School of Medicine News - A Community-Based Medical School for the 21st Century

CHC Announces 2026 Mini Grant Recipients

Center for Healthy Communities — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0800

The UCR School of Medicine Center for Healthy Communities (CHC) has announced the recipients of its annual Community Medicine and Population Health Mini-Grants Program for 2026. The program funds up to two community health and population medicine initiatives per year and has awarded more than $60,000 to over the past seven years.

UCR SOM to Host Watch Party of Gubernatorial Forum on Healthcare

UCR SOM Staff — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

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 committed to ensuring that every Californian has the opportunity to live healthy and well.

New Training Course Empowers Community Partners to Take Active Roles in Research

UCR SOM Staff — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Brandon Brown, PhD, a professor in the Department of Social Medicine, Population, and Public Health at the UC Riverside School of Medicine, has been conducting numerous community partnered research projects focused on HIV and the ethics of participant payment. Noting multiple barriers to community involvement as part of the research team, he collaborated with the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program to create The Community Research Partner Training Course. 

IESM Partners with Temalpakh Farms for After School Nutrition Program

Stephanie Sandoval, Center for Healthy Communities — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0700

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.

CHC Names its 2024 Community Medicine and Population Health Mini-Grant Awardees

Center for Healthy Communities — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, the UCR School of Medicine Center for Healthy Communities (CHC) announced the recipients of its 2024 Community Medicine and Population Health Mini-Grants Program. Third-year medical student Zayan Musa and third-year developmental psychology PhD student Chelsea McElwee will receive funding for their projects to establish a breast milk depot and hold mental health workshops, respectively.

New Master of Public Health Program to Start in Fall 2024

Erika Klein — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

The UCR School of Medicine will add a new master of public health (MPH) degree program in fall 2024, adding to its efforts to improve health among the people of Inland Southern California. The two-year program integrates public health expertise from across UCR’s campus, resulting in an in-depth focus on local to global public health problems and solutions. Ultimately, it aims to train a new generation of public health leaders committed to increasing health equity in the Inland Empire.

Vázquez Hosts Gallery Highlighting Mental Health Experiences of Underrepresented Graduate Students at Regents Meeting

UCR SOM Staff — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

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 School," was created and hosted by Evelyn Vázquez, PhD, MS of the Department of Social Medicine, Population, & Public Health.