Equity Innovation Medicine (EquIMED)
Bridging Gaps in Healthcare Through Innovation
EquIMED is a pioneering longitudinal, four-year elective that trains students to identify gaps in health care delivery, understand their underlying causes, and collaborate with communities they serve to co-create solutions through hands-on experiences and interdisciplinary collaboration in low resource settings.
Students accepted into the program gain a deep understanding of the barriers that exist in rural, urban, and global health care settings. Core to the elective involves developing innovative tools to solve fundamental problems. Students will draw from clinical experiences to solve real-world problems.
intro
Participants also will:
- Gain competency in interdisciplinary problem-solving
- Learn about engineering design and process improvement
- Experience austere medicine first-hand at one of many international sites
- Understand the process of change management
- Build relationships with their cohort
Curricular Overview
EquIMED spans all four years of medical school. Learning activities include lunch-and-learn seminars, medical colloquia, online learning, prologue to travel course including simulation and didactic courses, a two- to three-week immersive rotation at a global rural site, local rural site, or local urban site, and a capstone project.
M1-M2: Foundations & Exploration
- 32 hours of online modules
- Interactive Colloquia sessions
- Seminars and collaborative discussions
- Introduction to health disparities and innovation principles
M3: Simulations & Immersion
- 40 hours of simulation-based training and prologue to travel to international or local rural low resource setting
- 120 hours of “Austere Innovation” program working on prototype development
M4: Capstone Project
- Final project incorporating learning from all phases
- Presentation of your innovative solutions
Immersive Experiences
During the program, students complete a two- to three-week immersive rotation to experience and solve healthcare challenges in either:
- Low-resource international sites, such as Sao Paulo or Acajatuba, Brazil
- Low-resource local rural or urban areas in Illinois, such as Streator, Danville, Cuba, Bloomington or Urbana
How You Will Learn
- Seminars and Colloquia – Engage with interdisciplinary experts, including those from OSF Innovation, engineering, and global health.
- Simulation-Based Learning – Practice real-world problem-solving in simulated settings, preparing you for immersive field experiences.
- Mentorship – Gain guidance from experienced faculty and mentors from UICOMP, partner organizations, and international collaborators.
Why Choose EquIMED?
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Interdisciplinary Learning
Develop problem-solving expertise by working alongside engineers, public health experts, and local communities.
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Real-World Impact
Experience first-hand how to implement solutions in areas of need, from rural Illinois to global health sites, such as Brazil.
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Hands-On Innovation
Design and test solutions that improve healthcare access, quality, and equity.
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Capstone Projects
Complete a final project to showcase the impact of your work and the skills you’ve developed.
EquIMED Student Testimonials
[EquIMED] has deepened my commitment to equity by revealing the complexities of health disparities and emphasized the value of preventive care and data-driven decision-making in population health. The insights gained into rural and global health have inspired me to think creatively about resource allocation and healthcare delivery models.
The tools and experiences I gained through EquIMED have prepared me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by health disparities. EquIMED has given me the knowledge, skills, and vision to drive transformative changes in healthcare delivery. As an aspiring equity-focused physician, I am eager to carry this mission forward into the next phase of my training.
EquIMED has been transformative, shaping me into a more aware, empathetic, and innovative future physician. As I embark on the next phase of my medical career, I’m eager to contribute the unique perspective and skills EquIMED played a major role in helping me develop to further address healthcare disparities my community and globally.
The most valuable skills I have gained from this experience are undoubtedly adaptability, resilience, and cultural competence. Learning to navigate unfamiliar environments and work effectively within diverse teams has honed my ability to adapt to new challenges and thrive in dynamic settings.
Application Information
- Submit Application: Complete the application form in Qualtrics (link provided after UICOM-Peoria acceptance).
- Early Submission Recommended: Interview spots fill quickly, so apply early.
- Selection Process: Applicants will be reviewed and invited for interviews.
Additional Information
- Up to 8 students accepted annually
- Dual enrollment with UICOMP’s Rural Student Physician Program and/or MD/MPH available
- This is a longitudinal elective. Credit is awarded upon completion of the requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EquIMED program?
Equity Innovation Medicine (EquIMED) is a pioneering four-year elective designed for medical students to identify gaps in healthcare delivery and create practical, scalable solutions through hands-on experiences in low-resource settings.
It teaches students the tools and techniques of innovation required to create sustainable change, improve access to health care, and reduce health disparities in underserved communities both globally and in the U.S. This unique program incorporates the expertise of OSF Innovation located in the Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center to help students create and develop solutions to real-world health challenges. The EquIMED program is continually growing our global partners, the with the most recent development being in Brazil. Prototypes are developed with academic partner innovation programs, such as Bradley University.
First and Second Years
Through the established partnerships, EquIMED students not only experience health care delivery and public health from expert practitioners, they also learn from experts in the fields of engineering, medical visualization, human-centered design, advanced analytics, and performance improvement through multiple interactive small group seminars and simulations.
Third Year
Students complete a 1 week course that includes a variety of classroom and simulation sessions to provide students with an understanding of clinical care practice in austere settings, cultural humility, and the innovation design process. Students then complete a 2-3 week immersive experience in a resource limited environment, where they work with key stakeholders to develop innovative prototype solutions to address local health challenges. Upon return, some prototypes will then be further developed in partnership with multidisciplinary teams at our partner sites within Bradley University, UIC Innovation, Distillery Labs, and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.
Fourth Year
Students complete a capstone project that includes a final paper, poster, and presentation to demonstrate what they’ve learned about how innovation can be used to reduce health disparities and improve care in the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. and globally, including many rural low-resource communities.
Where will the students be during their two- to three-week immersive experiences and what will they do there?
Students have the option to be placed at one of the global rural, U.S. rural, or U.S. urban partner sites. In AY 2024-25, immersive experiences were completed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with our partners at Fleximedical. Previous sites have included Mbarara University of Science and Technology, at the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technology (CAMTech), Danville, Ill., and Streator, Ill. Global and U.S. sites may vary from year to year.
Students are assigned problem statements specific to their placement site, and onsite, they will work in groups to present research summaries, learn from local subject matter experts, identify gaps in care delivery, observe existing processes, and finally develop prototype solution pitches.
What kinds of health challenges are the students working on?
The previous health challenge topics included: improving access to prenatal care; early screening and diagnosis of depression; empowerment and education of “patient attendants” as part of a clinical team; access to sustainable mobility devices; alternative casting materials, adherence to diabetic treatment, food insecurity and utilization of a mobile clinic to reach vulnerable populations.
EquIMED leadership will work collaboratively with partner sites to identify specific, pertinent, and current health challenge topics that exist in their communities. Students will be assigned topics in the fall semester (M3 year) prior to departure.
What makes this course relevant nationally and globally?
Low-resource communities in the U.S. and around the world face significant disparities in health outcomes. These are complex challenges that will require creative and innovative solutions not only to reduce cost but also to improve access to quality care and improve health outcomes in our most vulnerable populations. By collaborating with U.S. and global partners, information and solutions can be shared across borders to improve the lives of people in the U.S. and around the world.
When you talk about innovative solutions, what do you mean?
Innovative solutions could include a digital tool or technology, a better way of identifying at-risk individuals or communities, or improving education and communication through the use of technology. The key components of this innovative approach are developing solutions that are sustainable, highly scalable, applicable in multiple low-resource settings, and improve health equity among vulnerable populations.