Overview
The Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering-based medical school, offers a distinctive curriculum that integrates engineering and innovation with medical education. Launched in partnership with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Carle Health, the program focuses on developing physician innovators.
Its unique curriculum includes hands-on clinical training, problem-based learning, and a strong emphasis on technology and data analytics to address complex healthcare challenges, preparing students to lead in the digital transformation of healthcare.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Medical degree: MD
- Champaign, Illinois
- Average MCAT: 513
- Average GPA: 3.73
- Class size: 32
- Total applicants: 2,350
Public
More About the Medical School
Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois stands out as the first medical school designed at the intersection of engineering and medicine, offering a unique MD program that integrates engineering principles into medical education. To apply to this innovative program, you’ll need to start with the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and ensure your application is submitted by October 31st for the 2025 entering class. The program seeks students who meet high academic standards and display competencies across a broad range of areas.
They require an MCAT score, with a minimum score of 498 considered, although higher scores are certainly more competitive. The MCAT should have been taken within three years prior to your expected matriculation. It’s also crucial to demonstrate competencies in nine out of eleven defined areas which could include subjects like chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and more advanced sciences, alongside math and humanities.
Students are encouraged to have substantial preparation not only in pre-med sciences but also in quantitative areas and potentially have experience in coding or direct patient care roles like EMT or medical assistant. This breadth of experience supports their mission to train physician-innovators who are well-equipped to lead in healthcare.
Further information about the application process, required competencies, and the unique curriculum can be found on Carle Illinois’ admissions webpage.