2025 Archive

2025 Gala Supports Training New Doctors to Serve the Inland Empire

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On Saturday, October 4, the UCR School of Medicine held its 2025 Celebration of Medical Education Gala. The annual event, which was attended by 352 people, raised nearly $193,000 for the school’s Mission Award Scholarship to support medical students who commit to practicing in the underserved local region.

Deborah Deas, MD, MPH, the vice chancellor for health sciences and the Mark and Pam Rubin dean of the School of Medicine, noted that the event marked the school’s eighth gala celebration. “This event continues to grow each year and so has your support,” she said. “It warms my heart to realize that each of you truly understands the significance of medical education and the impact it can have on our community.”

“Medicine is more than a career, it’s a calling,” UCR Chancellor S. Jack Hu, PhD told the guests. “Through your investments, you’re helping to train the next generation of physicians, doctors who will… build a healthier future for our region.”

Current SOM student Jalene Rodriguez, who received last year's Gala Mission Award, spoke about the empowerment she felt visiting a Spanish-speaking physician when she was growing up in Riverside. A member of the class of 2029, Rodriguez felt motivated to volunteer as a medical Spanish interpreter at the Riverside Free Clinic and Coachella Valley Free Clinic. Patients’ “stories…sparked a drive to create change as a physician advocate and a commitment to one day serve the same community that has shaped me into the person I am today,” she said. “Thanks to your support, I have the privilege of pursuing this dream.”