Medical Schools in Illinois: How to Get In (2024)
/Which are the best medical schools in Illinois? Plus, Illinois medical school rankings and strategies to get into your top-choice programs
What are the best medical schools in Illinois?
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: List of medical schools in Illinois: 2023 rankings and admissions statistics
Part 3: Illinois medical school profiles
Part 4: Illinois medical school admissions strategies
Appendix A: Illinois medical schools by degree type
Appendix B: Illinois medical schools by institution type
Appendix C: Illinois medical schools by region
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Part 1: Introduction
Illinois has nine unique medical schools capable of catering to a wide range of interests and strengths. Whether you are keen to attend an allopathic or osteopathic medical school, live in the bustling city of Chicago, or pursue community or global health endeavors, there is a medical school in Illinois that dovetails with your professional interests.
In this guide, we will summarize the key statistics and differences between each of the Illinois medical schools to help you stay informed throughout your medical school application process and choose the best Illinois program for you.
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Part 2: List of medical schools in Illinois: 2023 rankings and admissions statistics
We’ve compiled Illinois medical schools’ rankings, average GPAs and MCAT scores, and other key statistics in this guide so you can compare the schools side-by-side. While putting this information together, we observed the following takeaways:
Illinois is home to four medical schools that appear in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report (Research) ranking, with two appearing in the top 20.
The majority of Illinois medical schools are located in Chicago.
Several Illinois schools demonstrate a strong preference for in-state applicants, notably Southern Illinois University (only students from Illinois can apply), the University of Illinois, and the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science both of which have nearly 60% of their class size from Illinois.
Illinois medical schools encompass a wide range of tuition costs, from Southern Illinois University ($38,676 annual tuition and fees) to the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine ($81,913 annual tuition and fees).
Ranking numbers in parentheses show each Illinois medical school’s national ranking, whereas numbers outside parentheses reflect each school’s relative rank among schools in Illinois. Relative rankings help us answer the question, “Which are the ‘best’ medicals school in Illinois?”
(Note: We strongly recommend that you sign up for MSAR for the most up-to-date information on MD programs and that you sign up for Choose DO for DO program data.)
| Illinois Medical Schools | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine | $71,250 OOS |
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| University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine | $62,791 OOS |
9.4% OOS |
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| University of Illinois College of Medicine* | $86,746 OOS |
7.3% OOS |
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| Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center | $57,778 OOS |
14.3% IS 85.6% OOS |
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| Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University | $81,913 OOS |
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| Carle Illinois College of Medicine* | $65,348 OOS |
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| Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science | $64,500 OOS |
5.7% OOS |
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| Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine | $69,576 OOS |
3.3% OOS |
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| Southern Illinois University School of Medicine* | NA OOS |
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Part 3: Illinois medical school profiles
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
The Carle Illinois College of Medicine is affiliated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is the first engineering-based medical school. Thus, individuals who have an appreciation for the intersection between engineering and medicine will be well-equipped to apply and succeed at this institution. Notably, to be considered for admission, applicants must take upper-level mathematics courses, such as multivariate calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra.
The medical school integrates engineering principles into both the 18-month preclinical curriculum and the senior medical student curriculum. For example, the fourth-year curriculum incorporates Innovation, Design, Engineering, and Analysis (IDEA) projects, allowing students to creatively work on novel concepts that help solve difficult healthcare problems observed on their clinical rotations. The school also promotes an active learning environment in which students are placed in learning communities for their preclinical experience under the guidance of faculty members selected to serve as Medical Education Facilitators.
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
The Chicago Medical School is located in the heart of the Chicago metropolis, and students have the opportunity to rotate through a diverse range of clinical sites, including private outpatient clinics, large academic urban medical centers serving the underserved, and the Federal Health Care Center that treats veterans. In 2019, a new strategic plan was introduced and implemented to bolster the classroom experience, clinical rotations, and professional development at Chicago Medical School. Importantly, the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science boasts that their strong interprofessionalism education differentiates it from other medical schools; students have the opportunity to engage in interprofessionalism by volunteering at the Interprofessional Community Clinic, taking the first-year Foundations for Interprofessional Practice course, or working at the DeWitt C. Baldwin Institute for Interprofessional Education.
Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
The medical school curriculum at Loyola University has a traditional two-year preclinical and two-year clinical curriculum; however, it also has vertically integrated courses including programming in end-of-life care, quality improvement and patient safety, radiology, and point of care ultrasound throughout. Students may also participate in one of three honors programs: the Global Health Honors Program, the Bioethics Program, or the Research Program; these participants will receive distinctions at graduation. Loyola University also has a robust, funded eight-week research program: the Student Training in Approaches to Research Program. Moreover, the school has unique elective programming and extracurricular experiences including the transcendental meditation course, the Ignatian Service Immersion global health experience, the Medical Spanish program, and the Medical Polish program. Of note: the school’s mission statement is focused on service; thus, the school seeks applicants who have demonstrated a strong commitment to their communities in the form of service experiences.
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine
The Feinberg School of Medicine is a top-ranked, research-focused medical school located in the heart of Chicago. It is important to note that 65% of Northwestern medical school graduates match at a top-25 residency program and that 50% of students participate in global health experiences. In addition to the core pre-clinical courses and clinical rotations, each student pursues a four-year Area of Scholarly Concentration project through which they have the opportunity to conduct a longitudinal research project under the mentorship of a Feinberg faculty member. Additionally, fourth-year medical students can participate in the “Teaching Selective,” an elective that provides graduating students with a medical education foundation as they transition to the role of resident physician teachers.
Rush Medical College of Rush University
Rush Medical College has a smaller medical school class (approximately 125 students) and boasts a strong community, commitment to research, and investment in the West Chicago community. As a member of this student body, one will have the opportunity to participate in EXPLORE Rush during the preclinical years. This programming focuses on first helping students hone critical clinical skills, such as history taking and medical oral presentations under the guidance of faculty mentors. Subsequently, second-year medical students are matched with faculty preceptors and spend time advocating for patients in their surrounding communities on initiatives that they find personally meaningful. During clinical rotations, students will rotate at both Rush University Medical Center, a large academic medical center, and the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, a public community hospital. Rush Medical College also facilitates the Rush Community Service Initiatives Programs, in which students participate in patient outreach and education with members of the West Chicago community.
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
The SIU School of Medicine is a medical school that only accepts applications from Illinois residents (however, the MD/JD program does accept out-of-state applicants). The school also has a small class size (approximately 70 students), which fosters a strong sense of community. SIU has a unique medical humanities curriculum that covers various disciplines, including health policy, ethics, psychosocial care, and religion. The medical school also piloted the design of the senior clinical competency exam, an exam that measures students’ clinical skills by observing their interactions with standardized patients. This exam reflects the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills examination, and 90% of other medical schools have integrated this exam into their own curricula.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
The Pritzker School of Medicine is located on the University of Chicago campus, which enables medical students to benefit from a multidisciplinary learning environment and to collaborate with students and faculty from the other professional schools. Additionally, medical students will rotate in globally recognized, clinically excellent hospitals and care centers known for a commitment to medical education. Moreover, the preclinical curriculum integrates basic science coursework with supplemental classes such as Health Equity, Advocacy, and Anti-Racism and The American Healthcare System.
Medical students are also actively involved in the five community clinics that are found throughout Chicago and geared towards connecting underserved patients with preventive care. In addition to the community clinics, Pritzker students can participate in various community health outreach groups such as the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program and the Diabetes Prevention and Management Group. The school also offers financially backed fellowships in research, global health, and community service to encourage its medical students to explore these realms in a longitudinal and productive fashion.
University of Illinois College of Medicine
The University of Illinois College of Medicine has four campuses; however, since 2017, applicants apply to three of the campuses that are currently accepting new students (Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford) at the same time. The curriculum, values, and clinical experiences are similar across all campuses. The school offers many additional specialized programs in addition to the traditional four-year MD degree. To be considered for one of these programs, students must apply separately to the College of Medicine and the selected program. The programs include the Rural Medical Education Program offered at the Rockford campus, the Global Medical Education Program offered at the Chicago campus, the Urban Medicine program offered at the Chicago campus, the Innovation Medicine program offered at the Chicago campus, the Clinician Executive Medicine program offered at all three campuses, and the Innovation in Rural Global Medicine program offered at the Peoria campus.
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) of Midwestern University
CCOM offers a robust osteopathic education and has COMLEX board pass rates that surpass the national average year after year. Although the curriculum emphasizes primary care, graduates of CCOM match into a variety of medical specialties for residency. CCOM medical students will have the opportunity to participate in various extracurriculars, including specialty associations (e.g., Dermatology Interest Group, Student Osteopathic Surgical Association) and cultural affinity groups (e.g., Student National Medical Association).
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Part 4: Illinois medical school admissions strategies
Strategy 1: Develop a data-driven list of Illinois medical schools to apply to
Review the admissions criteria for each Illinois program as you decide which medical schools to apply to. Some institutions, such as SIU and CCOM, have specific requirements for an individual’s grades, MCAT scores, and letters of recommendation.
