Chicago, June 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CHICAGO, June 4, 2026 – The Chicago School announced that its Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine (IllinoisCOM) has been awarded an American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) Innovations in Graduate Medical Education Development Grant to support BridgeGME Chicago, a collaborative initiative designed to expand primary care residency training in underserved communities. Developed in partnership with the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, the initiative aims to strengthen graduate medical education capacity and help address Chicago’s growing shortage of primary care physicians.
The grant will enable BridgeGME Chicago to help inform the development of new primary care-oriented residency programs at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital, with the goal of increasing graduate medical education capacity and addressing Chicago’s primary care physician shortage. The project is designed to build a community-based, competency-driven training model that can be sustained and replicated over time. IllinoisCOM was one of just four institutions selected for the grant from a competitive pool of 38 applicants.
The initiative reflects IllinoisCOM’s commitment to addressing physician shortages, particularly in primary care and underserved urban communities. As Chicago’s first new medical school in nearly a century, IllinoisCOM was built to help prepare future physicians to meet today’s evolving healthcare challenges through community-focused, whole-person training.
"This grant will help strengthen our work to build a pipeline of culturally competent physicians while advancing a model of collaboration that responds directly to the health needs of our communities,” said Dr. John Lucas, DO, Founding Dean and Chief Academic Officer of IllinoisCOM. “This grant will help IllinoisCOM advance a sustainable, community-centered approach to graduate medical education.”
The grant will support partnership development, accreditation readiness and faculty training to establish the program’s foundation. BridgeGME Chicago bridges osteopathic and allopathic training models to expand access to care where it is needed most.
AACOM’s Innovations in Graduate Medical Education Development Grant Program supports practical innovations that expand physician training, improve community health and address workforce needs, with emphasis on primary care, underserved areas, sustainable funding and innovative partnerships.
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About The Chicago School
For 45 years, The Chicago School has been a leading nonprofit university dedicated to training professionals for careers that improve the health of individuals, organizations, and communities. By combining education, innovation, community, and impact, The Chicago School approach provides students a practical and solutions-oriented education in an array of academic programs across psychology, health, business, counseling, and behavioral sciences. With more than 6,000 students and locations in Chicago, Dallas, Southern California, and Washington, D.C., the university’s extensive network of community partnerships provides applicable training and networking opportunities.
The Chicago School’s Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine is committed to advancing osteopathic medical education and expanding access to high-quality, community-centered physician training. Through partnerships like BridgeGME Chicago, the College is working to address workforce shortages and strengthen health outcomes in underserved communities.
Contact Info
Evie Olding
Evie@wilksgrp.com
+1 937-489-8545
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