Community Health & Social Medicine
Our family medicine residency program upholds the principles of community-oriented primary care (COPC) in clinical practice. This is a process of integrating public health and clinical medicine to improve the health of the neighborhoods served by our community health center.
Resident physicians enhance their skills in COPC through the longitudinal Community Health & Social Medicine curriculum and outreach in the community. We believe family physicians are uniquely suited to accompany the people of our community in their journey to optimal health. Throughout their curriculum experience, our resident physicians build a sincere understanding of our community and the structural barriers that impact the well-being of our patients and their families. They will develop skills in structural competency and engage in experiential learning with community organizations and programs such as (Enhanced Care Management) through RUHS Public Health and RUHS Behavioral Health.
Community Outreach: Each resident physician in our program participates in community health education through partnerships with Moreno Valley Community Adult School and Moreno Valley Unified School District.
The innovative Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Promotion (H.E.L.P.) program promotes skills in health education and health advocacy for local high school students. The HELP program is a collaboration between RUHS/UCR Family Medicine, Moreno Valley Unified School District, and Cal Fresh Healthy Living (Riverside University Health System -- County Department of Public Health). Our resident physicians lead monthly workshops emphasizing lifestyle health issues through collaborative coaching and mentorship.
Resident physicians also volunteer for medical duties at local sporting events through the RUHS FM Sports Medicine program (high school football, combat sports, sports physicals).
Social Medicine: Our program faculty supervise clinical services for patients who are under-insured or uninsured through a network of student-run free clinics, including Riverside Free Clinic, Inland Empire Street Medicine, and Coachella Valley Free Clinic. There are also opportunities to volunteer at local health fairs in Riverside County, including with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and California Care Force.
We support organizations through University of California that promote social medicine beyond residency, such as the California (Health, Equity, Action, Leadership) HEAL Program fellowship.
Advocacy & Policy: Our program maintains strong connections to regional, state, and national organizations that support family medicine. Resident physicians are encouraged to serve as representatives for the Riverside-San Bernardino Chapter of the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP). We develop resolutions to present at the CAFP All-Member Advocacy Meeting in Sacramento each year, to promote policies that impact our patients and our communities.
Our resident physicians have participated in programs sponsored by American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation (AAFPF), including the Emerging Leaders Institute and Family Medicine Cares International.
Pathways Programs: Our affiliation with the University of California Riverside (UCR) School of Medicine offers opportunities for mentorship and education with pre-medical and medical students through UCR Pathways Programs, such as (Future Physician Leaders, Medical Leaders of Tomorrow, Health Coaches Program).
For those interested in improving the community through academic medicine, there are several education opportunities through UCR School of Medicine, including Clinical Skills, Case-Based Learning, and didactic lectures.
To learn more about community-oriented primary care: COPC Curriculum (Robert Graham Center)