On top of this, each medical school that you apply to will require you to spend valuable time writing tailored secondary essays. Therefore, you should review the statistics to ensure you meet—or supersede—the requirements or averages of each school in order to target your efforts to the programs at which you’re most likely to get in.
For example, with a 3.7 GPA and a 513 MCAT score, you would likely be considered a competitive applicant at the majority of Illinois medical schools, with the exception of the most selective institutions, like Northwestern and the University of Chicago.
Strategy 2: Determine which school environments best support your future career interests and communicate fit through your application materials
The state of Illinois is home to many standout medical schools with key differentiating features. Reflect on your own career aspirations and determine if you would benefit from attending a school with specific programming geared towards your interests.
For example, you may be particularly drawn to the Rural Medicine Education program at the University of Illinois, the engineering programming at Carle-Illinois, or the possibilities for world-class academic research at Feinberg or Pritzker.
Additionally, determine if a smaller vs. larger class size would support your needs, if you would thrive in an urban vs. suburban setting, and if you are eligible for in-state only admission at SIU.
Then, when composing your secondary essays and going on interviews, make sure to discuss how these features align with your past experiences and future goals for your medical career.
Strategy 3: Think through what makes each Illinois medical school unique. Identify these qualities and align them with your own skills and experiences
Med school adcoms aren’t just looking for high-achieving students, they’re looking for students who have particular skills and interests that will support their student body and community.
By researching what makes a particular school unique, you can highlight your skills and fit with their program to give yourself an edge during the admissions process.
For example, if you’re an engineering major and have worked on novel projects, you might be a great fit with Carle Illinois College of Medicine’s engineering-focused program. If you’re an Illinois resident who majored in the humanities, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine could benefit from your talents within their medical humanities curriculum.
Strategy 4: Consider the MMI interview
When applying to medical schools in Illinois, taking the style of interview into account is critical for your strategy. Make sure to find out if the school uses a traditional interview model or the multiple mini interview (MMI).
MMI interviews involve 6 to 10 scenario-based questions to gauge how you approach particular situations. You’ll be interviewed by more than one person and questions will center around three key areas: ethics, teamwork, and character development.
Two Illinois medical schools employ MMI for their interview process: Chicago Medical School and UChicago College of Medicine. When preparing for these interviews, work through some of our practice MMI questions. Keep in mind that you’ll usually have two minutes to prepare your answer so it’s wise to use a timer.
Since you’ll likely be asked one or more ethical questions, it’s great practice to prepare answers to contentious topics such as issues regarding whom to give organ transplants to or patients with substance abuse issues.
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Strategy 5: Balance your time with the number of secondary essays
All Illinois med schools require secondary essays as part of their applications. In order to maximize your chances of entry into any program, balance the number of required essays with your other commitments.
On average, students apply to 16 medical schools, although we typically recommend applying to more given the ever-increasing difficulty with the admissions process. However, it can be difficult to manage your time when each school requires a different number of essays, or on different topics.
Tailor your essays to each school and avoid essay burnout—which leads to diminished quality—by tack essays methodically. For some applicants, this could mean completing applications with more essays first and applications with fewer essays last, or vice versa. With your working style and number of essays in mind, construct meaningful answers to prompts that repeatedly show up and adapt them for other programs in order to work efficiently and maximize your odds of receiving interview invitations.
Below, we’ve created a table with the number of secondary essays for each medical school in Illinois.
| Illinois Medical Schools | |
|---|---|
| Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine | 8 written for MSTP |
| University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine | |
| University of Illinois College of Medicine | |
| Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center | |
| Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University | |
| Carle Illinois College of Medicine | Essays accompany visual "artifacts" |
| Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science | |
| Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine | |
| Southern Illinois University School of Medicine |
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Final thoughts
There are many excellent medical schools in Illinois that can support a wide range of students. Evaluate your prior academic achievements, extracurricular experiences, and career aspirations to determine which schools fit you best. Then, craft high-quality, tailored application materials in order to maximize your chances of getting in.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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Appendix A: Illinois medical schools by degree type
Allopathic medical schools in Illinois (MD)
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine
Osteopathic medical schools in Illinois (DO)
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
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Appendix B: Illinois medical schools by institution type
Public medical schools in Illinois
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine
Private medical schools in Illinois
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
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Appendix C: Illinois medical schools by region
Medical schools in and around Chicago
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine (Chicago campus)
Medical schools outside Chicago
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine (Peoria and Rockford campuses)
