Dr. Thompson Named New Regional Dean at University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford
Trevonne Thompson, MD, MHPE, FACMT, has been named regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford (UICOMR)
Trevonne Thompson, MD, MHPE, FACMT, has been named regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford (UICOMR), effective March 16, 2026, and pending University of Illinois Board of Trustees approval.
Dr. Thompson takes over the role from Alex Stagnaro-Green, MD, MHPE, MHA who is stepping down after 12 years as the Rockford regional dean. Dr. Thompson currently serves as the Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Illinois College of Medicine (UI COM). Prior to this current position, Dr. Thompson served as the Assistant Dean for Residency Preparedness for the Chicago campus. He is a tenured professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology as well as the head of the Division of Medical Toxicology within the Department of Emergency Medicine. He joined the College of Medicine full-time in 2009 as an assistant professor and has continually worked to advance the mission of UI COM, mentoring dozens of medical students, resident physicians, and fellows-in-training. Dr. Thompson’s clinical and academic work spans emergency care delivery, poisoning management, substance use–related public health challenges, and the development of toxicology systems both locally and internationally. He has led collaborative initiatives with global partners, including national health agencies in Fiji, and contributes to the development of national guidelines and ongoing professional education.
“Our candidate pool was comprised of a uniquely qualified group of physicians and academics,” said Enrico Benedetti, MD, FACS, Interim G. Stephen Irwin Executive Dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine. “As we are now in the seventh year of offering a unified curricular experience across our campuses, it is gratifying to serve our students in Rockford through leadership deeply familiar with and invested in the educational structure of our college. I am fully confident in Dr. Thompson’s expertise, agility, and conscientious leadership.”
Dr. Thompson is a former chair of the Emergency Medicine Section of the National Medical Association and is currently fellow and member of the Board of Directors of the American College of Medical Toxicology. Additional fellowships include the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians. He serves as a consultant to the Illinois Poison Center and is an associate editor for the Journal of Medical Toxicology.
Dr. Thompson graduated summa cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans with a degree in biology and minors in chemistry and Spanish. He then attended medical school at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. He served his emergency medicine residency at Cook County Hospital (now Stroger Hospital of Cook County), where he served as chief resident in emergency medicine. He then completed a Medical Toxicology fellowship at the Toxikon Consortium in Chicago. In addition to his medical degree, Dr. Thompson holds a master’s degree in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Thompson has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.
Speaking on his appointment, Dr. Thompson posited, “It is an honor to step into this Deanship in Rockford. I look forward to leading from a place of service and navigating the unique commitments to which my colleagues, peers, and students attend.”