U of Illinois begins search for dean at new medical school

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - The University of Illinois and the hospital it's working with to open a new engineering-based medical school hope to have the first dean hired by spring 2016.

The university said in a news release Wednesday that a committee of officials from the Urbana-based Carle Health System and the school are beginning the search for a dean for the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.

The release also said university faculty and doctors from the hospital will soon begin developing a curriculum. An agreement on how research will be conducted is also expected this fall.

The new medical school will open at the Urbana-Champaign campus.

The medical school will focus on engineering-based medicine such as wearable medical technology and tiny biobots that could monitor a patient's condition and deliver medicine.