Rush University

What is the history of Rush University?

Rush University is a health sciences university in Chicago whose roots reach back to Rush Medical College, chartered in 1837. The medical college was named for Benjamin Rush, a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence. That medical-school origin helps explain why Rush remains focused on preparing health professionals rather than offering a broad range of traditional undergraduate majors.

Rush University was established in 1972, bringing medical education together with nursing, allied health and graduate study. Today its colleges operate within an academic health system that includes Rush University Medical Center. The relationship gives many students access to clinical settings, although placements and responsibilities depend on the program.

What are the faculties and departments at Rush University?

Rush University is organized into four colleges: Rush Medical College, the College of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and the Graduate College. Applicants should begin with the college that awards their intended credential; admission requirements and tuition can differ substantially among them.

Rush Medical College offers the MD. The College of Nursing offers nursing pathways at multiple levels, including graduate and doctoral study. The College of Health Sciences includes fields such as respiratory care, imaging sciences, occupational therapy, physical therapy and physician assistant studies. The Graduate College supports advanced study and research in biomedical and related sciences. Rush offers some undergraduate health-sciences programs, but many of its degrees are graduate or professional credentials.

What is the location of Rush University?

Rush University is in Chicago's Illinois Medical District, on the city's Near West Side. Its academic buildings and Rush University Medical Center are closely connected, making clinical facilities a prominent part of the campus setting.

Students can use Chicago Transit Authority rail and bus service to reach the area, though the convenience of a particular route depends on where they live and when classes or clinical shifts begin. Chicago's urban setting also means that commuting time, transit fares and parking can be meaningful parts of an enrollment budget. O'Hare International Airport serves the region, but everyday transportation planning is more likely to center on local transit and clinical-site travel.

What is the mission and vision of Rush University?

Rush University's stated purpose centers on improving health through education, research, patient care and service to communities. Its health-professions focus connects classroom learning with clinical practice and scientific inquiry; that is an institutional aim, not a guarantee of any student's experience or career outcome.

Applicants can see that purpose reflected in the university's academic structure: medicine, nursing, health sciences and graduate research are its principal areas of study. Students comparing Rush with a comprehensive university should consider whether this concentrated academic environment fits their interests and whether their program's clinical and community-based requirements fit their schedule.