School of Medicine
Improve the Health of Our Region
Make healthcare more available and accessible to the residents of Inland Southern California as a next-generation physician (M.D.) or biomedical scientist (Ph.D.). UCR's School of Medicine (SOM) serves the healthcare needs of a rapidly growing and ethnically diverse region that's home to 4.2 million people!
Undergraduate Research
UCR offers research opportunities to all undergraduate students! This advantage catapults you to the “top of the list” for jobs and/or graduate school. Current School of Medicine research includes:
- Erasing fear memories to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and phobias
- Advancing research on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — thanks to a $1.83 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
School of Medicine Internships
UCR School of Medicine offers department-specific internships (mostly in biomedical sciences) for undergraduate students to put their learning into practice. You could earn course/service and maybe even a paycheck!
“My career goal is to become a primary care physician. I'm excited to intern at the Riverside Free Clinic, because I get to put my passion of working with the underserved community into action. I help non-English speakers as a Medical Spanish Translator, giving them a voice and bridging the gap of health disparity. Plus, I get service credit!”
Paola Gonzalez, Class of '20
First-Generation Undergraduate Student
Fields in Which SOM Students Most Often Match
A UC Degree Is More Affordable Than You Might Think
85%
of UCR undergraduate students who applied for aid were awarded aid.
97%
of undergraduate students who were awarded aid received need-based scholarships and/or grants.
86%
of need was met with need-based aid.
(Financial Aid Office, 2022–23)
Let us show you how: financialaid.ucr.edu
School of Medicine Scholarships
Discover scholarship opportunities, externship funding, financial counseling, and budgeting tools. Some UCR applicants may qualify for a Mission Scholarship, which pays up to 100% of mandatory tuition and fees for two or four years.
Prestigious Scholarships and Awards
First-year and transfer UCR students can fund their education with prestigious scholarships, such as the Donald A. Strauss Scholarship and the Undergraduate Fulbright Scholars (Research and English Teaching Award). Support is offered throughout the application process. Also available are campus scholarships, and Financial Aid's Outside Agency Scholarship Search for regional and national scholarships.
Programs
Program Prerequisites: Broad academic backgrounds are welcome, which means you don’t have to be a science major to apply to the UCR SOM.
Pipeline Programs and Advising for Undergraduate Students
Student Pipeline Programs – Our SOM Pipeline Programs, like FastStart, Future Physician Leaders, and Health Coach Program, provide pathways for undergraduate or high school students who are interested in a career in the medical or health fields.
Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC) – HPAC's professional staff and peer mentors help UCR undergraduates interested in medical/health professions with pre-health professions coursework planning, health-related experiences, service work, and preparing to apply for admission to graduate/professional health programs.
The Thomas Haider Program at the UCR School of Medicine – UCR students may participate in the Thomas Haider Program, in which 24 qualifying UCR undergraduates are guaranteed admission to the SOM. Our Haider Early Assurance Program is a competitive program that guarantees accepted students a spot in an upcoming SOM class.
Student Career Development – The SOM supports our students through multiple Student Interest Groups which provide mentorship and networking opportunities for students to explore their specialty(ies) of interest. Students may also join advocacy, service, and leadership development student groups to better inform their future careers.
Graduate Programs
Medical Education Program – Seeks applicants who embrace SOM’s community-based mission and have diverse intellectual and life experiences to care for diverse populations. Applicants from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, not just those with a science degree, are invited to apply.
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program – Trains independent research scientists, alongside our first-year medical students, with a broad understanding of human disease, therapeutics, and design of predictive experimental model systems, integrating medical curriculum with mentored research and critical analysis of research-based modeling of human pathophysiology. Undergraduate students may conduct research in the labs of our biomedical scientists.
Graduate Medical Education – Sponsors residency training programs in Inland Southern California.
Undecided? We Can Help!
The UCR School of Medicine helps students successfully transition into a major field of study that is consistent with their aptitudes, values, and goals.
Notable Facts
Up to 24 Spots
are guaranteed to qualified UCR undergraduates each year — thanks to The Thomas Haider Program at the UCR School of Medicine!
2022 Enrollment
48 Biomedical science students
328 Medical students
40 Mission Scholarships
Scholarship recipients committed to practice in the Inland Empire for at least five years after completing their residencies.
