About Rush University

Welcome to Rush University

Dear Students:

Welcome to Rush! Rush University is a nationally recognized health science university that includes the College of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and Rush Medical College. Rush University is the academic enterprise of Rush University Medical Center. You’re now part of a student body of nearly 3,000 students. Rush also trains nearly 800 residents and fellows in a wide variety of Graduate Medical Education programs!

RUSH, as a system, has a long history with roots that began more than 180 years ago when Rush Medical College was chartered on March 2, 1837, two days before the city of Chicago was chartered.

The mission of Rush University is to champion a vibrant learning environment in health and biomedical sciences through collaboration, education, research and equity for our students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve. Your classroom will extend from the lecture halls and small group meeting places of our university buildings to the labs of our research buildings, the wards of the three hospitals of Rush University System for Health, our extensive ambulatory sites and, importantly, into our neighboring communities where we develop and partner on health improvement strategies. We also offer national and international opportunities for professional growth and our online instruction is nationally recognized for excellence.

The university provides an educational experience built around a teacher-practitioner model that trains the next generation of health care professionals and providers while promoting a research and innovation environment that goes hand in hand with clinical excellence. We believe that the best teachers are often the ones who are doing the work — whether it is research, clinical care, administrative work or work in our community. You will learn from many who model this teacher-practitioner approach and learn from one another, as we will also learn from you!

 Education and training are not limited to these programs. You are entering fields that require a commitment to lifelong learning. Our faculty will both model and demonstrate how important this commitment is for your own effectiveness and professional satisfaction. We envision that you will have an extremely nurturing and positive experience. You will love it.

At Rush University, we take our responsibility to educate you very seriously. Learning the science — whether in the lab, the classroom or at the bedside — is only part of it. Interacting with patients and colleagues and learning how to be part of a team are critically important skill sets that we will work on together. Individual support of others, be they patients or colleagues, and understanding our own personal health needs and your own need for support are also important parts of your professional development.

Finally, your work here, our work as a university, a medical center and system as a whole — none of this exists in a vacuum. We are part of a community and part of a storied medical history. Our goal is to create a diverse and inclusive educational environment where all are welcomed, as inequities in health care must be identified and addressed. Students play an important role in our efforts inside at Rush and in our community to identify and correct these inequities.

You are about to begin an adventure in learning that will never end and will be constantly rewarding. We, your faculty, are looking forward to meeting and working with you. Please feel free to call on any of us for questions and support. Our mission statement was mentioned above, but it could be shortened to “We’re here for you.”

Congratulations and welcome to the Rush family!

Robert S.D. Higgins, MD , MSHA

President and Chief Academic Officer, Rush University

Rush University Mission, Vision and Values

Mission

Rush University champions a learning environment in health and biomedical sciences through collaboration, education, research and equity for our students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve.

Vision

Rush University is a model for improving health through innovative research and transformative education in a culture of excellence and equity.

Core Values

As the academic component of Rush University Medical Center, the university shares the medical center’s core values: innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect and excellence. The I CARE values guide the efforts of Rush University students, faculty, researchers and staff. As the academic component of Rush University Medical Center, the university shares the medical center’s core values: innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect and excellence. The I CARE values guide the efforts of Rush University students, faculty, researchers and staff.

History of Rush University

Rush University is the academic component of Rush University Medical Center. Founded in 1972, the university has expanded from one college and fewer than 100 students to three colleges and more than 2,700 students. It includes Rush Medical College, Rush University College of Nursing and the College of Health Sciences.

Rush Medical College is named for Benjamin Rush, a physician from Pennsylvania and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Rush Medical College was chartered in 1837 and opened officially on Dec. 4, 1843, with 22 students enrolled in a 16-week course. During the first century of operation, more than 10,000 physicians received their training at Rush Medical College.

Rush Medical College was affiliated with the University of Chicago from 1898 until 1942, when the medical college temporarily suspended its educational program, though it continued its corporate existence. Its faculty continued undergraduate and graduate teaching of medicine and the biological sciences as members of the faculty of the University of Illinois. The charter of the medical college was reactivated in 1969, when it became part of the medical center. Rush Medical College reopened in 1971 with a class of 66 first-year students and 33 third-year students. First-year class size reached its projected maximum of 120 in 1976.

