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CONNECTIONSBuilding a community of future physician
innovators together

LETTER FROM
THE DEAN
It was truly an honor and joy for me to be includedin the historic first Carle Illinois College of Medicine
inaugural class convocation ceremony. As the newdean, I know I speak for everyone at the college of
medicine when I say we are all incredibly proudof the accomplishments, vision, and dedication
demonstrated by this extraordinary group of new
physician innovators.
From their 100% residency match rate to amazing
innovations designed to advance health care andmedical education, the members of the Class of2022 have succeeded and thrived, overcoming many
challenges along the way, demonstrating theirresilience and commitment to be a compassionate,
diverse, collaborative, and competent group ofphysician innovators and role models. I am very
grateful for the opportunity to celebrate theirtriumphs and to witness the impact and legacy now
growing out of the investments made by so many
people for this college to prosper.
As the members of the inaugural class now advanceto the next level of their training in residencies
both here and across the country, I am excited tobuild upon the great work and foundation that has
been created here. Together we can develop newopportunities to advance the medical school andits missions to the next phase of its growth anddevelopment into a world-class college of medicine
and a compelling model of medical education
designed to build the future of healthcare. Thereis always more to do, but having a great team offaculty, staff, health system and community partners,
and advocates and supporters for this college
around the state and around the country makes
great things possible.

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINEA few exciting opportunities on the horizon this next

I look forward to partnering with the wonderfulyear will include expanding innovation and researchclinicians and staff at Carle Health to create more

infrastructure for our students to include:

examples of how innovations in clinical care delivery
can be incredibly impactful, allowing us to do more

1

New opportunities to harness novel devices,

for our community and around the state. I also lookdiagnostics, tissue engineering applications,forward to getting to know and work with you, ourartificial intelligence, and machine learning

generous supporters, to take Carle Illinois College

to provide better tools and data to solveof Medicine to this important next level, forging key

clinical problems for patients in thepartnerships and collaborations that will create thecommunity with chronic conditions such

future of health care for the medical school and ouras heart failure, cancer, Alzheimer’s, andcommunity. With your help, we intend to grow Carlediabetes;

Illinois College of Medicine into something that’s
known for excellence and innovation throughout the2

New applications of augmented andcountry.

mixed reality for training, education, andskills development as well as new industry

Lastly, I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU topartnerships to bring the most cutting-everyone at the University of Illinois and Carle Health,edge tools and software to our faculty andcampus alumni and supporters near and far, and thestudents. These resources will advancewonderful Champaign-Urbana community for theeducational and curricular development,

incredible welcome you have already given to me.

as well as inter-professional skills and teamtraining opportunities that will engage other

With warm regards and gratitude,schools on campus including engineering,allied-health professionals, nursing, social
work, and others – all maintaining apatient-focused approach to training anddevelopment; and		
3 New opportunities for students to workwith outstanding and compassionate Carle
Health clinicians to develop impactful pointof-care projects that will bring innovations
to our patients out in the community andaddress some of the challenges being facedwith access, care delivery, and home careprograms.

Mark Cohen

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“TODAY, WE
BECOME PHYSICIANINNOVATORS.”
Twenty-three members of Carle Illinois College ofMedicine’s inaugural class graduated on Sunday, May
15, 2022, marking the culmination of years of hard work,
planning, and investment. The college’s first graduates(and now, first alumni) recited the Physician’s Pledge
and were ‘hooded’ with the academic attire of theirchosen medical specialty before an audience of mentors,
dignitaries, renowned physicians, family, and friends
during Carle Illinois’ first-ever convocation ceremony at theAlice Campbell Alumni Center. The newly minted medical
doctors begin their graduate medical training as residents
in July 2022, serving in some of the top teaching hospitals
and clinics in the country. The Carle Illinois Class of 2022
is uniquely prepared to change the practice of modern
medicine through innovative solutions and acommitment to patient-centeredcompassionate care.

