Cook County Health and Hospitals System Program

The Cook County Family Medicine Residency Program offers a comprehensive and mission-driven training experience, specifically designed to prepare physicians to lead and provide primary care services, with a particular focus on underserved populations. This program is deeply involved in addressing healthcare disparities within the Cook County Health system and equips residents with the skills necessary for working in urban, community-based settings. It offers exposure to a wide array of medical disciplines and patient care strategies, focusing on comprehensive primary care across the life cycle, public health, and performance improvement within complex healthcare organizations.

The curriculum spans three years, with each year offering a structured sequence of rotations in various key areas including family medicine inpatient service, pediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care, and subspecialties such as addiction medicine, surgery, and emergency medicine, among others. Elective rotations are also part of the program, allowing for personalized education paths.

The program values innovation, collaboration, medical education, and leadership in healthcare, aiming to reduce health disparities. It provides training at several community-based teaching health centers which predominantly serve minority populations, as well as at affiliated settings including correctional health services and children's hospitals.

Application to the Cook County Family Medicine Residency Program is via ERAS and it has specific criteria for applicants, including a preference for recent medical school graduates (within the last 3 years). International medical graduates are required to have ECFMG certification before match submission. Due to the high volume of applications received, the program emphasizes that it may not always respond to individual status queries unless an interview is offered.

Benefits for residents include a competitive package with vacation leave, maternity/paternity leave, health benefits (including dental and life insurance), malpractice insurance coverage, and a meal allowance. The program also highlights support structures such as counseling services and a housestaff association.

The residency positions residents as future leaders in family medicine, ready to address current and future healthcare challenges, especially in settings serving marginalized populations. This outlines the Cook County Family Medicine Residency Program as a high-value opportunity for candidates interested in serving underserved communities and leading in the evolution of family medicine.