RUSH University Medical Center and Cook County Health are located at the heart of the Illinois Medical District, near the Loop area in Chicago. Fellows and other trainees live in a variety of Chicago neighborhoods, including West Loop, South Loop, River North, and other nearby towns such as Oak Park. There are a variety of commuting options, with free parking available and close proximity to the Polk Pink line and Illinois Medical District Blue line stops on the CTA “L” rapid transit system. Fellows are allowed 4 weeks paid vacation time per year and several additional stipends, such as yearly educational funds for the book store and reimbursement for conference travel and other educational materials through the RUMC Continuing Medical Education and Linking Education and Performance (LEAP) programs.
All fellows in their second year of training can attend IDWeek, a combined annual scientific meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), or another major infectious diseases meeting of their choice. Other benefits for fellows include an on-campus health and fitness center with affordable yearly membership, opportunities as Doc of the House for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, discounted tickets to games at the United Center for the Chicago Bulls, 3 notaries on-site, and personalized white coats with fellow's name and doctoral degree. RUSH University is also a qualifying institution under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Please see the Graduate Medical Education office for more details regarding additional services and benefits.
Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest with a vibrant multicultural history. Bordered by Lake Michigan, summertime brings lively activity on the many lakefront beaches along Lake Shore Drive, an extended stretch of expressway along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Chicago has more than 70 neighborhoods, each with its own unique characteristics and a variety of summer festivals. Museum Campus boasts three notable museums – Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum of Natural History – and also includes Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears NFL team, and McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America. The Art Institute of Chicago was voted the number one museum in the world in 2014 by Trip Advisor. Physicians from Midwest Orthopedics at RUSH serve as the team physicians for the Chicago White Sox baseball team, and other Chicago sports fan favorites include the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs baseball team and the 2015 Stanley Cup Winner Chicago Blackhawks ice hockey team. Chicago also provides endless opportunities in shopping, music, food, and entertainment, including Restaurant Row on Randolph Street, Second City Improv, Willis Tower, John Hancock building, Magnificent Mile, House of Blues, and architectural boat tours along the Chicago River.