The College of Medicine’s first dean will be named by the end of September after starting the search in January, according to UI spokesperson Robin Kaler.

The college is expected to open in 2018, initiating its first class of 25 students. This is the first new college the University has established in over 60 years, and it will combine medicine with bioengineering in hopes to transform the way the medical field is taught.

Around 50 people from across the country applied or were nominated to serve as the first dean.

The committee began looking at applications in January, held interviews in March and narrowed the search down to 11 candidates. These candidates were interviewed in person by the search committee and six were selected to come to campus for on-site interviews in May, said Matthew Gibb, Carle Health System’s chief medical officer.

The search committee is comprised of eight representatives from the Carle Foundation, eight from the University and three external members.

In a previous interview with The Daily Illini, Andreas Cangellaris, dean of the College of Engineering, said this search varies from typical dean searches because the applicant is not able to meet with current students or faculty for the particular college. Instead, the founding dean must have a vision of what the college should be.

Cangellaris said they are looking for individuals who have been involved with innovative research in the medical field and are able to combine the campus environment with the private environment of Carle Hospital.

Most medical colleges tend to be silent and separate from the campus, he said, but the University’s college will be embedded somewhere north near Carle.
Normally the accreditation process would be a responsibility of the dean, but the process was started prior so the college can be ready in time, Gibb said.

The college received accreditation from the Illinois Board of Higher Education two weeks ago and is currently working on receiving approval from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, LCME, a national accrediting body for medical schools.

Gibb said they hope to have the proposal sent to LCME by October to December and the selected dean will be actively engaged compiling the proposal. He said they hope to have LCME approval by 2017 so they can begin recruiting students.

Carle has pledged $100 million over 10 years for the college, and the University is aiming to fundraise $130 million over 10 years. Phyllis Wise, former chancellor who began spearheading the college in 2014, began gaining donor interest and Kaler said donors have continued to be excited about the work.

The college is also sponsoring a new psychiatry residency program that will initiate its first class in July 2017. The program received accreditation in April and, according to the program’s website, will allow students to work with child psychiatry, integrated care, work with veterans and possibly conduct research with the Beckman Institute.

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