MEDICINE: The University of California, Riverside (UCR) addresses the nationwide shortage of physicians.
By Matthew Saenz, Staff Writer
With the number of physicians in the United States at an all-time low, many attempts were made to increase these numbers. As this need for physicians became more and more dire, universities nationwide began increasing the number of medical programs in order to address this issue.
One such program is the UCR Medical School—the newest addition on the West Coast. It was established in 2008 with the goal of increasing the number of physicians and improving the health of California residents, but “especially, to serve Inland Southern California,” according to the UCR Mission Statement. In fact, five scholarships will be given to students who pledge to remain in the Riverside area upon graduating from UCR. It is an extremely competitive program, with its inaugural class (2013) and current class (2014) each accepting only 50 students from a pool of more than 5000. Half of these acceptances will be reserved for students who previously attended UCR for at least six quarters.
This new medical school rapidly gained support over the past two years from numerous hospitals and influential people in Riverside. Dr. Sarah Chae, M.D., a volunteer faculty member at the school, shared her thoughts on mentoring medical students. “I have been very impressed with the quality of the medical students. These students are extremely passionate, who truly care about patient health,” she explained. “This program is incredibly important for Riverside and the Inland Empire. It creates numerous avenues for Riverside students who wish to become physicians.”
Current UCR Medical School students shared these sentiments. Dustin Plowman, a Pennsylvania native and first-year medical student at UCR, explained the unique aspects that drew him to this profession and to Riverside. “I chose to become a physician because I am passionate about helping people, many of whom are vulnerable,” he expressed. As a former teacher of AP Environmental Science, Plowman realized UCR was the perfect place to develop his passion into a profession. “I chose UCR because of its dedication and commitment to the community; I can become connected to the community on a much deeper level,” he explained.
Plowman described the distinction between UCR and other medical schools. “UCR creates a much more hands-on experience. At a typical medical school, I would be doing two years of bookwork until I even got the opportunity to shadow a physician. Within my first month, I have shadowed a physician and talked with at least eight different professors.” When asked whether or not he thinks he will stay in the Inland Empire after graduation, he replied, “Definitely,” due to his love for Riverside and interest in working with patients in the area.
Though the number of physicians has declined, new programs like the UCR Medical School promise good things to come. For Riverside students, this will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to practice medicine while staying close to home.