Elizabeth

Woodburn& AsadRauf“I have a lot of
embedded history inthis campus, but thiswas my chance todo something new
that’s working on a
new path.”
Elizabeth Woodburn, M.D.,
Class of 2022

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

“We as Carle Illinois
graduates are unique. Let’s
imagine how we would likehealth care to be and strive
to make it a reality.”
Kenny Leung, M.D., Class of 2022

g

eun
ny L

Ken

“When youput it all
together andlook back, it
was a special
journey for allof us.”
Alex Lucas

Alex Lucas, M.D., Class
of 2022

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TOGETHER, WE
BUILD A LEGACY
Residency Match Day 2022 saw 100% of Carle
Illinois College of Medicine’s inaugural graduatingclass successfully match with a medical residency
training program. The exceptional residency
placement result means Carle Illinois’ physician
innovators from the class of 2022 will be positioned
to directly impact patient care in hospitals andcommunities from New York to California when
they enter residency in July.

Christina Moawad
Orthopedic Surgery, New York

University – Long Island Schoolof Medicine
Only about 15% of orthopedic surgery
residents in the U.S. are women, but
those statistics didn’t deter Christina
Moawad from realizing her dreams.
“Despite the difficulty of this specialty,
no one at this school told me I couldn’t
do this,” Moawad said. “It means somuch to me that other students at
Carle Illinois will be able to follow in myfootsteps and pursue a careerin orthopedic surgery.”READ MORE:

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HeatherWr
AaronighBt congratula
tes
rown

“These students have started agreat legacy at Carle Illinois.”
Interim Dean Uretz Oliphanthant

z Olipn UretDea

Aaron Brown

Valerie Chen and Matt Lee

Anesthesiology, Stanford University

Mayo Clinic, Rochester Minnesota

Medical Center, California
Like most soon-to-be residents, Valerie Chen and
Aaron Brown not only matched in his preferred

Matt Lee balanced both personal and professional

specialty of anesthesiology, but he was also selectedconsiderations in deciding where to apply forby a program ranked among the best in the nation

residency. As part of the ‘couples’ match, the pair

for that specialty. “For me personally, as a person

will both train at the prestigious Mayo Clinic inof color and the first doctor in my family, it shows

Minnesota, but in different specialties. Valerie willthat hard work pays off,” Brown said. “This uniquespecialize in obstetrics and gynecology, while Matt

engineering-based curriculum puts us in a position

will pursue urology, one of the most competitive

to excel when interviewing for residencies, and thenmedical specialties. Matt says their cat will be

as we go forward, in creating new solutions to healthmaking the trip north with them, as they start theircare problems.”

new adventure.

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Andrew Chang

Internal Medicine, Carle Foundation
Hospital
Not all Carle Illinois graduates
will travel far away for residency.
Andrew Chang will give backto the community that helped
supply a four-year scholarship for
medical school by serving at Carle
Foundation Hospital. Andrew cites
positive experiences during his
clinical rotations at Carle Healthamong the reasons for making Carle
Foundation Hospital his first choice
when applying for residency. “Asan organization, Carle (Health) is
hungry for innovation and quality
improvement, and there is a huge
‘yes’ culture when it comes toimproving patient care,” Chang said.

Elizabeth Woodburn
Pediatrics, Duke University
Elizabeth Woodburn carried out a family traditionby earning both her undergraduate degree at
UIUC (Bioengineering, 2018), and her M.D. degree
as part of Carle Illinois’ inaugural class. Elizabeth
comes from a big family of faithful Illini, including
her parents, grandparents, and extended family
members. In July, she’ll break new ground,
specializing in pediatrics at Duke University, anationally respected residency program. Elizabeth
hopes to tap into her experiences in both medicine
and engineering to provide patient-centered care
to children, especially those who live with medical
devices like insulin pumps, feeding tubes, andventilators.
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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINETOGETHER,WE ENGINEERTHE FUTURE

Capstone Innovations
Advance Medicine throughTechnology
Members of Carle Illinois’ graduating class designed

elzeOMichael

13 different medical innovations that could translate
into game-changing, marketable advances in
the practice of medicine and medical education.
Capstone Innovations are the final deliverable
in Carle Illinois’ engineering-based, innovationoriented curriculum, requiring fourth-year students
to research a problem identified during their clinicalrotations, propose a solution, and then recruit andlead a cross-disciplinary team to bring their ideas tolife.
The designs and data science projects from theinaugural class were showcased live at Capstone
Innovations Day in early May.
Capstone Innovations teams include engineering
students from The Grainger College of Engineering“The Capstone Projects
give our students theconfidence and ability
to identify problems inhealth care and thenbuild solutions – throughengineering and design –that improve patient care.”Carle Illinois Health Innovation Professor
Michael Oelze, director of Capstone
Projects at Carle Illinois.

