Celebrating Four Decadesof Distinction

The College of Medicine’s Past . . .

I am proud to be part of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP). From humble beginnings we have grown to become the backbone of our medical community. Since UICOMP’s founding in 1970, we have educated more than 1,600 medical students and 1,700 residents. More than 1,100 local physicians are either volunteer or employed faculty.

We are still meeting our original mission of providing physicians to downstate Illinois, but we have grown to be much more. Our education, research, patient-care, simulation, and service initiatives help us to create a healthier community. On behalf of our faculty, staff, students, and residents, thank you for your continued support of UICOMP. We look forward to serving Central Illinois for years to come.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sara L. RuschRegional Dean

A Message From The Dean

In 1970, the University of Illinois College of Medicine established regional sites to address physician shortages and increase educational opportunities in downstate Illinois. On July 1, 1970, the Peoria School of Medicine (PSM) officially opened its doors with the appointment of Dr. Nicholas J. Cotsonas Jr. as Dean.

Working with a skeleton crew of faculty members, Dr. Cotsonas and his assistant Midge Parks set up PSM’s first offices in downtown Peoria’s First National Bank Building. In 1972, the School of Medicine would call Bradley University’s Burgess Hall home.

In May of 1973, PSM graduated its first class of 18 physicians.

“It was an interesting time,” says Dr. J. Kevin Paulsen, Class of 1973. “We were a very close group. We definitely worked hard to make that first class a success.”

PSM students worked closely with Dr. Jerry I. Newman, who was appointed Associate Dean in 1972. Dr. Newman would succeed Dr. Cotsonas as Dean in 1979, a position he held until 1990.

As the School of Medicine grew, so did the need for expanded facilities. With the help of Mayor Richard Carver, Dr. Cotsonas secured 25 acres of land from the City of Peoria. Located in the heart of Peoria’s medical community, PSM’s new 115,000-square-foot facility was announced at a groundbreaking ceremony on September 9, 1974.

Dedication ceremonies for the new School of Medicine were held on November 22, 1976. The special event included participation by Mayor Carver, Governor Daniel Walker, University Trustee Timothy W. Swain Sr., and University President John E. Corbally Jr.

By the end of the 1970s, more than 200 physicians received medical degrees from the Peoria School of Medicine.

In 1982, PSM was renamed the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP). With the new identity came an expanded approach to medical education. One by one, residencies and fellowships previously run by the local hospitals became accredited UICOMP programs.

By the late 1980s, the Department of Graduate Medical Education was responsible for seven residency and fellowship programs. Today that total has grown to 18, including the new psychiatry residency program.

at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center

In 1990, Dr. William H. Albers was named UICOMP’s Acting Director. He served in that capacity until May of 1991, when Dr. Michael D. Bailie was appointed Director and Regional Dean.

Dr. Bailie and 16 local leaders formed the Dean’s Community Associates Council (DCAC) to ser ve as the primary liaison between UICOMP and the community. Over time this valued group of local advisors expanded to 30 members.

In addition, UICOMP established the Peoria Medical Alumni Council (PMAC) to enhance and s u p p o r t e d u c at i o n a l a n d h u m a n i t a r i a n endeavors for students, residents, faculty, and alumni.

The 1990s brought important new programs to UICOMP. In 1993, the Pediatric Resource Center (PRC) was created in conjunction with OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Illinois. PRC protects Illinois children from abuse and neglect by providing child-friendly examinations and case-coordination services.

One year later, the College of Medicine opened the Heart of Illinois HIV/AIDS Center (HIHAC), a primary care clinic for the early diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Services include medical care, case management, education, and outreach programs.

In 1999, the College of Medicine and Methodist Medical C enter of Illinois developed an important educational and healthcare resource for the community.

Located on UICOMP’s downtown campus, the Methodist Family Medical Center houses the College’s Family Practice Residency Program and the Department of Family and Community Medicine. The Center serves more than 25,000 area patients per year.

T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f F a m i l y and Community Medicine also oversees UICOMP’s Rural Student Physician Program (RSPP), designed to train medical students for careers in rural primary medicine.

In January of 2000, Dr. Donald E. Rager was appointed Regional Dean. Dr. Rager had a vision for building UICOMP into a powerful research institution.

The first step was achieved with t h e r e c r u i t m e n t o f D r. Ja s t i R a o i n J a n u a r y o f 2 0 0 1 . D r. R a o’s re p u t at i on a s a w or l d -class cancer researcher brought instant credibility to the College of Medicine’s program.

Since his arrival in Peoria, Dr. Rao’s department has published more than 120 research journals and secured more than $27 million in grant funding.

As UICOMP’s cancer biology program developed, so did its overall research enterprise. Innovative studies in stroke, lead toxicity, healthcare delivery, bacterial resistance, CPR retention, and Alzheimer’s disease added to a thriving medical and scientific community.

The College of Medicine established its own Institutional Review Board to oversee all internal studies involving human subjects and review all biomedical research in accordance with government regulations.

