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Riverside leaders and advocates urge Regents to invest in UCR to close Inland Empire care gap
Summary
Speakers at the Regents meeting urged continued investment in the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine to expand resident slots and clinical capacity for the medically underserved Inland Empire.
Riverside County leaders and regional advocates implored the Board of Regents to back expanded clinical training and capacity at the University of California, Riverside to address a regional shortage of primary-care providers.
"I am Riverside County supervisor, Jose Medina," Medina said during public comment, describing his dual perspective as a county supervisor and former assembly member and urging the board to "invest in UCR's mission and help ensure that every family in Riverside County has access to the quality care they deserve."
Medina and other speakers noted the Inland Empire lacks enough primary-care physicians: the speaker said the region has "about 50% of the primary care physicians needed per 100,000 people, far below the recommended number of 60 to 80 physicians per 100,000." Advocates asked the Regents to support expanding UCR's clinical footprint and increasing resident slots so the school can train doctors who serve the region.
Richard Roth, speaking by phone, also urged continued UC engagement with regional healthcare workforce needs, saying that despite growth the region remains "medically underserved in terms of primary and specialty care providers and facilities." He thanked the university for work to date and asked for continued support.
These were public comments; the Regents' morning open session did not produce a vote or formal commitment on new state funding for UCR during the segment recorded in the transcript.
