Rush Medical College was founded in 1837, making it one of the oldest medical schools in the United States. It is a private institution inside Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago's Illinois Medical District. Students train in an urban academic medical center with exceptional clinical breadth, including top-ranked departments in orthopedics, oncology, and cardiology.
Rush has a strong research portfolio and a commitment to serving Chicago's diverse urban communities, which gives students rich exposure to the full range of urban health challenges.
What makes Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) different
Rush University Medical Center is one of Chicago's major academic medical centers, consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the nation. Rush Medical College's location in the Illinois Medical District — a concentrated cluster of major hospitals in the Near West Side — provides students with diverse urban clinical exposure across multiple institutions.
Rush has particular clinical strengths in orthopedics, oncology, cardiovascular medicine, and neurosurgery. The college emphasizes team-based care and patient-centered medicine.
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. The Rush Curriculum integrates foundational science with clinical experience from Year 1. Years 3–4 rotations are primarily at Rush University Medical Center with additional training at Illinois Medical District affiliate sites. Rush emphasizes interprofessional education through its Rush model of care and the Rush University health sciences campus.
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) research strengths
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) is strong in these research areas:
- Orthopedic and musculoskeletal research
- Cancer biology
- Cardiovascular research
- Neuroscience
- Urban health and health equity
How the Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) interview runs
Format: Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and students
Rush Medical College holds a virtual interview day for invited applicants, with invitations sent from August to February. Interviewers probe motivation for medicine, clinical and research experience, commitment to urban community health, and personal narrative. Rush's urban Chicago identity, its proximity to the Illinois Medical District, and its community health mission inform the interview's thematic focus.
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) intake
Approximately 130–140 students per year.
Where Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (MD) is
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center was founded in 1837 and is based in Chicago, IL.
Programmes offered:
- Orthopedics
- Oncology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Neurosurgery
- Urban Community Medicine