When the first cohort of students at the Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine (IllinoisCOM) begins classes in 2026, they won’t simply be starting medical school; they’ll be helping shape a new one. As the first medical school to open in Chicago in 99 years, IllinoisCOM offers its earliest students a rare opportunity to influence the traditions, culture, and legacy that future generations will inherit.
For Founding Dean and Chief Academic Officer John Lucas, DO, that opportunity is personal. Having attended medical school as a member of his own alma mater’s second-ever class, he understands firsthand how joining a new medical school can create experiences and opportunities that later cohorts may never have.
The Benefits of Joining a New Medical School
As IllinoisCOM’s founding dean, Dr. Lucas played a major role in recruiting the first class of students, and he’s pleased with the excitement and energy they will bring to campus. He says, “When they learned about us, they saw our building, and they met our faculty. I think they’re willing to put their belief and faith in our organization that we’re going to give them a great education.”
Like the first cohort of future osteopaths at IllinoisCOM, Dr. Lucas himself is a trailblazer. He attended Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) as a member of the second class of medical students before becoming an emergency room physician. The experience of being among the first cohorts of a new program gave Dr. Lucas the opportunity to develop special interest groups and start traditions that remain to this day.
“I think because we were in an early class, we all learned how to embrace opportunity and to pursue different entrepreneurial ideas. We could continually build on what was laid out for us because a lot of the things when we got to school weren’t built yet,” Dr. Lucas says. “We were helping start organizations and doing outreach to different partners.”
About his key role in developing the IllinoisCOM program, Dr. Lucas says, “The opportunity arose to be starting a brand-new school in an incredible place like Chicago. Then there’s the intimidating fact that no one had done it in almost 100 years, but I like a challenge. It sounded like something that, if we could make it work, it would be an amazing thing and great for the city, great for the communities, and great for Illinois.”
Over the last three-and-a-half years, Dr. Lucas and other IllinoisCOM leaders have hired approximately 50 staff members, established the program curriculum, and enrolled a full class of medical students to start in fall 2026. Reflecting on this impressive pace, Dr. Lucas says, “It’s a combination of it was the right time, right place, and with the right mission and message. Med students resonated with the message of the critical nature of mental health, both for the students and for patients.”
IllinoisCOM’s Early Cohorts Will Help Shape the Medical School
The entering class is diverse, full of students who span ages, backgrounds, and home cities across the United States. A sizable portion of the students are Chicago natives, passionate about expanding public health in their city and building the connections they’ve already developed in Illinois. Others are from around the country, with clusters from California, the Mid-Atlantic region, and Texas.
Following their coursework component, these students will be able to complete their clinical practice across the nation. Prior to the first class’s enrollment, IllinoisCOM had developed connections around the country. “We’re establishing a clinical rotation base in Los Angeles, giving students from California the option to return home for their clinical training,” says Dr. Lucas. “There, they’ll have access to excellent clinical environments through our local partnerships.” IllinoisCOM also has partnerships in the Washington, D.C., area and in the Dallas, Texas, region.
The first class of students will be able to establish their legacy, just like Dr. Lucas and his colleagues. They’ll get to be founders of interest groups and professional programs. Dr. Lucas reflects on how meaningful it was to help establish the professional culture at LECOM. “I look back and go, yeah, I was the first person that ever started that, and now, 30 years later, there are still students doing that thing.”
Dr. Lucas is thrilled at the opportunity to learn alongside the trailblazing first class of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students at IllinoisCOM. He says, “I don’t want to write out what I think is going to happen, because who knows? But I know some great stuff is gonna happen, and I’m gonna be excited to see it, and support it! They’re all very accomplished and very well prepared, and you put a group of 91 smart students in a room with a bunch of people who want to see them succeed more than anything, really cool stuff can happen.”
Become Part of a New Medical School’s Founding Legacy
Opportunities to become a student at a new medical school don’t come along often. As a member of one of IllinoisCOM’s first classes, you’ll have the chance to do more than earn your Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. You’ll help shape the traditions, organizations, and culture of a new medical school while learning from faculty and leaders committed to your success from day one.
If you’d like to become part of one of IllinoisCOM’s early cohorts and help shape the medical school’s future, complete the brief form below to learn more about the program. An admissions representative can answer your questions, provide updates, and help you explore what it means to join one of IllinoisCOM’s early cohorts as they build a legacy that will influence generations of future students.