As a response of health inequities disproportionately affecting African-American, Native American and Latino/Hispanic communities in Illinois, in 1978, the Illinois State Legislature created the University of Illinois Urban Health Program (UHP).  The creation of UHP was a tangible response to address these growing health disparities through the training a diverse physician workforce.

The College of Medicine Urban Health Program (COM-UHP) is one of six(6) of the health science colleges in the University of Illinois education system. It is the oldest and largest of the Programs having had its start in 1969 as the Medical Opportunities Program which was the model for UHP’s creation.