Matt Gomez is currently a third year medical student at the UC Riverside School of Medicine. He is originally from Palos Verdes Estates, California and graduated from UC Riverside in 2014 with his Bachelor of Science in Biology.

While an undergraduate student at UCR, Matt served as President of Global Medical Brigades. He organized and lead multiple trips to Nicaragua and Honduras in order to set up mobile clinics and provide free healthcare to rural, underserved communities. Through these trips, he has helped deliver vital care and resources to over 8,000 people. He also completed a Global Health Internship in Nicaragua and subsequently went on to become a Global Brigades Advocate, Local Initiatives Committee member, and Alumni Hub Coordinator.

As rewarding as this international experience was, it made him acutely aware of the equally pressing needs facing the medically underserved population at home in Inland Southern California. Setting his attention to his local community, Matt began the long and arduous process of establishing the San Bernardino Free Clinic (SBFC) in partnership with Lestonnac Free Clinic – a dream that finally came to fruition on November 7^th, 2015 when SBFC officially opened its doors. He currently serves as President of SBFC and was recently invited to present the story of the clinic’s creation, establishment, and success to the UC Board of Regents.

Matt has always been passionate about serving both his school and his community. He is particularly keen on mentorship, as he believes that a true leader works to inspire future generations to take on the mantle of community improvement and empowerment. He has been an active member of Kaiser Permanente’s Hippocrates Circle, UCR’s Medical Leaders of Tomorrow and Future Physician Leaders program.

In recognition of his dedication to his school and community, he was awarded the Outstanding Service Scholar Award from UCR, the Kaiser Permanente MERIT Scholarship, the Outstanding Citizen Award from San Bernardino County Medical Society, and the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama.

Matt has been interested in pursuing Emergency Medicine since before starting medical school, and is committed to practicing medicine in the Inland Empire. He is particularly drawn to Emergency Medicine because of its fast pace, variety, and the excitement of not knowing who is going to walk through the doors next. He is especially looking forward to being on the frontlines of healthcare innovation, and hopes to carry on the legacy of the countless ground-breaking Emergency Medicine physician leaders that came before him. Matt hopes to take his role as a physician one step further, and become involved with medical leadership and administration. He is absolutely honored to be a part of such an extraordinary organization and is thankful for the opportunity to work with the talented CEMRO team to continuously improve and better the world of medicine.

What Matt believes makes an effective leader:

Integrity

Work Ethic

Vision

Passion

Communication