Dr. Trevonne Thompson has been named regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford (UICOMR), effective March 16, 2026, and pending University of Illinois Board of Trustees approval. Dr. Thompson takes over the role from Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, who is stepping down after 12 years as the Rockford regional dean.

Read more.

Dr. Heather M. Prendergast has been appointed Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, providing strategic leadership and alignment of clinical operations across all University of Illinois College of Medicine campuses and affiliated medical centers. The position was effective Feb. 16, 2026, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

Read more.

The Teaching Recognition Program (TRP) is a faculty-administered award that recognizes documented teaching excellence over the past three academic years. The following faculty members from COM have been selected to receive the 2025–26 Teaching Recognition Program (TRP) Award:

Jeffrey J. H. Cheung, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago.

Eric Swirsky, MD, MHPE, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences, College of Applied Health Sciences, Associate Director, GPPA Medicine BA/MD program, and Tri-Campus Lead for the M1/M2 Ethics Curriculum, College of Medicine.

Thomas J. Webb, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine; Director Doctoring and Clinical Skills (DoCS) Course, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford.

Congratulations to Dr. Cheung, Dr. Swirsky, and Dr. Webb on this well-deserved recognition of their dedication to teaching excellence.

February is Black History Month - an annual celebration of achievements by Africans and African Americans and a time for recognizing the role of Black people in U.S. history. In recognition, the University of Illinois Chicago has scheduled several campus events.

AAMC NEWS : 8 Prominent Black Leaders in Medicine
This Black History Month, we’re recognizing prominent Black leaders in medicine who have overcome obstacles to steer major medical institutions, discover breakthrough treatments, battle health inequities, and improve care for millions. Read about their inspiring stories.

Event: “Pathways to Leadership” Webinar Celebrating Black History Month. Co-sponsored by: UICOM Office of Faculty Development and GHHS - Gold Humanism Honor Society UI COM Chapter.

The featured panelists will discuss their own personal journey; reflect on the history and progress UICOM has made toward better serving students, residents, and faculty, and foster more inclusive learning and practice environments. Speaker Bios

When: Wednesday, Feb 25, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Where: Zoom | Register here ( Registration Required) 

This year, Solidarity Week is February 9 and onwards. Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) Chapter at UIC is planning a series of activities during solidarity week.

Event: Rooted in Resilience
Compassion in Action for Our Immigrant Communities. Advocacy workshop hosted by GHHS UI COM Chapter.
When: Monday, Feb 16, 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Where: COMWT Auditorium 106, 1853 W. Polk Street, Chicago, IL

The Dean’s Distinguished Lecture series aims to expose all UI COM research community members to leading-edge science that involves both the depth and breadth of scientific knowledge and technical expertise. This series hosts leading scientists in important areas of contemporary scientific endeavors who have made seminal contributions.

Speaker: Roeland Nusse, PhD
When: Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Videos of past lectures, as well as details on upcoming lectures, are available here.

P&T Mentoring Workshop for Junior Tenure-Track Faculty
When: March 16, 2026: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Registration 

P&T Mentoring Workshop for Non-Tenure Track Faculty (Clinical, Research, Teaching)
When: March 17, 2026: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Registration

P&T Mentoring Workshop for Underrepresented Faculty
When: March 31, 2026: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Registration

P&T Mentoring Workshop for Mid-Career Tenure-System Faculty
When: April 1, 2026: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Registration

Questions? Contact: facultyreviews@uic.edu

Applications are now open for the Partnerships for Evidence-based Public Policy fellowship program for the 2026–27 academic year.

Co-hosted by the Center for Social & Behavioral Science and the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, the fellowship program supports mid-career faculty across the University of Illinois System in conducting yearlong policy research projects in collaboration with Illinois government partners.

The Partnerships for Evidence-based Public Policy program will select up to five fellows for the 2026–27 cohort, with dedicated fellowship support from the Climate Jobs Institute and the Kellner Center for Neurogenomics, Behavior, and Society.

Learn more about the fellowship and application requirements and apply by March 15.

CCTS's K12 Clinical and Translational Scholar (CATS) Program accelerates the career progression of scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to clinical and translational science.

This is a two-year award that provides a vigorous mentoring and career development program for clinical and translational scholars in disciplines and professions including medicine, dentistry, nursing, psychology, pharmacy, engineering, and physical & occupational therapy among others.

Full applications due: Monday, February 23, 2026 by 5:00 PM CST
Award notification: April 16, 2026
Award start date: June 1, 2026

UIC Human Resources Organizational Development invites you to join our February professional development webinars, open to all UIC employees. All sessions are virtual and free, unless otherwise noted. Visit the HR Training Calendar to view full course descriptions and to register.

Webinars for all UIC staff and faculty:

The BRIDgE Program (Bias Reduction, Inclusion, Diversity, and a Guide to Equity) is a 2-hour virtual workshopoffered by the College of Medicine’s leadership and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in collaboration with the Department of Medicine (Chicago). The session helps participants recognize and address biases and microaggressions through interactive case studies, fostering a more inclusive environment at UI COM and UI Health. Physicians (MDs and DOs) can earn 2 CME credits upon completion.

Note: Beginning January 2023, Illinois healthcare providers are required to complete implicit bias training to renew their licenses or registrations [Illinois - Sec. 2105-15.7 (legislation)].

Register for the BRIDgE Program and view upcoming sessions.

Support from elected officials is essential to our mission, and these guidelines help ensure our engagement is coordinated, legal, and ethical. Please review the University of Illinois System’s Guidelines for Faculty and Staff on University Advocacy and Interactions with Government Officials.

Routine Engagement: Standard interactions, such as hosting officials on campus or testifying at hearings, are still encouraged.

