It produces more physicians than any other medical school in America, it’s on the cutting edge of medical research, it’s a leader in treatment for both health and social diseases, and it’s in our back yard. It is the University of Illinois College of Medicine (UICOMP) and the new WTVP documentary, Lessons Beyond Medicine, looks back at the history of the Peoria campus and the many ways it touches Central Illinois residents today. The special premieres Thursday, April 21 at 8 p.m. on WTVP 47.1 Public Television.

It came as no surprise some 50 years ago when a report revealed that residents of smaller Illinois communities were losing access to basic health care. At the time, all five medical schools in Illinois were located in Chicago, and many graduates tended to establish their practices near where they had studied. To counter the trend, the Campbell Report in the 1960s recommended medical schools be established in downstate Illinois. The origins of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria can be traced back to this report.

In Lessons Beyond Medicine, WTVP looks back at the growth of the Peoria-based college, one of four campuses of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, from its first two-room office at the then-First National Bank building to today's expansion of world-class research facilities. The special explores the many ways in which the College of Medicine affects Central Illinois, including the only full-service HIV/AIDS clinic, assistance at community health clinics, medical care at autism and cerebral palsy centers, a clinic for abused children and a rural physicians training program. Lessons Beyond Medicine also will give viewers a glimpse of the future, including new research to cure cancer and Alzheimer's Disease, and the development of a state-of-the-art simulation program.

Lessons Beyond Medicine, made possible by CEFCU and other donors, will also air on Friday, April 22 at 8:00 p.m. on WTVP World 47.2. Check local cable listings for more information.

Through broadcast and services, WTVP has been serving the communities of Central Illinois since 1971. Now on the Internet, WTVP provides quality educational content to the world. WTVP and wtvp.org—Public Media for Central Illinois.

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