Bridging the gap between science research & clinical medicine
Information for Biomedical Sciences Graduate Students
About SOM Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine is responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of student life experience throughout the four years of medical school. The Office of Student Affairs is located in room 1682 of the School of Medicine Education Building and is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can find more about the office at their website, https://somsa.ucr.edu/.
Student Affairs provides a variety of services, including student enrollment, financial aid, academic records, physical and mental wellness, admissions counseling, career counseling, externships, residency preparation and professional development.
Below are some resources specific to Biomedical Sciences graduate students.
Administrative Information
R'Card Identification Card
The R'Card is a multi-functional identification card. It is the photo ID for the campus and can be used to access a variety of campus services. To get a card, visit the UCR Card Office, located in Bannockburn Village I-101, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The one-time fee for the card is $25, which may be placed on your account. You will need your Student Identification Number (SID) or Employee Identification Number (EID) and a valid form of ID, such as a driver's license or passport.
Visit the R'Card website for more information
Permanent Personal Identification Number (Perm PIN)
Your Perm PIN is a permanent six-digit number that is set by the Office of the Registrar once a student is admitted to the university. Perm PINs are required for any web transactions.
Communication
E-mail Accounts
When you enroll at UCR you are assigned an account on the student server and will receive a machine generated login name. While you cannot change your login name, you should change your password regularly to ensure the security of your account. Your initial password is your Permanent PIN number. If you forget it you can go to the Registrar’s Office.
It is important to regularly check your campus e-mail. Graduate Student Affairs officers use e-mail to remind students of important deadlines or to pass on important messages. If you change your e-mail address, please notify your Graduate Student Affairs officer.
Mailboxes
Your graduate assistant will show you the location of your mailbox. Remember to check it regularly.
Graduate Student Association
All graduate students are automatically members of the Graduate Student Association (GSA), which seeks to represent their views and promote their interests with the faculty and administration, both at the campus level and systemwide. GSA is supported by a separate $16 per quarter student fee, which it administers and allocates annually for various graduate student services.
Health and Safety
Laboratory Safety Training
Graduate students are required to attend Lab Safety Training provided by Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S). This training should be done as soon as possible. You may also enroll on-line via the EH&S website or call EH&S at (951) 827-5528.
Residency and Addresses
Personal Information and Change of Address
You can change your local and/or permanent address or phone number by clicking on the Personal Information icon in R’Web. You should also update your Graduate Student Affairs officer when you move.
Establishing California Residency
Domestic non-resident students must establish California residency by the second year of study. You must petition in person at the Office of the Registrar for a change of classification from non-resident to resident status. All changes of status must be initiated before the first day of classes for the term for which you intend to be classified as a resident.