The Rush-Copley Family Medicine Residency Story
When Rush University and Copley Memorial Hospital first affiliated in the mid 1990s, the dream of a residency program was planted. While other specialties were considered (Internal Medicine, Obstetrics) the pursuit of a Family Medicine residency program suited the local community best. In the early 1990s, the planning began and first residents arrived in 1997.
The Rush-Copley Family Medicine Center received a significant demonstration of local support when three family physicians donated their life’s work to the establishment of the Center, moving their patients and office equipment to Rush-Copley. It was an exciting time as the hospital was newly built and the community looked forward to the tremendous resource the residency would be for serving the healthcare needs of its citizens. Today, it remains the only residency in the Kane County area.
The vision at the residency’s inception was based upon:
- An unopposed program in an ideal community setting
- The long tradition of family medicine education at Rush Medical College to enhance the academics of the community setting
- Creating a nurturing environment for the personal and professional growth of young physicians
The next ten years would show the fulfillment of this vision with a total of 41 graduates practicing in a variety of settings such as traditional family medicine practice both with and without obstetrics, urgent care, emergency departments, and residency education.
An essential element of our philosophy is to train family physicians to integrate innovative approaches to care design while encouraging the expression of personal clinical interests among our residents. In this way the Rush-Copley program works to contribute to the rich tapestry of family physicians that exemplify our specialty. As we at Rush-Copley look ahead, the vision for the future is one in which Family Physicians will be trained to deliver exceptional care and service for improving the health of the communities they serve.