Underrepresented in Medicine
Visiting Student Program

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) Visiting Student Program is open to medical students who are part of a group that is underrepresented in medicine. This includes students who identify as African Americans and/or Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American (American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians), Pacific Islander, mainland Puerto Rican, LGBTQ+, and students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

URM Visiting Student Program

Offers a month-long rotation in one of 11 specialty areas, mentoring from faculty and residents as well as from our Housestaff Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.
Provides a stipend of $1,500 to defray the costs associated with travel and staying in Peoria during the visiting rotation.
Welcomes visiting students for a robust and supportive clinical learning environment through a competitive application process for a limited number of training opportunities.

How to Apply

Students should meet the requirement to apply for a visiting rotation through VSLO.

*Students who attend other medical schools are welcome to apply for the Visiting Student Program.

Step 1: Apply through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities

Step 2: UICOMP Visiting Student Program Application

Applications currently open for acceptance and will be considered until all positions are filled.

Tafor Bonu, MD
Family Medicine

Training here will position you in the front lines and teach you how to provide comprehensive care that encompasses acute and preventative measures. … You will work with faculty who have been recognized for their commitment to teaching, efforts in community development, and impact in reducing health disparities.

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Pablo Barzallo, MD
PGY-2 Internal Medicine

I have been involved in cases that I thought I was only going to read in books. The best part of learning and training in Peoria is its people. They will help you learn, grow as a resident, physician and as a person, and they will always be open for any suggestions.
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Rose Chisenga, MD
Internal Medicine

Rotating with residents and attendings gives you so many opportunities and you will always feel a part of the team. Great patient experiences with adequate exposure to a variety of cases is the best part about training/learning in Peoria.

Naa-Lamle Lamptey, MD
Pediatrics

The opportunity to learn in the JUMP simulation and/or alongside residents are great perks to doing a rotation at UICOMP. Peoria is a hidden gem for trainees to get high quality clinical education and mentorship.

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Luis Manrique Trujillo, MD
Neurology

The residents were involved in the decision making and management of the patients, which represents an outstanding educational exposure. … When I communicate with the nursing staff, my co-residents or attending physicians, I sense that there is most of the time a respectful and collaborative tone.

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Phu Huynh, MD
Emergency Medicine Resident

The senior residents are great about involving junior residents or rotating M4s in the care of critically ill patients. … I got to perform two intubations during my rotation because the senior residents went out of their way to grab me and asked if I wanted to intubate the patients.
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Contact Us

Office of Graduate Medical Education
One Illini Drive
Peoria, Il 61605
Phone: 309-671-8450
Fax: 309-671-8452

Quick Links

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
Jump Simulation
UnityPoint Health – Methodist
Life in Peoria
I’m a former Chicago resident that’s happy to be living and playing in Peoria (pjstar.com)

Naa-Lamle Lamptey, MD
Pediatrics

Take advantage of every learning opportunity presented to you as you participate in the pediatrics rotation. Some of the pathology you will encounter in your rotation may be unique and rare in the field of medicine. The opportunity to learn in the JUMP simulation and/or alongside residents are great perks to doing a rotation in pediatrics at UICOMP.

Being in an institution like OSF Saint Francis where a vast variety of cases are transported into the hospital for further management make a training experience enriching. Peoria is a hidden gem for trainees to get high quality clinical education and mentorship.

Tafor Bonu, MD
Family Medicine

I highly recommend coming to Peoria for a rotation in our family medicine program. Peoria provides an opportunity to see the disparities happening in healthcare. In Peoria, patients are plagued with the highest rates of chronic and communicable diseases resulting in high acuity illnesses. Although it is very disheartening to see, it also is very motivating. Training here will position you in the front lines and teach you how to provide comprehensive care that encompasses acute and preventative measures. The family medicine program is unopposed and exposes learners to OB, dermatology, sports medicine, community medicine, advocacy, and osteopathic manipulation treatment. Additionally, you will work with faculty who have been recognized for their commitment to teaching, efforts in community development, and impact in reducing health disparities.

The exceptional education here allowed me to obtain a fellowship in community medicine and provided the confidence to go and practice anywhere.

Pablo Barzallo, MD
PGY-2 Internal Medicine

Among the things that make Peoria amazing is the exposure to a wide variety of cases, ranging from the most common ones to amazing ones you wouldn’t even imagine. I have been involved in cases that I thought I was only going to read in books.

The best part of learning and training in Peoria is its people. They will help you learn, grow as a resident, physician and as a person, and they will always be open for any suggestions. It has been a great experience for me. Peoria is a place that made me feel like home.

Luis Manrique Trujillo, MD
Neurology

I can tell from my own experience how to visit Peoria was. Back in the Spring of 2017 I visited the Neurology department as an international observer during 2 months. I could not have found a better place to rotate; from my first day I felt a welcoming environment when I interacted with the patients, nursing staff, residents and attending physicians. Furthermore, it was such an enriching activity from a learning standpoint, the variety of conditions I saw here in Peoria in such a short time was definitely remarkable. I also witnessed how the residents were involved in the decision making and management of the patients, which represents and outstanding educational exposure. Additionally, the privilege of taking care of patients in the Midwest has been a life changing experience that have shaped my medical career.

It’s difficult to point at a single aspect as the best part of my neurology training. If I have to choose one, I think the work environment is exceptional, when I communicate with the nursing staff, my co-residents or attending physicians, I sense that there is most of the time a respectful and collaborative tone. Many of our neurologists love to teach and they will always pay attention to what you have to say and incorporate your opinion, concerns or feedback into their practice. There are many other advantages of our program including the exposure to patients and hands-on experience, for example during my residency training I have administered IV thrombolysis to more than 25 patients which is way above the average for other residency programs in the country.

Phu Huynh, MD
Emergency Medicine Resident

The sub-I here at Peoria is a fantastic learning experience. You work directly with the attendings and are expected to function at the level of an intern. That means you take ownership of your patients and any procedures that your patients need will be performed by you. The senior residents are also great about involving junior residents or rotating M4s in the care of critically ill patients. I got to perform two intubations during my rotation because the senior residents went out of their way to grab me and asked if I wanted to intubate the patients.

I really enjoy the autonomy that we are given from day one. We can take care of the most critically ill patients from day one without graduated responsibility. This can be very terrifying, but it never feels unsafe. We have our attendings and senior residents there to back us up if/ when we need it.

Graduate Medical Education

Underrepresented in Medicine Visiting Student Program

URM Visiting Student Program

How to Apply

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Rose Chisenga, MD Internal Medicine Rotating with residents and attendings gives you so many opportunities and you will always feel a part of the team. Great patient experiences with adequate exposure to a variety of cases is the best part about training/learning in Peoria.

Naa-Lamle Lamptey, MD Pediatrics The opportunity to learn in the JUMP simulation and/or alongside residents are great perks to doing a rotation at UICOMP. Peoria is a hidden gem for trainees to get high quality clinical education and mentorship. Read More

Read More

Read More

Read More

Contact Us

Quick Links

Underrepresented in Medicine
Visiting Student Program

Rose Chisenga, MD
Internal Medicine

Rotating with residents and attendings gives you so many opportunities and you will always feel a part of the team. Great patient experiences with adequate exposure to a variety of cases is the best part about training/learning in Peoria.

Naa-Lamle Lamptey, MD
Pediatrics

The opportunity to learn in the JUMP simulation and/or alongside residents are great perks to doing a rotation at UICOMP. Peoria is a hidden gem for trainees to get high quality clinical education and mentorship.

Read More