Gregory Polites

Dr. Gregory M. Polites serves as Executive Vice Dean at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In this capacity, he oversees the educational mission of the world’s first engineering-based college of medicine. He also holds the position of Executive Director of the Global Consortium of Innovation and Engineering in Medicine, cultivating partnerships across the United States, Europe, South America, South Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. A Professor of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Polites maintains an active clinical practice with particular interests in trauma and critical care.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago and completed his emergency medicine residency at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He then spent the next 21 years as a full-time faculty member at Washington University, where he became an award- winning lecturer and educator for medical students and resident physicians alike. Dr. Polites brings extensive experience in curriculum development, admissions, and the mentorship of residents and attending physicians across the country.

Having held national leadership positions within emergency medicine, he currently serves as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Internationally, he has supported medical education initiatives in multiple countries and now focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence to strengthen workforce development and medical education, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Dr. Polites is also frequently invited to speak on emotional intelligence and resiliency in medical training, something he considers vital for all physicians and trainees.