Coordination: Please collaborate with the Office of External Relations and Communications and with the Council on Governmental and External Relations.

Approval Required: You must seek approval before lobbying officials on behalf of the system, its universities, funding requests, or congressional earmarks..

We are approaching the April 2026 deadline to comply with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires public institutions to ensure digital content is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Learn more about UIC’s digital accessibility initiative to help colleges and units meet the deadline.

The College of Medicine is committed to this effort and has a team of liaisons workingwith UIC’s digital accessibility office to help implement the university’s initiative.Read the full message here.

The Macy Foundation launches a new grant opportunity open to those in medical and nursing education programs - Ensuring Fairness in Clinical Assessment. This program will fund three demonstration projects, each awarded up to $200K over two years, to design, implement, and evaluate innovative learner assessment programs that promote fairness in medical and nursing education.

Building on insights and recommendations from the 2022 Macy Foundation Conference, this initiative aims to advance equitable, systems-based assessment practices that prepare learners to provide the highest standard of care.

The deadline to submit your Letter of Intent (LOI) is Monday, March 30, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET. Learn More

Leveraging the Power of Self-Awareness to Lead More Effectively February Workshop
Feb. 24 & 26 | June 9 & 11 | Virtual | 1 p.m. ET

Join this interactive virtual workshop to deepen self-awareness and leadership skills. Participants will use The PACE® Palette assessment to explore communication styles and learn to collaborate and lead with intention. Secure your spot for the February workshop.

2026 AAMC Conference for Institutional Advancement
April 21-24 | Miami Learn more and register here.

New AI-enhanced tools for exploring AAMC webinars on medical educationSelect AAMC webinars now feature searchable recordings, transcripts, and slide summaries to help you quickly find key information. New accessibility tools also include multi-language captions and direct links to speaker resources. Learn More

Updated AAMC Resources on AI in Academic Medicine
The AAMC continues to offer new and updated resources on artificial intelligence. Learn More.

Improve Your Mentorship Skills With STFM's “Mentoring in Medicine” Modules Series

The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) has published “Mentoring in Medicine”, a series of five brief training modules for mentors in academic family medicine. The modules, freely accessible, are based on the literature on mentoring faculty; however, they can also be applied to faculty-learner situations. Each module takes approximately 15 minutes to view.

These modules are designed to:

Next-Level Leadership: An Institute for Women Leaders

When: March 16–17, 2026
Where: Denver, CO

This two-day, small-group experience helps current and aspiring women leaders to deepen their self-awareness, expand their networks, and develop practical tools to grow their influence and impact.

Participants will:

Space is limited to just 30 participants, so early registration is encouraged. Learn more about the agenda here, and reach out to yianna@academicimpressions.com with any questions.

Applications are now open for the 2026 Nexus Leadership Forums. These programs are designed for early or mid-career professionals in clinical, academic, or community settings who want to lead transformative systems change at the intersection of health and education. Participants will develop interprofessional leadership skills to improve health outcomes through collaborative practice.

Applications Due: Friday, March 6, 2026, 11:59 PM CST
Program Start: April 2026

Academic Medicine is seeking original creative works—including painting, photography, sculpture, and textile art—for its 5th call for Cover Art. Priority is given to single-artist, non-AI works that communicate themes important to academic medicine. Accepted art will be published online starting in late 2026. Deadline: Now open through March 16, 2026.

Faculty Mentoring Toolkits
The Designing and Leading Inclusive Faculty Mentoring Programs at UIC
Toolkit is now available to offer best practices for designing and leading inclusive faculty mentoring programs across a breadth of departments and colleges nestled within the UIC landscape. This toolkit includes interactive resources, such as the UIC Mentoring Map and best practices checklists for Units, Mentors, and Mentees. These Administrator Toolkits were created to provide easy access to tools and resources to help administrators manage compliance, support unit operations, and improve workplace effectiveness.

Requests for additional toolkit topics may be submitted through this contact page.

Conflicts of Interest (COI) in the P&T Review Process
COI for UEOs and Deans:

*If a UEO or Dean is the candidate’s mentor or collaborator, they should provide a letter of support (mentor) or a letter of collaboration (collaborator).

In cases where the UEO or Dean has a conflict, a special request for an alternative UEO/Dean must be submitted for review and approval by the OVPFA.The alternative UEO will prepare the dossier and provide the UEO evaluation for the case.The alternative Dean may be an Executive, Senior, or Associate Dean in the college or a Dean from another college. Learn more about COI.

P&T Resource: UI COM Guidance for Mentoring Documentation in Promotion Dossiers
Since 2024, the P&T Dossier requires a Mentoring Plan to be developed for faculty members based on the revised Mentoring Policy. To facilitate the documentation of the mentoring plan in the P&T dossier, we have developed guidance for promotion candidates and UEOs. The updated Guidance for Mentoring Plan Documentation in the P&T Dossier is available here.

We-CARE Faculty Peer Support Program - Compassionate Alliances for Resilience & Empowerment
The We-CARE program promotes faculty well-being and inclusion through confidential peer support from trained We-CARE Helpers. Adapted from a Harvard model, it offers a safe space to discuss burnout, conflicts, or career challenges while connecting faculty with helpful resources.

Stephanie Joe, MD, FACS & Memoona Hasnain, MD, MHPE, PhD, We-CARE Co-Directors.
See We-CARE Website for more info.

We welcome submissions for our newsletter related to faculty development updates, training and funding opportunities.

Contact: Rohan Verma, Program Coordinator UICOM Office of Faculty Development, rverma26@uic.edu or Dr. Memoona Hasnain, Associate Dean for Faculty Development, memoona@uic.edu.

Past UICOM FD Newsletters

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