No. 11 for Diversity
UCR's SOM is on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 list of Most Diverse Medical Schools.
Plus, it's No. 7 among public universities!
Award-Winning Faculty
BRIGHAM C. WILLIS, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean, Medical Education
Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
- Oversees the UCR SOM's Undergraduate Medical Education Program.
- Awarded the "Golden Apple" Teaching Award for overall outstanding instruction by the Class of 2020.
ANN M. CHENEY, PH.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health
Director of Medical Spanish Selective (HABLAMos)
- Researches structural inequity in health and providing resources to disadvantaged populations in rural communities.
- Serves as director of Hispanic and Bilingual Longitudinal Ambulatory Medical Studies (HABLAMoS), a four-year program that focuses on Spanish language acquisition and cultural and structural competence.
Pathway Programs
School of Medicine Pathway Programs are unique programs designed to help students, ranging from high school through college graduates, who are preparing for careers in medicine and health. The programs, which can stand alone or build upon one another throughout their academic career, assist in recruiting, advising, and mentoring these future health professionals.
FastStart
(For incoming first-year students from disadvantaged backgrounds)
Take part in a commuter-based, intensive program to gain the knowledge and skills needed for a successful start in your college education.
Future Physician Leaders (FPL)
(For incoming first-year students or current undergraduates from Riverside or San Bernardino Counties)
Spend seven weeks preparing a community health project and learn ways to reduce health disparities. Attend leadership lectures and career advising workshops.
Health Coach Program (HCP)
(For third- or fourth-year pre-medical, pre-health, and postbaccalaureate students)
Work with clinicians to support patients who have chronic conditions. Get trained in motivational interviewing and provide health weekly follow-ups with patients.
Medical Scholars Program (MSP)
(For first-year and transfer students from disadvantaged backgrounds)
Get peer mentoring, academic coaching, and career development. Includes professional help with career planning, the application process for medical school, community service, and paid summer research.
Mini Medical School (MMS)
(For current UCR undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and medical students)
Collaborate with a team of undergraduate and medical students to give health education presentations in the community.
Medical Leaders of Tomorrow (MLT)
(For rising 10th graders from Riverside or San Bernardino Counties)
Attend this free, weeklong residential summer program. Learn about health careers and college admissions. Includes science/health care presentations, team-building activities, and clinic/laboratory tours.
Premedical Postbaccalaureate Program (PPP)
(For those who recently received bachelor’s degrees)
Get an additional year of experience for acceptance into medical school.
Volunteer in Free Clinics
Help patients in underserved communities through free, student-led clinics in Riverside, San Bernardino, and the Coachella Valley. Volunteer alongside physicians, nurses, residents, and medical/dental/pharmacy students. riversidefreeclinic.com and sbfreeclinic.com
Student Spotlight
LAVINIA MITROI, Dr.PH., Class of '22
(Pediatrician)
- Born in Romania but grew up in San Bernardino, CA.
- Earned a doctor in philosophy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
- Helped lead a grassroots effort to create the Inland Empire COVID-19 Student Taskforce, a multi-campus effort that worked to identify volunteer opportunities and foster community advocacy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
KELLY C. RADECKI, Class of '21
(Scientist)
- As a Ph.D. candidate, her research focused on oncologic-endocrinology.
- Awarded the Mary Galvin Burden Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, the Dorothy M. Pease Endowed Fund for Cancer Research Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, and the Dean's Distinguished Fellowship.
Physician Alumni
DR. TERESA KHOO, Class of ’10 and ’17
(Biology and Doctor of Medicine, Family Medicine)
- Served as Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at the UCR SOM
- Won the Alumni Association Award (2011) and the prestigious Regents Scholarship (2006–10)
- Participated in the UCR/UCLA Thomas Haider in Biomedical Sciences Program
ANTONIO GARCIA, Class of ’20
- First-generation college student
- Volunteered as a Diabetes Health Coach at a county clinic in Riverside
- Began his residency with the UCR SOM's Graduate Medical Program (GME) in Family Medicine in 2020
Career Center
UCR students and alumni can get interview- and career-ready thanks to the services and resources available at UCR’s Career Center.
Explore professional/career options through a series of:
- On-campus events, including the Health Professions Information Day
- Preparation for graduate and professional schools
- Personalized career counseling
- Career fairs
- Job search skill-building workshops