(e.g. bioengineering, mechanical science andengineering) and business student consultants from
Gies College of Business.
Capstone Innovations at Carle Illinois Collegeof Medicine are supported by the Henry Dale
and Betty Smith Family.

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9Epicap:

Seizure-Monitoring
Baseball Cap

A new seizure-monitoring baseball cap could help
doctors diagnose patients with epilepsy more quickly
and comprehensively. The innovation, called Epicap, wasdesigned and prototyped by Kenny Leung and Jennifer
Cortes (Carle Illinois Class of 2022) in collaboration
with students from the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering and the Gies College of Business.
Epicap uses a small video camera built into the visor of
the cap to allow doctors to begin monitoring patients
when seizures are suspected, rather than wait until
they occur and are discovered in a traditional inpatientsetting.
“Epicap is essentially an EEG (electroencephalogram)
inside of a baseball cap. As soon as you have a seizure,a doctor can give you a cap to wear leading to faster
diagnosis and monitoring,” Cortes explained.
For patients already diagnosed with epilepsy, Leungsays Epicap could be used as a portable in-home safety
monitor that is less invasive than the whole-homecamera systems that are currently in use.
Leung begins an internal medicine residency at
University of California-Irvine this summer, while Cortes
will specialize in psychiatry at Emory University inGeorgia.

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Bionic Knee
Brace

to Empower Cerebral
Palsy Patients

A new bionic knee brace designed by two physician
innovators at Carle Illinois College of Medicine could
help cerebral palsy (CP) patients overcome muscle
stiffness that limits their mobility. Cerebral palsy patients
have decreased muscle strength and flexibility thathinders mobility and prevents even the most mobile CP
patients from exercising freely for extended periods oftime. The new device designed by Carle Illinois Collegeof Medicine students Dylan Mann and Shahnoor Aminprovides a solution.
The bionic knee brace couples a power generator withbuilt-in bio-feedback sensors to detect when the wearer
is trying to voluntarily move the leg muscles. When thesensors detect muscle contraction, the system triggers
the power generator to help move the stiffened/spastic
muscles.
“What we want to do is not just hold their joints inplace, but actually help them as they move and givethem motorized assistance so they can overcome thatstiffness, that rigidity that they always have in theirmuscles,” said Mann, who will begin a medical residency
in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Universityof Minnesota School of Medicine this summer. Amin willcomplete his internal medicine residency at Henry Ford
Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.

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TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE
Excellence in Innovation
Kenny Leung is the first recipient of the King Li,
MD, MBA Physician Innovator Award, recognizing a
student who best captures the mission of the Carle
Illinois College of Medicine to educate exceptional
physician-innovators. The King Li, MD, MBA Physician
Innovator Award was established at Carle Illinois
College of Medicine in 2020 to honor Dr. King Li,
Founding Dean and (then) Chief Academic Officer at
Carle Health System.

“Innovating isn’t hard: it just takes
time and teamwork.”
Kenny Leung with Jessica Breitbarth, Associate Dean for Advancement

Kenny Leung, M.D., Class of 2022

Gold-Headed Cane Award
Even in a medical school in which over-achievers
abound, Aaron Brown stands out among his peers.
Aaron is the first doctor in his family and is now the
first recipient of the James C. Leonard, MD, GoldHeaded Cane Award. Created in 2021 to honor Dr.
Leonard’s exceptional leadership at Carle and central
role in creating the Carle Illinois College of Medicine,
the award is considered the the highest honorawarded to Carle Illinois graduates, carrying with it
a $4000 scholarship. Aaron begins his residency inanesthesiology at Stanford in July.

Aaron Brown

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE“When one thinks of extraordinary
dedication to the health and welfareof patients, Aaron is the first person
who comes to mind. He is incredibly
passionate about giving back to
the community and being a patientadvocate, especially to those who areunderserved. Aaron not only talks thetalk, but also walks the walk when it
comes to service to others.”
Stephen Boppart, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Associate
Dean and Chief Diversity Officer, Carle Illinois
College of Medicine

TOGETHER WE LIFT OTHERS
Golden Apple Award
The Golden Apple Awards are chosen annually by each class of medical students to recognize the faculty
member(s) whom the class feels distinguished themselves through their teaching.

