Medical Schools in Chicago – Study Medicine in Chicago

Choosing a medical school can be back-breaking work, with the many Google tabs you’d have to open and the various options you have. Chicago med schools are routinely seen on top lists, and with good reason. 

Luckily, you don’t have to get confused trying to figure out the best medical school for you. Let’s take a look at four of the best medical schools in Chicago.

The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine

The Pritzker School of Medicine is known for its excellent alumni and the research in which the school involves itself. They have an academic-friendly environment with a good location and diverse students. 

This university is in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, which includes the physicians of university hospitals. These hospitals have highly ranked children’s, adults, lying-in, and advanced medical facilities, making it easy for placement.

Programs offered:

  1. Combined degree in law (MD/JD) and business (MD/MBA)
  2. Areas such as the Medical Scientist Training Program and Growth and Development Training Program (MD/PhD)

Their curriculum lays a foundation in clinical and basic sciences throughout your four years in the Doctor of Medicine program. Your first and second years are elective and core courses and the third year is to do clerkships in surgery, pediatrics, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and neurology. 

In the last year, you will complete a sub-internship, including elective and selective experiences. You will also complete a rotation for one month in emergency training. 

Admission Requirements

  • Coursework in general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics. 
  • American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application
  • MCAT scores
  • Letter of recommendations 

The full list of requirements is here, it can change every year. Pritzker School is a prestigious medical school, but it can be quite difficult to get into, with an acceptance rate of 1.46%. Yikes! 

Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University

This university is located in the suburb of Evanston, Northwestern offers an excellent academic environment to achieve your medical dreams. 

The university has specialized groups which let you achieve your goals in whatever interest you choose. Through these activities, you will get an amazing experience that gives you professional and leadership skills. These two skills are important in the medical field. 

Programs offered:

  • Joint programs in medical humanities and bioethics (MD/MA), patient safety (MD/MS), healthcare quality, and Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD)

The Feinberg School is one of few medical schools in Chicago that gives you a realistic application in all factors of your medical training. 

The curriculum is separated into 3 phases. 

Phase 1 covers organ-based theory. Phase 2 is clerkships in obstetrics, medicine, surgery, gynecology, neurology, pediatrics, and psychiatry. 

Phase 3 is for you to complete clinical rotations and develop in a specialty of your choice.

Admission Requirements

  • Two semesters each of organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physics, and biology
  • Application through AMCAS
  • MCAT scores 
  • Three letters of recommendation 
  • A supplemental application which is a technical assessment and a criminal background check

A full list of the requirements can be found on the school’s website. The overall acceptance rate for the Feinberg School is 2.27%, whereas in-state acceptance is 5.10%, and out-of-state acceptance is 2%. 

The Medical College at Rush University

Rush Medical College is a well-established school in Chicago, which teaches you the know-how of being a healthcare professional while molding you into an empathetic and skillful doctor who is fully committed to fulfilling the community’s health needs. 

The college is in the Illinois Medical District. As a bonus, you are also on the same campus as the medical center, so placement and hands-on medical training is already sorted for you! Helping the community through your training is an important factor at Rush. 

Programs offered:

  • Doctor of medicine 
  • Biomedical sciences
  • Cardiovascular perfusion
  • Clinical laboratory management 
  • Medical laboratory science
  • Respiratory care 
  • Speech and therapy pathology 

Joint programs are also available. 

The four-year curriculum is grouped into the clerkship and pre-clerkship phases. Direct patient care starts within the first few weeks and will be a norm in your journey. The pre-clerkship phase entails clinical knowledge during the first two years. 

You will go through seven core clerkships in the program’s third year. Your final year will cover emergency medicine clerkship, sub-internship, and elective(s).

Admission Requirements

  • Eight semester hours each in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biology. Alternatively, you can also have four semester hours each of organic chemistry and biochemistry. 
  • MCAT scores
  • AMCAS application
  • Submission of Casper score
  • Letters of recommendation

You can visit the website for a more detailed list of admission requirements. Rush Medical College has an acceptance rate of 5.8%

The College of Medicine at the University of Illinois

This college has a favorable location of being in the medical area, so you are exposed to clinical settings in from the get-go. This university is one of the major schools in Chicago, which allows you to match with various residency programs for whatever specialty you choose. 

Related: Is The University Of Illinois Chicago A Good Medical School? (Major Pros & Cons)

The school will teach you basic and clinical disciplines to prepare you to give excellent care to the community. 

Programs offered:

  • Medicine (Professional Program: MD)
  • Patient safety leadership (MS)
  • Biomedical sciences (MSa, PhD)
  • Medical scientist training program (MD/PhD)
  • Graduate education in medical sciences (PhD)
  • Medical biotechnology (MS)
  • Medical physiology (MS)
  • Health professions education (MHPE)
  • Cardiovascular science (Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration)

Combined degree programs are also available. 

The curriculum is sectioned into three phases. 

Your first and second year is phase 1, which is on bodily systems, skin, muscle and movement, brain and behavior, circulation and respiration, pathogenesis, and regulation and reproduction.

Phase 2 is your third year, where you enter the fundamental clerkships in ambulatory care and hospitals. Here, you also go ahead with your chosen area of medicine. You have to take the USMLE Step 1 exam in the second year before going on phase 2. Phase 3 is your fourth year, where you go into a sub-internship. 

Admission Requirements

  • Advanced-level biology, two-semester courses with labs in general biological sciences, organic chemistry, general inorganic chemistry, and general physics. 
  • Three courses in social/behavioral sciences, two must be in the same field 
  • Application through AMCAS
  • Letters of recommendation
  • MCAT scores

A full list of the requirements is on their website. The College of Medicine has an acceptance rate of 7.4%, which is much more forgiving than the other schools on this list!

*A pro tip to get into medical school successfully- You should highlight your accomplishments that you’re proud of. Put it in your personal statement or work them in your interviews. Do it humbly, but confidently. This would make your application a little brighter!

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