Cook County Health and Hospitals System Program

The Internal Medicine Residency Programs at Cook County Health consist of two tracks: the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program and the Categorical Track. Both are offered at Rush University Medical Center and John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

The Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program focuses on training residents in ambulatory and hospital medicine, with an emphasis on the skills necessary for primary care practice. Residents divide their time evenly between Rush University Medical Center and Stroger Hospital, providing a diverse clinical experience that includes caring for vulnerable and underserved populations.

The Categorical Track at Cook County Health is known for its excellence in clinical education and clinical reasoning. Residents work closely with highly skilled faculty and have the opportunity to manage a wide variety of cases in inpatient wards, intensive care units, and general medicine clinics.

The programs at Cook County Health sponsor H-1b visas. They prefer applicants with graduation dates from medical school within the last 3 years and require successful completion of USMLE Step III for the H-1b visa application. International medical graduates must obtain ECFMG certification before the NRMP match.

The application process for these programs is done through ERAS, and interviews typically start in October and continue until January. The program receives over 1,000 applications each year and reviews them individually. Additionally, the programs offer various benefits such as 28 days of vacation, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, health, dental, life insurance, and counseling services.

Both programs provide a robust clinical experience and a commitment to serving diverse and underserved populations, making them valuable opportunities for aspiring medical residents.