Rush Medical College is also home to four graduate programs in the Division of Translational Sciences. In 2024, the four programs that made up Rush University Graduate College were transferred to the DTS under the medical college. These programs prepare graduates for rewarding careers as scientists, educators and leaders in academia, industry and government.

Rush University College of Nursing represents a combined heritage dating back to the late 19th century when its first antecedent, the St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing, opened in 1885 to offer diploma education to nurses. In 1903, the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing accepted its first students. From 1956 to 1968, nurses were taught at the merged Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing. Before the establishment of the College of Nursing in 1972, more than 7,000 nurses had graduated from these three schools.

The College of Health Sciences, , established in 1975, traces its origins to the School of Medical Technology sponsored by Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital from 1959 to 1972. This school was the second largest of its kind in the city of Chicago. During its operation, it provided a one-year professional internship program to more than 200 baccalaureate students in medical 

Rush University Seal 

The Rush University seal is a shield, a classic Greek symbol of preservation and protection and also a medieval British  emblem used for identification. It recognizes the university’s overarching commitment to educating health care professionals who preserve life and protect patients, and it is the distinguishing identification of Rush University. Its two colors, green and gold, merge the tradition of the past with the custom of the present, as old gold was the single historical color of Rush Medical College and green is used for the modern medical center.

The motto, “ministrare per scientiam,” translated from Latin means to “minister (care for or serve) through scientific  knowledge.” It was adopted by the Board of Trustees in September 1993 to reflect the commitment to educate caring  professionals whose practice is based in knowledge. The shadow in the background is the anchor cross, a symbol of hope  and steadfastness, which became the emblem of the merged Presbyterian and St. Luke’s hospitals in 1957 and the foundation that created the vision for Rush University.

Superimposed on top is the stylized version of the anchor cross that was adopted in 1971 during the merger of Rush Medical College and Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital. The final elements are Chicago, the university’s home city, and the date of the university’s founding, 1972. The Rush University Board of Overseers adopted the seal in 1999.

Rush University Medical Center 

Mission

The mission of Rush is to improve the health of the individuals and diverse communities we serve through the integration of outstanding patient care, education, research and community partnerships.   

Vision

RUSH will be the leading academic health system in the region and nationally recognized for transforming health care.

Core Values

I CARE

Innovation

Collaboration

Accountability

Respect

Excellence

These five values, known as our I CARE values, convey the philosophy behind every decision RUSH employees make. RUSH employees also commit themselves to executing these values with compassion. This translates into a dedication — shared by all members of the RUSH community — to providing the highest quality patient care.

History of Rush University Medical Center

Rush University Medical Center is one of Chicago’s oldest health care organizations. Its heritage extends back to 1837, when Rush Medical College was established. St. Luke’s Hospital, founded in 1864, and Presbyterian Hospital, founded in 1883, merged in 1956 to form Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital. The subsequent incorporation of these pioneer institutions in 1969 created Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, which was renamed Rush University Medical Center in 2003.

RUSH is an academic health system comprising Rush University Medical Center, Rush University, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital.

Educating Future Health Care Providers

Rush University is home to one of the first medical colleges in the Midwest and one of the nation’s top-ranked nursing colleges, as well as graduate programs in allied health, health systems management and biomedical research. In addition, the medical center offers many highly selective residency and fellowship programs in medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. Rush’s unique practitioner-teacher model for health sciences education and research gives students the opportunity to learn from world-renowned instructors who practice what they teach.

Office of the Provost

The provost is the chief operating officer of the university, committed to advancing our mission through outstanding health sciences education and impactful research in a culture of inclusion, health promotion and diversity, while upholding the university core values of innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect and excellence.

Responsible for strategic planning and execution, the provost provides leadership for core university functions and creates pathways for achieving goals for the academy. The provost reports to the president and is a member of the senior leadership team.

In addition, the provost works with vice provosts accountable for Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs and Research Affairs.

