In a commentary in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, Rajesh "Robby" Gulati, MD, senior associate dean for graduate medical education at the UCR School of Medicine, examines whether routine peak flow monitoring adds value in the emergency treatment of acute asthma. insideucr.ucr.edu/stories/2026...

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, led by Iryna Ethell, PhD, professor of biomedical sciences, have taken an important step toward a potential treatment for Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disability. news.ucr.edu/articles/202...

California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos was honored to deliver a keynote address at @ucrmedschool.bsky.social tenth Commencement and Hippocratic Oath Ceremony, welcoming a new generation of physicians into the medical profession. Congratulations, Class of 2026! 🎓

Today, the SOM Office of DEI hosted an event in honor of Pride Month. It featured Lisa Fortuna, MD, MPH, MDiv, professor and chair of the Dept. of Psychiatry and Neurosciences speaking on “Faith, Acceptance, and Mental Health: Working with Religiously and Culturally Diverse Families of LGBTQ Youth.”

DEI Office Hosts Pride Month Lunch and Learn

On Wednesday, the UC Riverside School of Medicine hosted a Lunch and Learn event in honor of Pride Month. The annual monthlong observation in June commemorates the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, tran...

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Andrew Huang, Class of 2026, had a desire to find new ways to aid patients suffering with epilepsy, leading to his PhD in biomedical sciences. But Huang wanted to do more, so he is starting his second year of medical school at Virginia Tech. somnews.ucr.edu/articles/202...

Diagnosed with a heart condition in college, Helen Setaghiyan, Class of 2026, was unsure if she could pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. With encouragement from her family and medical team, she is graduating from the UCR SOM and will begin her residency in pediatrics at UCLA Medical Center.

Supporting and Advocating for Patients and Families: Helen Setaghiyan, Class of 2026

When a child received a diagnosis for a cardiac issue on one of her pediatrics rotations, Helen Setaghiyan knew exactly what to do. “I ended up talking to the mom about how I received an unexpected di...

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When Andrew McLain started at the UCR School of Medicine, he was sure of one thing: He did not want to specialize in emergency medicine. But as the former EMT completed his medical student rotations, he rediscovered the aspects he’d loved about the job. somnews.ucr.edu/articles/202...

Jennell Jennett, Class of 2026, happened to start a job in biotechnology after studying microbiology in college—and found her true calling. Her love of research led her to a PhD in biomedical sciences at UCR.

A Love of Science: Jennell Jennett, Class of 2026

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 tha...

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Alicia Junker, Class of 2026, presents a different image from commonly held perceptions around the word “veteran.” Junker’s research, including her thesis for her master of public health (MPH) at the UCR SOM, aims to humanize veterans while addressing health equity issues that they face.

Sharing Veterans’ Stories: Alicia Junker, Class of 2026

Alicia Junker knew she wanted to focus on veterans health for her Master of Public Health (MPH) thesis at the UC Riverside School of Medicine. But initially, Junker, a member of the MPH program’s inau...

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Javier Prieto, UCR SOM Class of 2026, had a kidney removed as a child—and has already used his personal experience to reassure and inspire his patients. Prieto will begin his urology residency program at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton but hopes to eventually practice in the Inland Empire.

Seeing Himself in His Patients: Javier Prieto, Class of 2026

During one of his pediatrics rotations in medical school, Javier Prieto encountered a young patient with a tumor growing in his kidney. “His relatives had already had kidney problems, so hearing that ...

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The Ultrasound Student Instructor Cadre (USSIC) at the UCR SOM is creating a powerful peer-led model for medical education by training MS2 students to teach ultrasound skills to first-year students. somnews.ucr.edu/articles/202...

Peer-Led Ultrasound Education at the UCR SOM

During a recent career day at a local high school, second-year UC Riverside medical student Leonardo Padilla stood in a classroom with an ultrasound probe in hand, surrounded by students staring in wo...

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New research led by Nicholas V. DiPatrizio, PhD, from the UCR School of Medicine’s Division of Biomedical Sciences is helping explain a long-observed cannabis paradox: why chronic cannabis users often show lower body weight and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes despite increased appetite.

Cannabis compounds may boost metabolic health while supporting weight loss

Researchers identify potential mechanism linked to reduced type 2 diabetes risk

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New research from Xuecai Ge at the UCR School of Medicine found that the “primary cilium” — a microscopic, antenna-like structure found in nearly every cell — helps guide early brain development and could be linked to disorders affecting the brain and other organs. news.ucr.edu/articles/202...

Our next UCR SOM Grand Rounds will take place on Tues., May 19, 2026 from 11:45 am to 1 pm in room 205 of the Education Building II. Our speaker is Alaina P. Vidmar, MD, presenting "Pediatric Obesity: From Diagnosis to Long-Term Care." Lunch and parking is available. RSVP via the QR code by May 11.

Today, our medical students participated in the Annual Anatomical Donation Program Memorial Service to give thanks and remembrance to the twelve people who donated their bodies so that our medical students could learn from them.

Fourth-year medical student Mariamu Osumah has been named one of five recipients of the 2026–2027 American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) Physician Scientist Support Foundation (PSSF) Fellowship, a nationally recognized program that supports the development of future physician-scientists.

Congratulations to Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Pablo Joo, MD, on being named to serve on the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) inaugural Curriculum, Assessment, Instruction, and Research (CAIR) Group Steering Committee!

Prof. David Lo, MD, PhD, and graduate researcher Diana Del Castillo of the UCR SOM's Division of Biomedical Sciences have published research in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology that identified previously unrecognized immune “sentinel” cells in hair follicles. news.ucr.edu/articles/202...

Congratulations to Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Denise Martinez, MD, on being selected to participate in the 32nd cohort of The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) at the Drexel University College of Medicine. somnews.ucr.edu/articles/202...

On Friday, the UC Riverside School of Medicine hosted the inaugural UC Summit on Methamphetamine. With California being disproportionately impacted by methamphetamine use, the daylong conference provided a space to come together to address the overdose crisis. somnews.ucr.edu/articles/202...

UCR SOM Hosts Inaugural UC Summit on Methamphetamine

On Friday, the UC Riverside School of Medicine hosted the inaugural UC Summit on Methamphetamine. The daylong event provided a space for leaders in addiction medicine, faculty from UC campuses, resear...

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On March 26, the UCR SOM PRIME African, Black, and Caribbean Exhibit will open at the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California The reception begins at 12 noon and features refreshments, guests, and a first look at the exhibit. The institute is located at 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 103

This Friday, medical students will find out the location of the residency program where they'll take the next step in their careers. The UCR SOM Office of Career and Residency Advising (OCRA) helped them get there. See how OCRA supports students on the SOM News website.

Supporting Students from Medical School to a Career: The UCR SOM Office of Career and Residency Advising

Most of the focus for the Office of Career and Residency Advising (OCRA) comes during Match Week, when fourth-year students find out the location of their residency programs. Yet the job is a year-rou...

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The UCR SOM’s PRIME LEAD ABC Program has received the 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, recognizing its work preparing future physicians to advance health equity for African, Black, and Caribbean communities in Inland Southern California.

Medical and premedical students from across California will gather at the UCR SOM this Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, for the 2026 Unified California Community Health Conference (UCCHC), which is focused on advancing community health initiatives and collaboration among future physicians.

United California Community Health Conference at UCR SOM March 13 and 14

Medical and premedical students from across California will gather at the UC Riverside School of Medicine this Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, for the 2026 Unified California Community Health Co...

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Good luck to Nala Kachour, a doctoral student in the School of Medicine's Division of Biomedical Sciences, who will be competing in today's semi final of Grad Slam at the Genomics Auditorium at 1:15 pm! Her presentation is titled "Built to Last: How Toxoplasma Maintains Life-long Infection."

The University of California, Riverside School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience is partnering with The Craig School in Irvine to bring comprehensive, no-cost mental health services directly to students through the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI).

SOM Dept. of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Partners with The Craig School to Provide Support for Students

The University of California, Riverside School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience is partnering with The Craig School on a program that will provide comprehensive, no-cost mental ...

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Thank you for all of your efforts in caring for our patients and communities and for teaching our medical students! Your hard work does not go unnoticed!

More than four decades after its recognition by the US government, Black History Month continues to hold importance in communities, serving as a space for reflection and remembrance. To honor this, several members of the UCR SOM community shared their perspectives on what this month means to them.

Reflections on Black History Month

More than four decades after its official recognition by the US government in 1976, Black History Month continues to hold importance in communities today, serving as a space for reflection and remembr...

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Professor Sika Zheng of the UC Riverside School of Medicine and his team found that an when a protein called UPF2 is missing, neurons lose their way and the brain’s structure can become disorganized, with changes linked to epilepsy, autism, and schizophrenia. news.ucr.edu/articles/202...

Keeping neurons on the right path

RNA control is essential for building the brain’s layered structure

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The month of Ramadan, which began last week, is when many Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset. Sherif Hassan, MD, a professor of internal medicine at the UCR School of Medicine, answers questions about fasting, including its benefits as well as the risks and precautions.

The science of Ramadan fasting

UC Riverside’s Dr. Sherif Hassan breaks down the medical benefits and potential risks of fasting

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