In 2005, the College of Medicine expanded its mission to include simulation education. UICOMP opened the Donald E. Rager, M.D., Clinical Skills Laboratory to utilize computer-mannequin technology for a risk-free training environment. The state-of-the-art facility enhances medical education opportunities for students, residents, and healthcare professionals.

Later that year, Dr. Rodney A. Lorenz was named Interim Regional Dean. He would serve the College of Medicine and the community until 2008.

In 2006, UICOMP unveiled plans to construct a physicians’ office building on its Peoria campus. The 100,000-square-foot Illinois Medical Center would be a collaboration between Illinois Gastroenterology Institute, Illinois Lung Institute, Peoria Surgical Group, the City of Peoria, and the University of Illinois. The much-needed facility would open its doors two years later.

In 2007, Dean Lorenz hosted University leaders, elected officials, and key stakeholders at a press conference to announce UICOMP’s intention to build a world-class cancer research facility in the Heart of Illinois. The Cancer Research Expansion Project would add 20,000 square feet of research space for Dr. Jasti Rao and his renowned team of cancer investigators.

On January 31, 2008, Dr. Sara L. Rusch became UICOMP’s seventh Regional Dean. Her appointment was announced at the College of Medicine’s local kickoff for the Brilliant Futures campaign.

Over the next two years, Dr. Rusch worked with Dr. Jasti Rao, the University of Illinois, Caterpillar Inc., OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, the Heartland Partnership, various government entities, and private donors to put the finishing touches on the Cancer Research Expansion Project. The $10-million addition will enable UICOMP and Dr. Rao to recruit the world’s best cancer researchers.

On August 16, 2010, UICOMP officially broke ground on its new cancer center. More than 250 supporters and community partners helped realize a dream that started 10 years earlier.

The Cancer Research Expansion Project is expected to generate $35 million and create up to 50 new jobs for the community. Project completion is anticipated in early 2012.

“Peoria is the perfect place for a world-class cancer center,” says Mayor Jim Ardis. “I don’t know of another community our size with the appropriate resources for research, medical education, and service delivery.”

Thanks to a $25-million joint gift, UICOMP and OSF Saint Francis Medical Center are collaborating on a state-of-the-art simulation and education center. Donated by Jump Trading, a Chicago-based proprietary trading firm, the gift is the largest in the history of both organizations.

The Jump Trading Simulation and Conference Education Center will be built on the OSF campus. Construction is set to begin in early 2011. The center will utilize the latest simulation, robotic, and computer-mannequin technology to train future and current physicians and regional healthcare professionals.

UICOMP’s Department of Graduate Medical Education (GME) partners with Methodist Medical C enter of Illinois, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital of Illinois to sponsor 12 residency programs and six fellowships in Peoria.

A psychiatry residency program with Methodist is scheduled to begin in 2011. GME oversees the training of 200 residents and fellows.

“Our programs improve the quality o f m e d i c a l c a r e b y c r e a t i n g a s c h o l a r l y e n v i r o n m e n t , w h i c h helps attending physicians stay current,” says Dr. Thomas Santoro, Associate Dean for GME.

UICOMP’s comprehensive medical services are a significant piece of Peoria’s healthcare puzzle. Each year, the College of Medicine’s faculty physicians and affiliated clinics treat more than 90,000 area patients.

Faculty, staff, students, residents, and alumni play a key part in UICOMP’s mission of service. Community projects include Living Healthy, the Peoria Manual High School Enrichment Program, the Minorities in Medicine Dinner, the Senior Scholars Program, the Department of Surgery’s Breast Cancer Symposium, and Health Education Awareness and Resource Teams (HEARTs).

UICOMP’s cutting-edge cancer research program is dedicated to the study of molecular, c e l l u l a r , a n d g e n e t i c characteristics involved in cancer.

Led by Dr. Jasti Rao, UICOMP r e s e a r c h e r s f o c u s o n preventing the growth of cancer cells, blocking the release of molecules that digest healthy tissue, and attacking tumors with stem cells obtained from donated umbilical cord blood.

“There is a great deal of work to be done, and we all have a role to play,” says Dr. Sara L. Rusch, UICOMP’s Regional Dean.

With your help, we can find a cure for this deadly disease.

Community Impact

• MedicalSchoolGraduates:1,600

• ResidencyGraduates:1,700

• AlumniPracticinginIllinois:677

• CurrentStudents:151

• CurrentResidents:200

• Full-TimeFaculty:139

• Part-Time/Non-SalariedFaculty:976

• LocalEconomicImpact:$104.8millionperyear

• PatientsServed:90,000peryear

It’s been an impressive 40-year run for the College of Medicine, and the future has never looked brighter. What started as a new concept for training physicians in downstate Illinois has grown into a vital local resource. Innovative programs and projects in research, education, patient care, simulation training, and community service will help UICOMP lead the collaboration to improve health for future generations.

With Sincere AppreciationUICOMP wishes to thank its dedicated faculty, staff, students, residents, alumni, donors, and community partners. Together we are enhancing the quality of education and

healthcare throughout the region and beyond.

. . .The College of Medicine’s Future