Evita Limon-Rocha, MD, MPH has been named the new chair of the UC Riverside School of Medicine's Admissions Committee. Limon-Rocha, a community-based faculty member and UCR alumna, has volunteered on the committee for the past two years. She works as a bilingual child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente...

The UC Riverside Office of Research and Economic Development (AVC-RED) has named School of Medicine Biomedical Sciences researcher Djurdjica Coss, PhD as associate vice chancellor. Her official start date is slated for September 1, 2023. With a profound dedication to advancing knowledge, Coss currently leads an NIH-funded laboratory at UCR...

Growing up as a lifeguard in Long Beach, Timothy J. Collins, EdD, MHA, FACHE, EMT, always wondered what happened to people after he rescued them from the water. This curiosity led to his lifelong medical career, including serving as an emergency medical technician and other roles that focused on improving...

With concerns about the climate crisis and its escalating impact on the health of people around the world, a recent commentary co-authored by the dean of the UCR School of Medicine gives three compelling reasons for optimism. The article titled "Reasons for Optimism About Academic Medicine’s Actions Against Climate Change"...

The UCR School of Medicine has announced the appointment of Khiet D. Ngo, DO, MS, as the new associate dean of clinical skills education and innovation, effective September 5, 2023. Ngo comes to UCR from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine, where he was most recently the associate dean...

This year’s White Coat Ceremony saw 86 medical students and four biomedical sciences students at the UC Riverside School of Medicine receive their white coats, symbolizing their entry into the medical profession. The 2023 event was held Friday, August 4 at the Student Recreation Center on the UC Riverside campus...

The UC Riverside School of Medicine has announced that Anne M. VanGarsse, MD, FAAP, CHCEF, CPE, FAAPL, will join the school as the new associate dean of clinical medical education, effective September 18, 2023. In her new position, VanGarsse will be responsible for ensuring the integrity and quality of the...

The UC Riverside School of Medicine announced the winners of its inaugural staff awards at the annual Staff Retreat on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. The awards are presented to staff members of the School of Medicine and UCR Health in the categories of clinical, education, administrative, and research. The criteria...

Laughter is often found in an unexpected place at the UCR School of Medicine: the Office of Financial Aid. Kathleen Buckner, the director of financial aid, and Theresa Luther, the assistant director, converse in undertones and long glances before suddenly breaking into giggles. Both women started at the UCR central...

Denise A. Martinez, MD has been appointed as the new associate dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine. Her position, which includes a faculty appointment in the Department of Family Medicine, begins on August 21, 2023. "We are thrilled to welcome Dr...

Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a decision in two cases that ruled that consideration of race in college admissions violates the equal protection clause of the US Constitution. As Dean of the School of Medicine and Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, I echo the concern and disappointment in this decision...

UC Riverside School of Medicine alumna Leila Magistrado Martinez, MD (UCR SOM Class of 2017), proved her dedication to saving lives when she sprang into action during the Doctor’s Corner Woman’s Symposium at the Riverside Woman's Club on May 27, 2023. According to Desiree K. Reedus, MD, MS, FACC, the...

For the past four years, Cristina Gonzalez, now a project analyst in the Department of Social Medicine, Population, and Public Health (SMPPH) at the UC Riverside School of Medicine, would rush to make progress on homework assignments during her lunch break, stay up until 11 pm to take proctored exams...

The Longitudinal Ambulatory Care Experience is the core UCR SOM medical program that helps medical students serve local patients beginning in their first year while building their foundation as physicians.

The UC Riverside School of Medicine has announced the appointment of Lisa Fortuna, MD, MPH, MDiv as the chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. Fortuna is a triple board-certified psychiatrist in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and addiction medicine.

Sixty-two medical students took the Hippocratic Oath and received their degrees at the seventh commencement ceremony for the UC Riverside School of Medicine on Friday, June 2, 2023 at the Student Recreation Center in Riverside. The recording of the ceremony can be seen here. The keynote address was delivered by...

A photovoice gallery and exhibit that sheds light on the unique mental experiences and needs of historically marginalized graduate and professional students (HMGPS) was presented at the UC Board of Regents meeting at UCLA from May 16-18, 2023. The exhibit, titled “The Trajectories of Underrepresented Graduate Students While in Graduate...

With the end of the 2022-23 academic year now upon us, the UC Riverside School of Medicine hosted several awards ceremonies for students, faculty and staff members. Listed below are the award recipients. Congratulations to all of our honorees. Staff and Faculty Awards Lunch These awards were presented at the...

As a child growing up in Bakersfield, CA, Jarrod McNaughton remembers standing in lines with his mother to receive government-issued food. Now, as the CEO of Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), McNaughton helps provide affordable healthcare to inland Southern California families like his. McNaughton had never considered working in healthcare...

UC Riverside Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean of the School of Medicine Deborah Deas, MD, MPH, can now add a new title to her signature: doctor of humane letters or LHD. Deas was surprised with an honorary doctorate from Western University of Health...