Laura Shackelford, Ph.D.
Phase 1“Dr. Shackelford has always gone the extra mile for us,
spending hours outside of scheduled class time toensure we mastered anatomy.”Student Nominator

Kris Carpenter, M.D.
Phase 2
“Kris Carpenter achieved the monumental task of setting
up both family medicine clerkship and longitudinal
student clinic... [with] infectious passion for
medical education.”
Student Nominator

Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award
This award is decided by the members of the graduating class. It is given to a faculty or staff member whom theclass wants to honor for help in obtaining the M.D. degree.

Heather Wright, MS
Interim Associate Dean for Student Affairs andDirector of Student Success“We appreciate her positive energy, upbeat enthusiasm,
and telling-it-like-it-is advising. We always felt like Heather
was on our side and she made us comfortable going to
her with our struggles.”Student Nominator

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Noah Nigh helped
students visualize how
EEG, in conjunction
with machine learning,is used clinically tohelp detect epilepsy
and other neurologicaldeficits.

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINECLASS OF 2025
Carle Illinois’ unique curriculum exposes students to rich clinicallearning experiences early-on, with hands-on learning activities that
help illustrate difficult concepts. In the Clinical Neuroscience course,
M1s explored techniques to study brainwave activity, including theEEG. The demonstration helped students visualize how EEG, in
conjunction with machine learning, is used clinically to help detectepilepsy and other neurological deficits. First-year Carle Illinois
medical students are introduced to clinical practice throughimmersive courses covering each of the major body systems.
The Bioethics and Medical Humanities thread of Carle Illinois’
curriculum also emphasizes creativity in medical practice.
Student creations -- art, music, photography, and poetry –were showcased at the Medical Humanities and Anatomy Art
Show at Siebel Center for Design in March.

CLASS OF 2024
The Class of 2024 embarked on the major clinical phase of Carle Illinois’ curriculum in March, staffing the Family
Medicine continuity clinic at Carle Health’s Curtis Road location. During their 18-month Family Medicine clerkship,
which started in their second year of medical school, students work in the clinic one night per week, seeing one
or two patients per night. The clinic focuses on family medicine, with typical visits ranging from annual wellness
exams and newborn screenings to acute ailments not requiring emergency care. The early clinical exposure is partof the Carle Illinois approach to medical education.
M2 students were also the first class to take the USMLE Step 1 exam with the new pass/fail reporting scheme
instituted nationwide. The NBME announced the change to pass/fail reporting in September of 2021 as a stepneeded to improve the transition from undergraduate to graduate medical education.

CLASS OF 2023
Carle Illinois College of Medicine’s second IDEA Symposium showcased third-year students’ innovative ideas tosolve problems in health care or medical education to a virtual audience in April. Several solutions presented by
the Class of 2023 focused on improving in-patient care. Some of the IDEA presentations included:• A redesigned the hospital gown providing comfort and ease of access during medical procedures,• Two new hospital bed attachments that would reduce falls and increase maneuverability during physicalexams,• A new light that reduces delirium by mimicking daylight patterns.
• A sensor device to prevent sudden infant death syndrome, and• A personalized heart animation system for teaching medical personnel about complex problems.
IDEA (Innovation, Design, Engineering, and Analysis) Projects require students to innovate by generating new
ideas to improve health care during each of their clinical clerkships. Students entering their final year of medical
school select one of their IDEA projects to develop more fully into a Capstone Innovation that has the potential tochange health care or medical education.
Photos on this page were taken
by Kaden Rawson, Carle Illinois
College of Medicine Class of 2025.
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TOGETHER WE
IMPROVE THE
HUMAN CONDITION
Human Rights Clinic
Carle Illinois College of Medicine students areleading a human rights clinic to offer support
to asylum seekers and refugees in east-central
Illinois, providing impartial medical andpsychological evaluations and working to raiseawareness on human rights issues.
Graduating Carle Illinois medical student
Lidija Barbaric, whose family immigrated from
Bosnia and Herzegovina more than 30 years
ago, launched the initiative. Medical student
peers are volunteering their time to run thehuman rights clinic, coordinate with casemanagers, legal personnel, social work, andtranslators, perform the evaluations, and ensurethat clients and their attorneys receive thedocumentation they need for their court cases.
The Carle Illinois student interest group“Physicians for Human Rights” partnered withthe community health center Avicenna -- alocal free clinic which provides health care to
the uninsured and underinsured in the region -and immigrant resource centers including The
Refugee Center and The Immigration Project.
Lidija Barbaric will begin a residency inanesthesiology at Case Western Reserve in July.

