The University of Illinois at Chicago is committed to an environment that fosters the development of future physician-scientists. Towards this end, we have a Clinical Investigator Pathway that allows residents to pursue training in internal medicine, with a strong emphasis on research, and a guaranteed position in one of our subspecialty research fellowships.
Applicants for this program will be asked to identify themselves when they receive confirmation of their application to our Categorical Internal Medicine Residency on ERAS. Additional information concerning prior and current research, future goals, and research mentor references will then be requested. Applicants will then be interviewed and ranked through the regular NRMP process with the understanding that if they match they will proceed onward in their selected Physician-Scientist subspecialty track, combining categorical internal medicine training, research, and the subspecialty training of their choice. The American Board of Internal Medicine will be notified prior to the end of the PG-2 year to assure that trainees will be able to take their internal medicine certification examination at the times outlined by ABIM policy.
The first two years of training are the same as those of a categorical internal medicine resident with at least twenty months of direct patient care. The program director during this time is the internal medicine residency program director. In the PG-3 year, if the physician-scientist is interested in a subspecialty fellowship, their program director becomes the program director of the fellowship of interest. The PG-3 year plus any additional years (see below) consist of a combination of clinical fellowship and research.
The number of years of the clinical fellowship is determined by the subspecialty that has been chosen. One year of training is required for allergy and immunology, critical care, endocrinology/diabetes/metabolism, geriatrics, hematology, infectious diseases, nephrology, medical oncology, pulmonary and rheumatology. One and a half years are required for gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, pulmonary/critical care and rheumatology/allergy and immunology. Two years are required for cardiology. The program is also open to Physician-Scientists who wish to pursue careers in general internal medicine. In this case, there is a five year program consisting of two years of categorical internal medicine followed by three years of research.
Research training is for three years, in any laboratory at the university. The University of Illinois College of Medicine is a major biomedical research center, replete with rigorous and exciting opportunities for Physician-Scientist training. Research years consist of 80% protected time for research and 20% clinical time with one half day a week of clinic. During the last year of research, the Physician-Scientist is brought on as full-time faculty for the residency program.
