About the RHHOs

Four Regional Hubs of Healthcare Opportunity (RHHO) have been awarded funds to build pathways for community college students into the medical field in rural and underserved communities. These RHHOs will bridge gaps between community colleges, four-year universities, medical schools, and community-based health clinics and organizations to provide greater pre-med opportunities for students and help diversify California’s primary care physician workforce. The four awards have been made available to the following schools: UC Davis School of Medicine, UC Riverside School of Medicine, UCSF School of Medicine-Fresno, and UC San Diego School of Medicine. Each RHHO will provide students with a robust support system which may include priority registration, enhanced curriculum, tailored advising, and so much more. Learn more about each RHHO below.

UC Davis School of Medicine

The UC Davis School of Medicine creates new pathways to medical school, called the Greater Northern California Regional Healthcare Hub (GNCRHH), to boost the number of doctors in rural areas. Avenue M is part of a collaboration with the School of Medicine, the UC Davis STEM Strategies group, Sacramento State University, Cal Poly Humboldt and Kaiser Permanente Northern California. The community college districts in this initiative are: 

  • California Tribal College
  • Los Rios Community College District (American River College, Cosumnes River College, Folsom Lake College, Sacramento City College)
  • Mendocino-Lake Community College District (Mendocino College)
  • Redwoods Community College District (College of the Redwoods)
  • Shasta-Tehama-Trinity (Shasta College)
  • Sierra Community College District (Sierra College)
  • Siskiyou Community College District (College of the Siskiyous)
  • Solano County Community College District (Solano College)
  • Yuba Community College District (Yuba College and Woodland Community College)

If you have any questions regarding the UC Davis RHHO, please visit their website: https://avenuem.ucdavis.edu/apply.

UCSF School of Medicine-Fresno

UCSF Fresno will be the lead agency for the San Joaquin Valley Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity (SJV-RHHO), which will create the first pre-med pathway in the San Joaquin Valley. UCSF Fresno is partnering with the California Health Sciences University, Fresno State, the California Area Health Education Center Program, the Central Valley Health Network, and the Valley Health Team Family Residency Medicine Program. The community college districts in this initiative are:

  • State Center Community College District (Fresno City College, Clovis Community College, Madera/Oakhurst Community College, Reedley Community College)
  • College of the Sequoias (Hanford, Tulare and Visalia campuses)
  • Merced Community College District (Merced and Los Banos campuses)
  • West Hills Community College District (Coalinga, Firebaugh and Lemoore campuses)
  • Yosemite Community College District (Columbia College and Modesto Junior College)

If you have any questions regarding the UCSF Fresno RHHO, please visit their website: https://sjvmedbridge.ucsf.edu/ .

UC Riverside School of Medicine

The UC Riverside School of Medicine is establishing the Inland Empire Regional Hub for Healthcare Opportunity (IE RHHO) in order to create a pre-med pathway for local community college students. This new pathway will bring together partners across Riverside and San Bernardino counties to address the physician shortages in the region. Partners include California State University, San Bernardino, UC Riverside, and several community-based organizations. They will also be partnering with the following California community colleges:

  • Chaffey College
  • College of the Desert
  • Norco College
  • Riverside City College
  • San Bernardino Valley College
  • Victor Valley College

If you have any questions regarding the UC Riverside RHHO, please visit their website: https://cmsp.ucr.edu/.

UC San Diego School of Medicine

The UC San Diego School of Medicine will be the lead agency for the Region X Hub of Healthcare Opportunity (RHHO). UC San Diego’s commitment to the sustainability of diversity in healthcare is focused on awareness, education, recruitment, retention, and persistence. UC San Diego School of Medicine created the UniversityLink Medical Science Program (ULMSP). A summer residential and year-long advising and academic enrichment program that assists community college students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to make a successful transfer to the university and to enter the health professions. Due to the success of this program, UC San Diego was able to kick off the California Medicine Scholars Program (CMSP) through the CMSP pilot program where they recruited 25 students for Fall 2022 and are excited to start recruitment for Cohort 2 this Fall. The UC San Diego School of Medicine has partnered with CSU San Marcos, San Diego State University, Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, Innercare, UC San Diego Family Medicine Residency, Family Health Centers for San Diego Family Residency, Scripps Mercy Family Residency Program, Las Maestra Community Health Centers, Rady’s Children Hospital, and FACES for the future. Their community college partners include:

  • San Diego Imperial County Community College Association (Palomar College, MiraCosta College, Grossmont College, Cuyamaca College, San Diego City College, Mesa College, Miramar College, Southwestern College, Imperial Valley College)

To learn more about the program, please visit their website: https://cmsp.ucsd.edu/.

If you have any questions, please email cmsp@health.ucsd.edu.