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Lidija B

arbaric

Ukraine
Relief Effort
When millions of Ukrainian citizens fled their country
in the days following the Russian invasion, Carle
Illinois student Kaden Rawson (Class of 2025) alongwith Dylan Mann, M.D. (Class of 2022) mobilized
their peers to action. The physician innovators
spearheaded an area-wide relief drive that collected
tons of medical supplies and physical goods to assist
Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
With overwhelming support from the central Illinois
community, the Ukrainian Refugee Relief effort
recorded huge successes:• Collected approximately 25,000 pounds ofsupplies to aid refugees;• Donated medical supplies and diapers shippedfor distribution by the Ukrainian Department of
Health to hospitals and clinics;• Remaining donations of clothing, nonperishable food items, and survival gear
shipped through Global
Empowerment Mission;• $30,000 in monetary donations
made to the Ukrainian Red
Cross through the link provided;• Outreach effort included nearly
30 Carle Illinois students.

Kaden &Dylan

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TOGETHER WE FUEL SUCCESSThe H.D. Smith Foundation, led by brothers (Henry) Dale and (James) Chris Smith, has been one of the most loyal
supporters of University of Illinois in general and Carle Illinois College of Medicine in particular. The Smith family– which previously owned a large pharmaceutical wholesale business -- gifted Carle Illinois $2 million in 2018 tofuel innovation through support of Capstone Innovations developed by fourth-year medical students and other
innovations related to sports medicine. It was part of a $20 million donation that also funded the construction of theHenry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center, in honor of their parents. We talked with Dale and Chris Smith about
their family’s investment in Carle Illinois’ unique mission to educate physician-innovators.

Why was it important to you to invest in the
mission of Carle Illinois College of Medicine?

What roles do you see Carle Illinois graduates
playing in the future of medicine? What doyou hope for them?

Dale: We were excited by the prospect of a different
kind of medical school -- one that took the unique

Chris: I hope they go out into the communities thatstrength of Illinois’ engineering program and married

they serve and become champions for innovation

it with medical expertise. We knew it would bein the kinds of break-through bioengineering thatsomething unique that would distinguish Illinois’

they’re part of here. Having come up through thisprogram from any other.

discipline, I think they will be much more open
to innovation and change, and they will need toChris: This was a medical school established withchampion that to change the structure of healththe intention of collaborating with the engineeringcare.

school in a way that was truly unprecedented. With
this medical school starting with collaboration as a

Dale: I see them as apostles of this approach totenet of its existence, the potential was really exciting,medical education. They may start off at Illinois andand we were very excited to participate in it.

go anywhere in the country and have an impact inpromoting this style of medical education.

Our first class just graduated after presenting
13 Capstone Innovations, which your family’s
gift supported. What impact do you expect
these innovations to have on health care andin the lives of patients?

If you were talking to someone about investingin mission of Carle Illinois College of Medicine,what would you say to them?
Dale: This is an opportunity to be a part of the future,

Dale: A number of the projects have significant long-

because there are some unique approaches toterm applications, and some are very well-targetededucation, a unique approach to working with all

to have shorter-term implications. Regardless, they

the different dimensions of the University of Illinois.

expand knowledge and the research base to develop

I think it that should be something to get people

other advances, even beyond these actual projects.

excited.

Chris: I think this fusion of medicine and engineering

Chris: If you are trying to figure out how to invest

represented in these innovations has tremendous

your philanthropic dollar to create returns for society,potential for augmenting the lives of people who arethis is one that will return tenfold, a hundredfold. It’s

impaired or injured in some way and allowing them

just incredible the potential it has.

to have much more robust and active life.

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C ARLE ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Chris (left) andDale (right) Smith

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