A Community-Based Medical School for the 21st Century
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Three research projects have received a UCR School of Medicine Dean's Collaborative Seed Grant for 2026. The annual program provides up to $25,000 in seed grant funding for interdisciplinary research projects working toward grant funding from the National Institutes of Health or similar organizations. The grants encourage collaboration between faculty...
Dear SOM Community, On July 7, 2026, I received communication from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for medical schools, informing me that our recent progress report was reviewed by the LCME Board on June 16–17, 2026. I am pleased to inform you that the UCR...
For someone living with multiple sclerosis (MS), each day calls for resolve, flexibility, and the quiet celebration of small victories that often go unseen. Morning stiffness or numbness can turn simple tasks into exhausting challenges, while afternoon energy may come in brief, unpredictable windows. By evening, fatigue and pain can...
The UC Riverside School of Medicine held its tenth Commencement and Hippocratic Oath Ceremony on Friday, June 5, 2026 at the UCR Student Recreation Center. The event marked the SOM’s first unified, shared commencement across degree programs, with 78 Doctor of Medicine (MD) students, 34 Master of Biomedical Sciences (MS)...
As an emergency medical technician (EMT) from 2017 through 2019, Andrew Huang routinely saw seizures as one of his most common calls. He treated several patients in car accidents only to be dispatched to their houses a week later when they had a seizure; other calls were for patients hit...
After studying microbiology in college in Arizona, Jennell Jennett considered becoming a doctor. Yet while working in a primary care office after earning her bachelor’s degree, she soon understood that it wasn’t her ideal career choice. “I realized direct patient care maybe wasn't for me,” recalled Jennett, who will graduate...
The UC Riverside School of Medicine presented its annual Faculty, Staff, and Student Awards at a dinner on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 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...
On November 7, 2025, leading candidates for California governor will meet for a forum hosted by UC Riverside to discuss health care challenges faced by state voters. The event, titled “ Health Matters: A Conversation with California’s Next Governor,” is a nonpartisan forum organized by 11 California health-focused advocacy organizations...
On Monday, Oct. 13, the School of Medicine hosted the inaugural “All Research Cores Symposium,” which brought together representatives from across the campus showcasing the state-of-the-art equipment and research services available across the UCR campus. More than 110 attendees, including STEM high school students, attended the event. Exhibitions included "space...
A UCR School of Medicine delegation traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Rally for Medical Research on September 18, 2025. The UCR delegation was part of more than 400 researchers and experts who visited congressional offices to advocate for sustained investment in medical research. The UCR SOM delegation...
The UC Riverside School of Medicine welcomed 91 medical students and five biomedical sciences students at the annual White Coat Ceremony at the Student Recreation Center on Friday, August 8, 2025. This was the 13th White Coat Ceremony in the school's history and the culmination of five days of orientation...
While returning to UC Riverside to serve as the keynote speaker for the 2024 graduation ceremony, UCR alumnus Peter Igarashi, MD, paused to reflect on his experiences as a student in the Division of Biomedical Sciences at UCR, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Igarashi, who grew up in...
A few months ago, a patient at the Coachella Valley Free Clinic had an uncommon reaction to a routine blood pressure test. Seeing the high blood pressure reading, the patient began hyperventilating until UC Riverside biomedical sciences master’s student Valeria Barrientos spoke to her in Spanish, helping to calm her...
Marina Joseph: Overcoming Self-Doubt to Thrive in Medical School A few days before Marina Joseph’s very first final exam as a medical student, her bag containing her laptop, iPad, and all her notes was stolen. At the time, Joseph, a member of the UCR School of Medicine Class of 2025...
Isaac Owusu-Frimpong, financial administrative officer in the Division of Biomedical Sciences, was named the recipient of the UCR School of Medicine Values in Action Award (VIAA) at the quarterly Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Owusu-Frimpong was honored for his "unwavering commitment to the SOM values," and for...
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...
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...
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...
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...
