University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford Program

The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford offers a comprehensive Family Medicine Residency program that emphasizes unopposed clinical experiences and innovative educational programming. The program is designed to prepare residents for a range of family medicine careers, including the opportunity to provide obstetric care in rural or underserved communities through the STRETCH–OB track.

Eligibility Criteria: - The program encourages applications from highly competitive applicants who have excelled in their medical school training. - Applicants should have graduated from medical school within one year of the start date or have recent clinical activity in the practice of medicine. - A requirement of three letters of recommendation is specified, with a recommendation for 1-2 letters from Family Medicine physicians, including positions such as the Department Head, Program Director, or Clerkship Director.

Important aspects of the program include: - The deadline for the application, submitted through ERAS, is December 2, with early submission encouraged. - The program supports J1 visas, thereby accommodating international medical graduates. - Interviews are conducted from late October through January.

Curriculum details reveal a robust and comprehensive training scheme across three years: - Year 1 (R1) introduces residents to areas such as Cardiology, Emergency Medicine/Radiology, Inpatient Pediatrics, and Obstetrics, among others. - Year 2 (R2) deepens experiences with rotations such as ICU, Infectious Disease, and a variety of electives catering to special interests. - Year 3 (R3) focuses on advanced training areas like Ambulatory Gynecology, Behavioral Medicine, and offers more elective time for specialization.

The Structured Training for Rural Enhancement of Community Health in Obstetrics (STRETCH-OB) Track: - This track is intended for residents committed to providing obstetrics in rural or underserved communities. It is an HRSA-funded program. - Participants in the STRETCH-OB track will complete all requirements for board certification in family medicine along with additional obstetrics and gynecology rotations to enhance their obstetrical skills, including a minimum of 50 C-sections as first assist and 20 C-sections as primary surgeon.

Residents also benefit from a competitive salary and benefits package, education benefits including paid certification courses and a yearly allowance for conference attendance or educational materials, and wellness-focused perks such as memberships at the YMCA and access to the Glenn Netto Health and Wellness Center.

This overview encapsulates the program's depth, designed to prepare residents for a broad spectrum of family medicine practices with a unique emphasis on serving rural and underserved communities, especially through advanced obstetrics training.