About

Since its founding in 1971, the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford has been committed to developing an optimal learning environment for training health care professionals, conducting innovative research and improving the health and wellness of our society. Educational programs include the Doctor of Medicine Program, the Master of Science in Medical Biotechnology Program, the Family Medicine Residency Program and the Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship Program. The Doctor of Medicine Program’s nine academic departments offer medical students an exceptional community-based medical education. The UI Health Mile Square Health Center - L.P. Johnson Rockford in mid-town Rockford provides clinical experiences for medical students and is home to the Family Medicine Residency Program. Close affiliations with local health systems, clinics and other facilities allow our students to continue a tradition of hands-on clinical experiences throughout their medical education. The Rural Medical Education Program, established in 1990 through state legislation to improve access to physicians in rural, downstate and shortage areas of Illinois, is one of the strongest rural programs in the nation. The RMED Program is an add-on to the regular MD program and employs a “grow-your-own” model by recruiting students from rural Illinois communities who express a desire to return to a rural Illinois community to practice medicine. More than 70 percent of graduates are practicing in rural areas today. Research is also flourishing at the College of Medicine Rockford. The Regenerative Medicine and Disability Laboratory focuses on fighting human motor neuron diseases and improving the integration of metal implants into the surrounding bone tissue. Other research focuses on lung cancer detection, prostate cancer treatments, vaccine development, immunotherapy and much more. Students also have opportunities to get involved in research projects and many present their findings at a variety of meetings and at our annual research day in April. The students, staff and faculty of the College of Medicine Rockford are committed to improving health and wellness through collaborations with partners around the world and community service projects right in our neighborhood, as well as through programs such as the Medical Evaluation Response Initiative Team that provides examinations for children suspected of being abused.