The program emphasizes the training of physicians in Family Medicine who will be competent, caring, and well qualified to take care of 90 percent of their patients' problems without need of further referral. A Christ Hospital family practice residency began in 1975, and the UIC-Christ program started in 1994. Today Family Medicine is the only specialty to have training programs in all 50 states. There are now over 470 training programs and more than 80,000 family physicians. Because Family Medicine training programs are helpful in meeting the needs of underserved populations, the state provides grants for Family Practice education.
Many residencies directly serve underserved communities.
The Department of Public Health preferentially funds Family Medicine education through the Family Medicine Residency Training Act. They practice in many different locales including urban, suburban and rural. About 75 percent of the program's graduates practice within the secondary market areas of the hospital. A number of graduates remain in the primary service area of Christ Hospital. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, and began a successful transition to the UIC program.