomy, physiology, and immunology as its four main blocks. The second year includes Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Mechanisms of Human Disease (Pathology, Microbiology), and Behavioral Science, with the three latter classes being woven through three blocks concurrently.
The third year is a year of required clerkships including Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Neurology.
Fourth-year students take two required sub-internships, which are wards and intensive care, along with a required emergency medicine clerkship and many other elective clerkships. This school is regarded as one of the best medical schools in Illinois.
Address: 2160 S 1st Ave, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
Phone: +1 708-216-7766
Also read: Top rated Medical schools in Idaho 2023
4. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is the medical school of Northwestern University and is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1859, Feinberg offers a full-time Doctor of Medicine degree program, multiple joint degree programs, graduate medical education and continuing medical education.
The Feinberg School of Medicine is home to 657 medical students. The class of students who graduated in 2022 is the 163rd graduating class.
For the 2022 entering class, 8,073 people applied for 150 seats. The median undergraduate GPA and MCAT score for successful applicants are 3.92 and 520, respectively. This school is rated as one of the best medical schools in Illinois.
In 2012, Feinberg’s entering medical students began a new curriculum, organized into three phases, and emphasized the integration of four main curricular elements: science in medicine, clinical medicine, health & society, and professional development.
The goal of the renewal process is to build a more learner-centered educational program that (1) fully integrates scientific principles in a clinical context; (2) stimulates inquiry and investigation; (3) has an assessment system that comprehensively evaluates student achievement in each of the core competencies; (4) reinforces a culture of learning, teamwork, and excellence; (5) is flexible and able to meet the unique needs of individual students as they learn and differentiate.
For medical students, the school offers four-year dual degree programs, which combine the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree with a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Master of Arts in Medical Humanities and Bioethics (MA), a Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety (MS), or a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Address: 420 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Phone: +1 312-503-8194
5. Rush University Medical College
Regarded as one of the best medical schools in Illinois, Rush Medical College is the medical school of Rush University, located in the Illinois Medical District, about 2 miles west of the Loop in Chicago. Offering a full-time Doctor of Medicine program, the school was chartered in 1837, and today is affiliated primarily with Rush University Medical Center, and nearby John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.
In 2021, Rush Medical College was ranked 64th among research institutions in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. In 2010, the Rush Medical College curriculum underwent an extensive transformation as it implemented a system-based curriculum. Each organ system is organized into an individual block that integrates material from anatomy, biochemistry, histology, physiology, microbiology, pathophysiology, immunology, and pharmacology.
The vibrant, diverse city of Chicago is a nationally recognized medical hub. Students of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at Rush Medical College train primarily at two of the area’s largest and most respected hospitals: Rush University Medical Center, an academic medical center; and John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, a public hospital.
The doctor of Medicine (MD) program offers hands-on experience. During the M1 and M2 years of the MD program, you gain the skills needed to work interactively with patients in the healthcare setting.
Beginning immediately in the M1 year, our curriculum immerses you in early clinical experiences to guide you in learning about patient histories, physical examinations, and other clinical skills. This unique opportunity allows you to become part of a medical team and to see a patient across healthcare settings. This school Is one of the best medical schools in Illinois.
Address: 600 S Paulina St Suite 524, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
Phone: +1 312-942-7100
6. SIU School of Medicine at SIU Medicine
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is one of the best medical schools in Illinois. It is located in Springfield, the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is part of the Southern Illinois University system, which includes a campus in Edwardsville as well as the flagship in Carbondale. The medical school was founded in 1970 and achieved full accreditation in 1972. It was founded to relieve a chronic shortage of physicians in downstate Illinois.
The School of Medicine offers the following degree programs: medical, MD/MPH, MD/JD, doctoral, master’s, and physician assistant studies.
The School of Medicine has more than 300 full-time faculty members as well as more than 900 part-time and volunteer faculty members. Medical students spend the first year at the main campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale before moving to Springfield. Physician assistant students learn during their first year at the Carbondale campus.