The vice provost of Student Affairs is the chief student affairs officer and responsible for positively influencing the student experience. This includes leadership for the administration, development, assessment and enhancement of student support services, consistent with the university’s mission and goals. The vice provost of Student Affairs oversees the following areas: student life activities, enrollment management, student diversity, records and registration, student financial aid, international students, accessibility services, Title IX support, student health, student health insurance plan, commencement and student complaints. The division of Student Affairs is designed to help you navigate through the complexities of being a student and will always keep your success and wellness at the forefront.

The vice provost for Academic Affairs supports the academic programs of Rush University and assures that the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and other accreditation bodies that oversee and regulate our academic programs. The vice provost for Academic Affairs works with the provost and deans in providing leadership for colleges, academic departments and academic degree programs. Academic Affairs advances the university academic priorities, supports interprofessional and cross-college educational initiatives, coordinates development and assessment of academic programs and curricula, identifies and implements effective teaching strategies and technologies, and supports faculty with assessment of student learning outcomes. In addition to assuring institutional effectiveness, the vice provost of Academic Affairs oversees the university library, the Center for Academic Excellence, the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation, the Rush Center for Clinical Skills and Simulation, Interprofessional Education and the Human Anatomy Lab.

The vice provost for Faculty Affairs works with each college in support of our high-quality faculty so that every opportunity is available to our students for a superb learning experience. Faculty Affairs offers a full range of support for faculty by providing faculty development and mentoring, faculty recruitment, onboarding, promotions and retention, while advancing diversity. In addition to faculty management, the vice provost of Faculty Affairs oversees Global Health, the Office of Mentoring programs and the Center for Innovative and Lifelong Learning (CILL), which provides continuing education for all health disciplines and enables the many learning modalities and topics needed for licensing and license renewals. CILL offers professional and leadership development programs, career advancement opportunities, career and leadership coaching, consulting services and customized retreats and programs. Familiarity with CILL will help maintain your commitment to lifelong learning and your connection to Rush after you graduate and join the ranks of Rush alumni.

The vice provost for Research is responsible for the oversight and integrity of all research performed, reported and published from Rush University. The vice provost oversees laboratory research, clinical trials and translational research, the Office of Research Affairs, grants administration, team science, community research and large collaborative grant efforts. The strong research administration at Rush provides students with limitless possibilities for success in research-related health care fields and affords opportunities to explore research as a career path.

Student Characteristics

Statistics below are based on fall 2023 enrollment figures.

Accreditation, Authorization and Licenses

 Other Accreditation

Authorization

The Illinois Board of Higher Education has authorized all degree programs offered through Rush University.

Illinois Board of Higher Education

1 N. Old State Capital Plaza, Suite 333

Springfield, IL 62701-1377

(217)782-2551

(217) 782-8548 (Fax)

www.ibhe.state.il.u

Rush University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four regional education compacts (Midwestern Higher Education Compact, New England Board of Higher Education, Southern Regional Education Board and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education)

Licenses

State of Illinois

Department of Public Health

Cook County Board of Health

Rush University Medical Center Memberships

Rush University Medical Center belongs to the following organizations:

Association of American Medical Colleges

American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities

Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions

Association of University Programs in Health Administration

National League for Nursing

Association for Health Services Research

American Hospital Association

Illinois Hospital Association

Voluntary Hospitals of America

Metropolitan Chicago Health Care Council

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Care Service Corp.

Council of Graduate Schools

Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools

Illinois Association of Graduate Schools

Association for Clinical Pastoral Education

Association of Bioethics Program Directors

Council of Academic Programs in Communication Disorders and Sciences

Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Science

Physician Assistant Education Association

Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants

American Academy of Physician Assistants

Rush University Affiliated Colleges and Universities

The following colleges and universities have programs that are affiliated with one or more academic program at Rush University:

Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois

Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota

Claflin University, Orangeburg, South Carolina

Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois

Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Indiana

Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois

Eureka College, Eureka, Illinois

Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee

Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois

Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois

Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois

Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin

Lewis University, Romeoville, Illinois

Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois

North Central College, Naperville, Illinois

Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois

Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin

Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia

St. Norbet College, De Pere, Wisconsin

Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois

Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana