Shloka Homa
About Me:
Hi everyone! I am a 4th-year undergraduate student at UCR majoring in Cellular, Molecular, Developmental Biology. I joined UCR in 2019 as a freshman on the pre-health track who was unsure of how to navigate the undergraduate journey. However, due to the multitude of resources, advising centers, mentorships programs, organizations/clubs, and opportunities that UCR offers I felt more confident in my journey and in accomplishing my goals. What I loved about UCR is how everyone from faculty to peers is there to support and guide students in their journeys, something that I felt was unique to UCR. Some organizations I am involved with on campus include SISTERs, Medical Scholars Program, Mini Medical School, and Highlander EMS. Additionally, I enjoy volunteering at local free clinics including the Riverside Free Clinic and the Inland Vineyard Free Clinic to serve marginalized patient populations facing health inequities in the Inland Empire. During my free time, some of my hobbies include visiting wellness centers, practicing yoga/meditation, kayaking, and spending time with family and friends.
Extracurriculars:
Science Ambassadors Program Member: Through the science ambassador program undergraduate students have the opportunity to mentor Riverside's K-12 students with STEM work/careers and also represent UCR at campus-wide events. I have been able to tutor students, conduct UCR tours, participate in student panels, judge science olympiad tournaments, and serve as the president of the SISTERs organization.
Riverside Free Clinic Research Officer: The Riverside Free Clinic provides free medical services to the Inland Empire's uninsured and underinsured patient populations. As a research officer for the clinic, I perform clinical research to improve clinic flow and collect data on how health disparities impact chronic illness diagnosis in underserved patient populations.
Inland Vineyard Free Clinic Scribe Leader: Volunteer for the Path of Life shelters in Riverside serving unhoused patient demographics. As a scribe leader, I create trainings for my scribe members and educate them on proper scribing practices so we can ensure both efficiency and accuracy when scribing for medical providers at the clinic.
UCR School of Medicine (SOM) Medical Scholars Program Academic Peer Mentor:
Mentorship program created by the UCR SOM Pathways Team to provide guidance and support to undergraduate students navigating pre-health careers. As an academic peer mentor, I provide professional development support, college advice, opportunities, and more to assist my mentees with their journey at UCR.
UCR School of Medicine (SOM) Mini Medical School (MMS) Project Leader: MMS is a pipeline program through UCR SOM that is organized into multiple projects that address different health issues prevalent in the Inland Empire (IE). Groups have the opportunity of conducting research on their specific health topics and presenting their poster boards and powerpoint presentations at different community organizations/events. As a foster youth health advocate I created the Foster Youth Health project for MMS and serve as a project leader to increase awareness in the IE about the health disparities that the foster youth patient demographic are challenged with.
Highlander EMS (HEMS) EMT: HEMS is an on-campus organization that provides medical support for UCR students at on-campus events such as campus concerts and commencement. Additionally, the organization provides medical support at off-campus events such as Street Medicine Clinics and local high school track meetings. As a student EMT, I work with UCPD, AMR, and RFD to staff student medical emergencies and provide medical support to students.
Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) Youth Fellow: ICUC's mission is to empower youth to seek solutions to the issues that Inland Empire communities face. As a youth fellow, I founded the Foster Youth Wellness Project, created a PPE drive to distribute pandemic supplies to the unhoused, organized food drives, and increased LGBTQ+ inclusiveness in the IE.
COPE Health Scholar: Volunteered at the Riverside Community Hospital to assist medical personnel with patient care. Gained valuable bedside and clinical experience.
Contact Me:
shoma004 [at] ucr [dot] edu