A warm welcome and my gratitude for your interest in the Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine! Our program has an amazing legacy that I am humbled to be entrusted to continue, having trained a diverse group of talented and motivated OBGYN residents since 1941. It boasts over 500 graduates who not only serve the needs of the great state of Illinois but practice all over the world. We strive to train our residents using cutting-edge technology and evidence-based medicine while prioritizing the patient-centered care model. These values make UIC and our department a leader in providing high-quality care to all patients, especially the historically and contemporaneously most marginalized. Additionally, our residents and faculty are committed to health equity, advocacy, and comprehensive reproductive health care, including access to safe abortion and contraception care. Through rotations at our home academic hospital (University of Illinois Hospital [UIH]), Level 1 Trauma Center (Advocate Christ Medical Center [ACMC]), and community hospitals (McNeal and Swedish Covenant), our trainees gain invaluable experiences to inform a successful career in academic or private general OBGYN practice, or for those seeking additional post-residency training, ready residents for fellowship.

We have a vigorous didactic schedule that includes a comprehensive simulation curriculum, certifying-exam preparation, and research requirements. Residents can practice their obstetric, laparoscopic, and other gynecologic skills in The Women of Steel Simulation Center located directly in the OBGYN department. Our robotics curriculum and Surgical Innovation and Training Laboratory prepare each resident for robotic surgery certification along with assuring readiness for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery examination. Finally, under the leadership of our research faculty, each resident in our program completes at least one research project. Our department is incredibly proud of our trainees’ body of work, with many UIC OBGYN graduates having presented in peer-reviewed regional, national, and international forums. We are committed to continuing this ascending pathway.

Our program’s primary goal is to prepare our graduates for board certification in general obstetrics and gynecology, allowing readiness for clinical practice in any environment. However, we are also committed to supporting graduates to attend fellowship training and have a long history of successful match, with most recent applicants joining the fields of women’s global health, complex family planning, maternal-fetal medicine, FPMRS, and gynecology oncology. Additionally, we recognize that many of our graduates desire careers in academic medicine and place an emphasis on training residents as our colleagues in education, both of more junior residents and our medical students.

We pride ourselves on recruiting residents and faculty who are energetic, innovative, and diverse. The candidates who thrive at UIC share our values of diversity, adaptability, excellence, and collaboration. These values permeate our clinical care, research, education, quality improvement, and advocacy work. As a department and institution, we are consciously working to address disparities of care in our larger community and the bias and discrimination pervasive throughout academic medicine.

As program director, I truly view my role as one of advocate and partner with our residents, challenging them while actively providing support as they navigate the unparalleled journey that is training to become an OBGYN. The strides it takes to grow and develop into an OBGYN can be both exhilarating and daunting — it is my vision that our program be the right mix of encouraging and intellectually stimulating necessary to nurture learners into skilled, compassionate, and competent future colleagues. I seek to be invested, flexible, and available and value the input of our residents in the ever-changing landscape of individualized education and patient care. Our program is fortunate to have an amazing leadership team that supports my work, along with a department of outstanding residents and faculty that share in the educational mission.

I encourage you to browse further for more information on our program and department and again, welcome to UIC-OBGYN!

We’re excited to tell you about our lively campus located in the Medical District. Our program serves the greater Chicagoland area with hospital sites peppered on the South, West, and North sides of Chicago.

Our training occurs at four main sites: University of Illinois at Chicago, Advocate Christ Medical Center, MacNeal Hospital, and Swedish Hospital. Each of our sites provides a distinct and unique experience with goals to expose our residents to the multitudes of ways to practice as an OB/GYN. With training sites that include level I trauma centers and level III NICUs, our residents are prepared for high-acuity and medically complex care in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Our graduates feel prepared to practice as strong generalists in any setting or continue their training in fellowships such as MFM, FPMRS, Complex Family Planning, and Gynecologic Oncology.

We’re lucky to have supportive faculty at each of our sites who work tirelessly to prepare us for future practice. We get early exposure to subspecialty care and many opportunities for mentorship by generalists and subspecialists alike. Our weekly didactics are protected and accommodate every style of learning; from interactive simulations of common OB/GYN procedures to stimulating lectures from experts in the field.

Our pride and joy of the program is the patients we serve. With hospital sites all over Chicago, we have the opportunity to learn how to care for patients with complex social needs and diverse cultural backgrounds. We are constantly learning and re-learning how to be empathetic and culturally competent physicians that advocate for our patients and equitable care.

The city of Chicago boasts some of the best food and culture in the world. Our residents can be found hanging out on the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, picnicking in Grant Park, eating our way through West Loop, or enjoying the skyline on each other’s rooftops and patios. The city has so much to offer with beautifully diverse neighborhoods, each with their own sense of style, community, and culture. No matter what your family unit looks like, you will always find a sense of home here.

Please take some time to look around our website and learn more about all of the exciting work taking place within our department. We’re looking forward to meeting all of you and please feel free to reach out with an email if you have any questions.

Warm regards,
Administrative Chief Residents