Beyond the Bow Tie: A Student Q&A with Dean Thompson
Beyond the Bow Tie: A Student Q&A with Dean Thompson
An informal conversation with Dean Trevonne Thompson, MD, MHPE
By: Thomas Huisman
You’ve probably already seen the official announcement, but as of Monday, March 16, 2026, there’s a new dean in town.
Trevonne Thompson, MD, MHPE, is no stranger to UICOM, joining full-time as an assistant professor in 2009. His most recent position was associate dean for admissions (does anyone else remember his toxicology lecture during interview season)? You may also know the greatest hits from his CV: Served his emergency medicine residency at Cook County Hospital (now Stroger Hospital of Cook County) (respect); attended medical school at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago; a medical toxicology fellowship at the Toxikon Consortium; a master’s degree in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois Chicago, leadership roles across UICOM and enough national committee work to make the rest of us feel like we should be doing more with our lives.
But résumés only tell part of the story.
We wanted the student side of the story: The fun stuff, the human stuff, the “what’s this guy actually like when he’s not running a campus or saving someone from a toxic ingestion?” stuff. So, we sat down with Dr. Thompson for a lighter, looser, totally‑not‑LCME‑approved conversation. Enjoy!
Are you still schooling your kids in 1-on-1 competitions, or have they finally caught up?
Good question. It’s a little bit of both. My wife and I have four children. They are all very different with different interests and talents. No one in the family can beat me in chess or archery! My son lifts heavier than I do and can run faster than I can in short distances, but I have suffered fewer lifting injuries and can run much longer distances than he can. My daughters are all more creative than I am, and it’s not even close. They all now beat me in the competition of who reads more books in a year.
Best running/hiking/biking trails in Rockford?
I haven’t explored many trails yet. I’ve mostly been running downtown and along the river. I will say that the river is gorgeous and makes for wonderful scenery while running.
Guilty pleasure TV series?
I don’t get to watch as much TV as I would like. My wife and I have enjoyed “Paradise,” but our guilty pleasure has been “Only Murders in the Building.”
You get a rare free day in Chicago this summer: Where are you going?
I would spend the daytime at The Art Institute of Chicago, followed by an evening play or musical at one of Chicago’s many theaters. That would be a great day!
How many bow ties are in the closet?
In pathology and laboratory medicine, there’s a phrase, “too numerous to count.” That would be an appropriate description of the bow tie numbers.
Will we see you at Wednesday night basketball or Thursday night volleyball?
You can expect to see me on the sideline. I never picked up basketball and have no skill on the court. I still have a little skill at baseball/softball, though.
Coffee? Tea? Energy drinks?
Black coffee. No sugar. No cream. Always hot.
Do you over or under decorate for the holidays?
If left to my own devices, I would under decorate. Fortunately, I have a great life partner who provides balance, so in the end, I think we decorate just the right amount.
Do you plan every detail of the trip, or are you more spontaneous?
I am the type of person who plans every detail of the travel itself—what time to arrive at the airport, navigating security and airport gates, seating on the plane, etc. Once at our destination, I am much more spontaneous.
Early bird or night owl? (and does toxicology training ruin both)?
Night owl. I’ve spent nearly my entire career as an emergency physician as what we call a nighthawk or nocturnist, working the overnight shifts. Interestingly, in medical toxicology, the most interesting cases seem to occur at night, so it’s all worked well for me and my odd circadian rhythm.
What’s your favorite part of working with medical students?
There are three things that I would say are my favorite (sorry for bending the rules a bit). The first is rather general. Medical education allows me to impact many more patients than I ever could in my own clinical practice. Each student that I’ve ever had a part in training has, and will, go on to impact their own patients. That multiplied by many students over the years equates to literally thousands upon thousands of patients impacted. That is gratifying for me.
The second is that I enjoy observing the moment when it all clicks for students—when they realized the purpose of the journey, when they realize the passion for their chosen specialty, when they internalize the impact they have on people’s lives when they care for patients. That brings me much joy.
The third is the sense of pride I feel when my students succeed in their careers. I’ve been in medical education long enough that I’ve had students go on to become pillars in their communities as primary care physicians, general surgeons and pediatricians, for example. I’ve seen students go on to conduct groundbreaking research. I’ve had students become hospital and medical school administrators. Knowing that I played even just a small role in their education gives me a wonderful sense of pride and fulfillment.
Thomas Huisman is an M1 with a penchant for prose & study breaks.