If you want to pursue a medical program and live in Illinois, you have many options! Studying in the state is a great advantage since most medical schools prefer admitting students who live in the same place, especially if they are public. Moreover, even if they say they don’t, that’s what admissions statistics usually reflect.
Illinois hosts numerous highly esteemed medical schools, which are known for their quality education, innovative research possibilities, and first-rate medical programs. The curriculum at these medical schools is extensive, covering many different areas of medicine and helping students develop medical knowledge and top-tier patient care.
This well-known state has some medical schools that grant M.D. and D.O. degrees. Medical schools at prestigious universities like Northwestern University, the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine are known for graduating doctors and other healthcare professionals who excel in their fields.
In this article, we will discuss some of the best medical schools in Illinois for international students interested in pursuing a medical degree in this area.
Top Medical Schools in Illinois
1. University of Chicago
The Pritzker School of Medicine of the University of Chicago was established in 1927 and is positioned among the best medical schools in the U.S. It is considered the 18th best medical school in terms of research, according to the U.S. News and World University Ranking.
Besides granting M.D. degrees, they also offer a few joint programs. It has a Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and the Growth, Development, and Disabilities Training Program (GDDTP), which are both M.D./Ph.D programs and M.D./Ph.D programs in Medicine, Social Sciences, and Humanities (MeSH). There are also joint degrees with master’s in law, policy, or business.
As usual, the M.D. curriculum is divided into foundational coursework, taught in the first two years, and clerkship, which is done in the last two years. It also has a component called Scholarship & Discover, with which students will get the skills to complete a scholarly project. The project must cover the following issues: clinical research, medical education, healthcare delivery improvement sciences, community health, global health, and more.
Admissions in this medical school in Illinois are highly competitive as class sizes are small. They handle over 5,000 applications each year. In 2016, they only admitted 88 students; in 2018, they acknowledged 90. The good side is that this private medical school warmly welcomes out-of-state students, and tuition is the same for everyone. Actually, in 2018, 77% of the students admitted were out-of-state.
The application process starts with completing the online application through the AMCAS platform. Students must then take the MCAT, complete the required premedical courses, and submit recommendation letters that prove previous exposure to the medical environment. If competitive, students will have to attend interviews.
2. Northwestern University
Founded in 1859,  Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine is another medical school that ranks among the best in the U.S. As of 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked it as one of the best medical schools in research and the fourth-best in primary care.
This medical school in Illinois also placed 15th in the National Institutes of Health funding ranking in 2023, and many of its affiliated teaching hospitals are also positioned among the best. For example, the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab is the best rehabilitation hospital in the U.S.
Although it is one of the state’s oldest medical schools, the Feinberg School of Medicine doesn’t stop innovating. In 2012, they renewed their M.D. curriculum. They divided the program into three phases: science in medicine, clinical medicine, health & society, and professional development.
Moreover, the institution is known for its medical research, as 4,571 clinical trials and research studies were conducted between 2017 and 2018. They are also building a new research building to join the existing research centers. Not only that, but admissions to Feinberg can be very competitive. In 2018, they received 7,089, but only 160 students were admitted.
3. University of Illinois
The University of Illinois-Chicago’s College of Medicine is a public medical school founded in 1882. The U.S. News & World Report recently placed the institution as the second-best medical school in research and primary care. Moreover, the NIH ranked it among the top 50 funded universities in the country in 2023.
They offer three joint programs besides the M.D. and Ph.D. degree programs: M.D. and Ph.D., M.D. and MPH (Master’s in Public Health), and M.D. and MBA (Master’s in Business Administration). They also offer two training programs: the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and the Medical Scholars Program (MSP).
The medical school also offers specialized programs in rural medicine, global medicine, urban medicine, innovation medicine, clinical executive medicine, and innovation in rural medicine. Moreover, it has two other campuses: Rockford and Peoria. When you apply, you must indicate your top two campuses, and if admitted, you’ll be assigned to one of those two.
The Urbana-Champaign campus is still working but won’t accept new students because the university recently opened a new engineering-based medical school, the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. As they take students on three campuses, the admissions rate is over 10%, higher than in other medical schools.
4. RUSH Medical College
We finish the list with a medical school in Illinois with almost 200 years of experience in the educational field. Founded in 1837, RUSH Medical College ranks among the top 100 medical schools worldwide. In the U.S. News & World Report ranking, it’s currently in third place in terms of research and primary care.
The M.D. degree program’s curriculum was renewed in 2010. It is system-based, which means that it is organized in organ systems. The two main centers in which students are trained are the Rush University Medical Center and the public John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. They will also work with physicians who become their mentors from the first year.
Admissions are highly competitive because the university receives a large number of applicants each year. In 2016, it received 10,754 applications, but only 138 students were admitted! They don’t accept transfer students, and you must be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status to apply. Learn more about the application process and their programs here.
Overall, Illinois is a great place to get a top-notch medical education because of the abundance of excellent universities and resources available to students. These will help international medical students gain the necessary knowledge and grab job opportunities in healthcare and medicine in the U.S. So, if you plan on studying in this state, consider the listed medical schools you can choose from!
We hope this list of top medical schools in Illinois was helpful. For more details on how to study in the United States, check out our Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA!
