Carle Illinois College of Medicine
2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
Carle Illinois College of Medicine is a US MD program in Urbana-Champaign, IL that takes 2027-entry applications through AMCAS. Its published class profile lists a median MCAT of 515 (range 511–521), a median GPA of 3.80 and a class of 64. The school holds an asynchronous video assessment: October 2026–March 2027. Decisions for 2027 entry: March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard).
- Location
- Urbana-Champaign, IL, United States
- Established
- 2015
- Interviews (2027 entry)
- October 2026–March 2027
- Decisions (2027 entry)
- March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
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How to get into Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) medicine
Step-by-step: entry requirements, MCAT prep, personal statement, interview format and the key deadlines.
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Read the guide →About Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD)
Carle Illinois College of Medicine was established in 2015, and its first class enrolled in 2018. It is a public institution and a college within the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is also the first engineering-based medical school in the world, created through a partnership between the university and Carle Health.
The curriculum builds engineering principles, computational thinking, and design methodology into the standard MD program. Graduates can design medical devices, analyze health data, and lead healthcare technology innovation. Every graduate receives the Health Innovation Professorship designation alongside the MD degree.
What makes Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) different
Carle Illinois College of Medicine is the world's first engineering-based medical school, founded in partnership between the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's top-ranked engineering college and Carle Health System. The curriculum integrates biomedical engineering, data science, and design thinking with clinical medicine from Year 1. Students may pursue joint MD-MS degrees in engineering disciplines.
All MD students receive the "Health Innovation Professorship" designation upon graduation, reflecting the school's commitment to physician-innovators.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD with engineering and innovation threads throughout. Year 1–2: integrated basic science and engineering modules; design thinking and prototyping projects. Clinical training at Carle Health System hospitals and UIUC-affiliated sites. Optional joint MD-MS engineering degrees add one year. All students complete a capstone innovation project.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) research strengths
Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) is strong in these research areas:
- Medical device design
- Health informatics
- Precision medicine
- AI in diagnostics
- Biomedical imaging
How the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) interview runs
Format: No live interview — portfolio-based secondary plus asynchronous video responses
Carle Illinois does not conduct live admissions interviews: evaluation is via a portfolio-based secondary application and asynchronous recorded video responses. Invitation-only applicant events are explicitly non-evaluative.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) intake
Approximately 59 students per year (expanded from the 2018 inaugural class of 32; highly selective cohort).
Where Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) is
Carle Illinois College of Medicine was founded in 2015 and is based in Urbana-Champaign, IL.
Programmes offered:
- Healthcare Innovation
- Biomedical Engineering
- Digital Health
- Internal Medicine
- Surgery
What you need to apply to Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD)
Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) at a glance
| MCAT / GPA (medians) | 515 · 3.80 (MCAT range 511–521) |
|---|---|
| Class size | 64 |
| In-state preference | No stated in-state preference |
| Interview format | Asynchronous video assessment |
| Intake | Approximately 59 students per year (expanded from the 2018 inaugural class of 32 |
| Decisions (2027 entry) | March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard) |
| Admission overview | Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AMCAS; secondary application required. Carle Illinois actively recruits applicants with undergraduate backgrounds in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or technology fields, alongside strong clinical exposure. Traditional biology/pre-med applicants are also considered if they demonstrate interest in healthcare technology or design. Illinois residency is not required. |
|---|---|
| MCAT median | 515 (range 511–521) |
| GPA median | 3.80 overall / 3.78 science (BCPM) |
| Class size | 64 |
| In-state preference | None |
| CASPer | Not required |
| AAMC PREview | Not required |
| Holistic review emphasis | Engineering or STEM background, healthcare innovation mindset, design thinking capability, collaborative interdisciplinary approach. |
| Notes | The school does not publish an accepted-applicant count, and the acceptance rate previously shown here was inconsistent with its own applicant and class-size figures, so it has been removed rather than estimated. Check MSAR for the official rate. Class size 64 is the Class of 2030 that began in July 2026, per the school’s class profile (checked 2026-09-13). |
| Specialities offered | Healthcare Innovation, Biomedical Engineering, Digital Health, Internal Medicine, Surgery |
MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from Carle Illinois College of Medicine's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.
Working towards the MCAT score Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) expects? Build a week-by-week plan from your test date — free for the first two weeks.
How Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants
| Format | No live interview — portfolio-based secondary plus asynchronous video responses |
|---|---|
| Interview window (2027 entry) | October 2026–March 2027 |
| Decision date (2027 entry) | March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard) |
| Post-interview chances | Estimated post-interview acceptance rate approximately 20–30%; innovation mindset, STEM background, and design-thinking capability are key differentiators. |
Carle Illinois is genuinely unlike any other medical school — if you have a strong STEM or engineering background and a specific healthcare technology interest, this program offers unparalleled depth. In your recorded video responses, demonstrate structured problem-solving and creative thinking under time pressure; do not just recite medical knowledge. Prepare a specific healthcare technology or innovation project idea to discuss — vague interest in "combining medicine and technology" is unconvincing at a school this focused. If your background is traditional pre-med without engineering exposure, reflect seriously on whether you will thrive in an environment where engineering literacy is assumed.
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Learn moreWhere Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD)'s figures come from
Checked against Carle Illinois College of Medicine's own website on 15 August 2026: our record for the school was reconciled with what it publishes there. For most US schools that is class size and interview format only, so MCAT, GPA and acceptance-rate figures remain unconfirmed.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions
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