Beginning medical school during the pandemic, UCR SOM class of 2025 graduate Jennifer Pinal studied in a cramped back house with no air conditioning, repurposing second-hand furniture to create a makeshift study space. As a single mother, she balanced medical school with her kids’ Zoom classes, grocery runs, and keeping...

At a community presentation in San Diego several years ago, Declan McCole, PhD, a professor of Biomedical Sciences at the UC Riverside School of Medicine, recalled speaking to a patient about his work on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when the patient’s husband approached. “He had tears in his eyes, and...

On Monday, the UCR School of Medicine hosted the Biomedical Sciences 50th Anniversary Symposium, marking the culmination of the department’s yearlong anniversary celebration. The event welcomed alumni, former faculty and staff, and current faculty, staff, and students to reflect on the impact of Biomedical Sciences over the years while looking...

Ninety minutes before the start of the 2023 School of Medicine Gala at the new SOM Education Building II, a blown circuit breaker in a nearby building threatened to derail campus catering’s plans. But the more than 300 guests in attendance had no idea that anything was amiss, thanks in...

In early March, researchers from UC Riverside visited Washington, DC, with an important message: If the United States loses its position as a global leader in science, other nations will take its place--and may withhold new discoveries impacting public health, security, and other vital areas. The visit, led by Scott...

The UCR School of Medicine’s Center for Healthy Communities (CHC) and Inland Empire Street Medicine (IESM) program partnered with Temalpakh Farms, run by the Augustine Band of the Cahuilla Indians in the Coachella Valley, to host a two-day nutrition presentation for Nova Academy High School students on April 15-16. The...

The UC Riverside School of Medicine welcomed the community on Saturday to Open House 2025, an annual on-campus event that invites attendees to learn about the school and the path to pursuing a medical career. This year’s event drew a record attendance of over 1,200 guests, including students of all...

The UC Riverside School of Medicine presented its annual Faculty, Staff, and Student Awards at a dinner on Thursday, March 24, 2025 at the UCR Alumni and Visitors Center. Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education Pablo Joo, MD, was the host of the event. Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and...

Adwoa Osei, MD, FAAP, has been named the associate dean for medical education quality and compliance at the UC Riverside School of Medicine. Her appointment begins on July 1, 2025. "Dr. Osei has been an integral part of our School of Medicine for years, shaping our curriculum, mentoring students, and...

On Friday, the UCR School of Medicine hosted match day for the class of 2025. The annual nationwide event gives medical students the opportunity to find out, all at the same time, the residency program where they will spend the next several years of their medical education. Watch the Match...

Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences David Lo, MD, PhD, of the UC Riverside School of Medicine has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants. The appointment is for a three-year term. The panel meets quarterly and is charged with reviewing proposed...

The UCR School of Medicine hosted the 41st annual Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)-West Regional Conference on February 8, 2025. About 700 people attended, making it the largest West Regional Conference for LMSA according to Jennifer Pinal, the co-vice president of conference of LMSA West. See photos from the event...

Every day in the office is different for Antonio Garcia, MD, a family medicine physician in Riverside and an alumnus of UC Riverside School of Medicine. “One day, you’re treating a teenager, the next thing you know, you’re removing a skin tag or doing an abscess drainage, and next you’re...

Adam Kukic and Jovanna Hernandez have been named recipients of the UC Riverside School of Medicine’s Values in Action Awards (VIAA) for the first and second quarters of 2024-25. The awards were presented at the SOM Dean’s Town Hall on February 11, 2025. The VIAA recognizes faculty, staff, or students...

As a child growing up in a conservative part of Southern California, Elizabeth A. Jacobs, MD, MPP, frequently heard her neighbors disparaging the migrant farmworkers who lived in the area. Jacobs’ mother taught many of the farmworkers’ children in a nearby high school, leading to Jacobs becoming friends with some...

With a population of 4.8 million people, Inland Southern California’s population increased approximately 10% from 2010-2020 — a growth that presents significant challenges and opportunities for the future of healthcare. As a healthcare community, we need to evolve to meet those challenges. Riverside County is currently facing a perfect storm...

This year’s UCR School of Medicine Open House will take place on April 19, 2025 from 10 am until 2 pm. The event, which showcases the medical school and its programs, welcomes prospective applicants of any age and their families. “This is a great opportunity to experience the breadth of...

Robert M. Rodriguez, MD, has been named associate dean for clinical research at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine (UCR SOM). He will begin his appointment on April 16, 2025. The associate dean for clinical research provides leadership in clinical research at the UCR SOM and UCR Health...

When the UCR School of Medicine received preliminary accreditation in 2012, Djurdjica Coss, PhD, was immediately interested in a faculty position. “That was big news; you can't create a medical school every day,” recalled Coss, who earned her PhD from UCR in 2000. “When they started hiring, I applied right...

UCR School of Medicine has announced the recipients of the 2025 Dean's Collaborative Seed Grants. The grant provides funds up to $25,000 in seed grant funding for collaborative interdisciplinary research projects between faculty in the Division of Biomedical Sciences and UCR as a whole, aimed at developing proposals and preliminary...