Addiction Medicine Fellowship
New for 2026
In 2026, the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford will welcome one fellow for a new one-year Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and is housed within the Department of Family and Community Medicine, which has a longstanding reputation for community engagement, research advancement and academic excellence.
Qualifications
The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford welcomes applicants who are enrolled in or have completed a relevant ACGME-accredited residency program in on of the following specialties:
- Family Medicine
- Internal Medicine or
- Medicine-Pediatrics.
We accept one fellow per year. Our program does not sponsor visas.
Mission and Aims
Mission:
The Addiction Medicine Fellowship develops competent addiction medicine specialists to provide excellent, compassionate and equitable clinical care for all communities in alignment with our college-wide mission to advance health for everyone through outstanding education, research, clinical care and social responsibility.
Aims:
- Train fellows in a diverse and inclusive environment that prepares trainees for community-based addiction treatment.
- Develop clinical leaders able to provide comprehensive addiction medicine management and to navigate complex health care systems for the good of the patients and community.
- Provide fellows with assessment and evaluation skills across a variety of clinical venues: hospital, residential treatment center, clinics and jail.
- Provide clinical experiences for fellows, medical students, residents and other health care professionals to promote the recognition of addiction disorders and the interdisciplinary support for patients with substance use disorders, behavioral addictions and co-occurring psychiatric and medical disorders.
Location and Settings
The Telehealth Room on the UIC Rockford Campus is available for any clinical activity, but its priority is for the Addiction Medicine Fellowship.
| Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education
Our Team
Addiction medicine is a team sport! To provide comprehensive and integrated care to our patients, our program includes an interdisciplinary team of providers from diverse training backgrounds and disciplines, including faculty physicians from Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, as well as community outreach workers, advanced practice providers, counselors and pharmacists.
Message from the Director
We are committed to training clinical and academic leaders in the field of addiction medicine who are equipped to expand access to treatment, prevention and harm reduction services. Our Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program focuses on addressing the whole person with an integrated biopsychosocial model of care. This is accomplished through one year of rigorous clinical training, comprehensive didactics, teaching experience and research opportunities while taking into account each fellow’s personal interests and goals for the year.
Salary and Benefits
Your health and well-being are important. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package plus perks to keep you and your family happy and healthy.
Dr. Garry Statement
The fellowship program allows us to develop deeper collaborations for the treatment of those with addictions. The foresight and vision of the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board to fund workforce development in this area has allowed us to recruit faculty and develop a training program for Rockford and northern Illinois. The impact this program will have on exposing our medical students and Family Medicine residents to competent and compassionate care will be exponential.
Apply
Apply to the Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®).
Please include in your application:
- Personal statement
- Letter of recommendation from your residency program director
- Two additional letters of recommendation
- Curriculum vitae
- US Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) scores
Important Dates
June 4, 2025 – ERAS® season begins
June 5, 2025 – ERAS® Fellowships Documents Office distributes tokens to fellowship applicants
July 2, 2025 – Fellowship applicants may begin submitting applications to programs at 9 a.m. ET
July 16, 2025 – Program begins reviewing fellowship applications
September 1-October 31, 2025 – Applicant interviews offered virtually and in-person
December 3, 2025 – The Match®
July 1, 2026 – Fellowship program year begins
Yolanda Van Rite
Fellowship Program Coordinator
WCCMB Funding
Winnebago County has a demonstrated need for competent, evidence-based addiction medicine services. The Addiction Medicine Fellowship was established as part of a coordinated response to this public health crisis. Developed in collaboration with local community partners, the fellowship was designed to meet the growing need for addiction medicine specialists who care for people with substance use disorders. Our program continues to be guided by the needs and priorities of the local community and northern Illinois.
Funding for the Addiction Medicine Fellowship is provided in part by the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board with the 1/2 cent sales tax.