SIU School of Medicine offers 21 residency programs in dermatology, emergency medicine, family medicine (5 programs at 5 sites), general surgery, internal medicine, medicine/psychiatry, neurology, neurological surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics and rehabilitation, otolaryngology, pediatrics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, psychiatry, radiology, urology, and vascular surgery. It has fellowships in adult reconstructive surgery, cardiology, child and adolescent psychiatry, colon and rectal surgery, endocrinology hand surgery, hematology/oncology, infectious diseases, pulmonary critical care, and sports medicine.
Address: 801 N Rutledge St, Springfield, IL 62702, United States
Phone: +1 217-545-8000
Related: 2 Accredited Medical Schools in Maine
7. The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Another one of the best medical schools in Illinois, the Pritzker School of Medicine is the M.D.-granting unit of the Biological Sciences Division of the University of Chicago. It is located on the university’s main campus in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago and matriculated its first class in 1927.
The medical school offers a full-time Doctor of Medicine degree program, joint degree programs, graduate medical education, and continuing medical education.
Interest in opening a medical school at the University of Chicago began in 1898 when the university became affiliated with Rush Medical College while Chicago endeavored to establish funds for the construction of a medical school. The affiliation with Rush Medical College continued until 1942.
In 1916, the university’s Board of Trustees set aside $5.3 million for its development, but World War I delayed its construction until 1921. With construction complete in 1927, the school matriculated its first class of medical students. Following a $16 million gift from the Pritzker family of Chicago (founders of the Hyatt hotel group) to the University of Chicago, the School of Medicine was renamed in their honor in 1968.
U.S. News & World Report, in its 2022 edition of rankings, ranked Pritzker School of Medicine as the 34th best medical school in primary care and 17th in Research.
The Pritzker School of Medicine offers a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. The school offers joint doctorate degrees through its Medical Scientist Training Program, Growth, Development, and Disabilities Training Program, and MD-PhD Programs in Medicine, the Social Sciences, and Humanities. Joint master’s degrees are offered in business, law, and policy.
Address: 924 E 57th St #104, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
Phone: +1 773-702-1937
8. University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year program leading to the MD degree at four different sites in Illinois: Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and formerly Urbana–Champaign. The Urbana–Champaign site stopped accepting new students after Fall 2016 to make room for the newly established Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
In 2011, enrollment of medical students in the University of Illinois system totaled 1,290 according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
The College of Medicine offers a Doctor of Medicine degree program (M.D.), a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program in the medical sciences, and three joint degree programs: MDPh.D.D, MD/MPH, and MD/MBA. Other advanced degree programs in the medical sciences include a master of science degree in medical biotechnology (MBT; Rockford), a master of health professions education degree (MPHE; Chicago/online), and a master of science degree in patient safety leadership (MS; online).
The MD curriculum of the College of Medicine at Chicago is the largest of the college’s programs. It provides instruction in basic and clinical sciences and early exposure to patients. The curriculum stresses rational decision-making and clinical problem solving based on an understanding of the basic biological, physical, and behavioral sciences; thus the integration of basic and clinical sciences is emphasized throughout the program. Illinois College of Medicine is rated as one of the best medical schools in Illinois.
Address: 1853 W Polk St, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
Phone: +1 312-996-2450
Also check out: Accredited Medical Schools in Arkansas
FAQs
See below frequently asked questions about the best medical schools in Illinois;
How many medical schools are in Illinois?
There are 8 LCME accredited medical schools in Illinois. Although a few of them accept a large percentage of in-state applicants, most medical schools in Illinois accept a large percentage of out-of-state students.
Is the University of Illinois among the best medical schools in Illinois?
The University of Illinois is ranked No. 56 (tie) in Best Medical Schools: Research and No. 61 (tie) in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care.
What GPA do you need for medical schools in Illinois?
Admissions experts advise aspiring medical school students to aim for a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
What is the hardest year of medical school?
According to NRMP and other online sources, the hardest year of medical school is the first year. Year one of medical school is the most difficult for many reasons.
Is the University of Chicago medical school among the best medical schools in Illinois?
University of Chicago (Pritzker) is ranked No. 20 (tie) in Best Medical Schools: Research and No. 30 (tie) in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
Recommendations
Top rated Medical schools in Virginia
7 Top Medical Schools in Pennsylvania
Pharm Somtochukwu Oluka P. is a licensed pharmacist with a burning desire to explore his zeal and interest in the field of pharmacy.