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 National Doctors Day is March 30 of every year and we celebrate it this year at the UA College of Medicine and Banner – University Medicine in Tucson on March 29 with lunches for all physicians.
On such occasions, I am thankful for the persistent professionalism and compassionate caring of all my colleagues within the Department of Medicine and beyond.
We were reminded of that dedication to our trade by Dr. Chad Whelan, CEO of Banner – University Medicine, when he spoke at our departmental general faculty meeting on March 19. He commented positively about the need to view things as a single entity (not separate clinical and academic operations). The sentiments were reinforced with thanks from by Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs Dr. Tammy Ojo and Vice Chair of Education Dr. Amy Sussman. They noted how individuals and divisions have stepped up to the challenges of both “Fast Pass” clinical appointments for Banner and UA employed patients, and increased teaching demands due to the “Overlap” of Class of 2020 and 2021 medical students in clerkships due to a curriculum change this year. You’ll find an excellent summary of that meeting below, including time stamps for each segment if you want to go to the archived video and hear the discussion, particularly the Q&A portion. It’s definitely worth the listen.
 Congratulations to all our excellent graduating medical students who matched into many of the top residency programs in the country, including ours, on March 15. We're happy that so many—nearly 20 percent—chose internal medicine for their specialty and nearly 40 percent picked primary care! Read more about it below.
 I would like to point out that all UA employees are required to complete “Information Security Awareness Training” by April 30 (learn more). Likewise, all UA-owned laptops must be encrypted by April 19—please take yours ASAP to the ITS Help Desk in the UAHS Library to get this done (learn more).
And, for those physicians who require credit toward Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Waiver Training, there’s a free workshop  May 4. This is for clinicians (not just MDs) interested in obtaining their DEA waiver to prescribe buprenorphine, one of three medications approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Learn more in this article about a related training program offered through the Arizona Area Health Education Center (AzAHEC) at the UA.
Lastly, ASU hosts a tri-university Statewide Symposium in Regenerative Medicine on May 17-18 for which Dr. Jared Churko, at the UA Sarver Heart Center, is the local contact. This is an excellent venue to showcase some of the innovative research being done within our department. Other venues to showcase our talent locally include the DOM Research Academic Half Day, April 18, and COM Medical Education Research Day, April 19. I hope to see us well represented in terms of faculty, fellows and residents participating or attending in support of your colleagues.
Monica Kraft, MD
Robert & Irene Flinn Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
Best-selling author, philanthropist and integrative medicine program founder at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson, Dr. Andrew Weil committed $15 million to name the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine – adding to previous gifts totaling $5 million and ensuring the UA is the world's nexus of integrative medicine education, research  and innovation. He made the announcement at a news conference with UA President Dr. Robert Robbins, UA Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Dr. Michael Dake, and Center Executive Director Dr. Victoria Maizes. Dr. Esther Sternberg is the inaugural holder of the Andrew Weil Endowed Chair for Research in Integrative Medicine. See the video…
Congrats to the UA College of Medicine – Tucson’s 97 graduating medical students who matched March 15 on Match Day 2019 into residency physician training programs—18 into internal medicine programs. From here and around the nation, 46 total matched into those programs at the UA Department of Medicine (36 at main campus, 10 at South Campus) and three more in dermatology. See who they are and where they come from—and a photo gallery, too!...
A full plate. That’s what the evening offered March 19 for the Quarterly Faculty Meeting of the UA Department of Medicine, with new CEO of Banner – University Medicine Dr. Chad Whelan as well as updates on cultivating relationships with potential donors, promotion and tenure (P&T) application changes, the clinical mission and “the overlap” all on the agenda. See the video, a photo album, new hires, “Accolades & Awards” list, P&T guidance documents and an announcements summary…
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Pulmonary disease research investigator Dr. Louise Hecker was named an award winner in the 2019 I-Squared (I²) Awards & Expo on Monday, April 1, 4:30-7 p.m., at the UA Steve Eller Dance Theatre, 737 E. University Blvd. Come cheer her on as she accepts the honor and see other innovations showcased from the UA and UA Department of Medicine...
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A number of UA Department of Medicine faculty are lined up as presenters and panelists at a Clinical Trials Development Workshop, Saturday, April 13, sponsored by the UA College of Medicine – Tucson and supported by the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission: Drs. Hani Babiker, Julie Bauman, Khadijah Breathett, Pavani Chalasani, Kwan Lee, Jarrod Mosier, Sairam Parthasarathy and Rachna Shroff. See the program and register today as spots are limited to 60…
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Physicians practicing with Banner – University Medical Group, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson, Banner – UMC South and the UA Cancer Center got to celebrate at an honorary luncheon Friday, March 29, in recognition of National Doctors’ Day 2019. See a few of the photos from the day posted to Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for all you do!...
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Banner – University Medical Center Tucson will welcome its first patients to its new, nine-story patient tower starting April 22—with an employee preview April 4 and public preview during the April 7 Cyclovia festivities. Nearly four years under construction, the $446 million tower features 228 private rooms, 20 new operating rooms, new diagnostic imaging and cardiac catheterization labs, a new cafeteria and stunning views of Tucson and the Santa Catalina mountains. With this 670,000-square-foot tower expansion, adult ICU beds, always in high demand, will increase by 96 new beds…
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Dr. Khadijah Breathett, a physician with the UA Division of Cardiology and UA Sarver Heart Center who is a passionate advocate for health equity and conducts research on bias in health care—particularly with respect to heart failure, was selected as one of the National Minority Quality Forum’s “40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health” for 2019. Congratulations!
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A woman diagnosed with a congenital heart condition at age 69 is the lead story in the Sarver Heart Center Newsletter. Other news items include:  several investigators win NIH funding and the Clinical Research Program grows to more than 70 active trials, the 2018-19 Sarver Investigator Awards announced, and UA President Dr. Robert Robbins presents Mary Anne Fay Women’s Heart Health Advocate of the Year Award to Dr. Nancy Sweitzer…
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Dr. Ranjith Shetty provided the March 21 Green Valley Lecture on “Stroke Prevention and Atrial Fibrillation.” A-fib is a heart arrhythmia that becomes more common as people age and can put them at higher risk for stroke. Dr. Shetty is an assistant professor in the UA Division of Cardology, UA Sarver Heart Center member, and associate director of the Structural Heart Disease Program and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Program. See photos from his talk…
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Reserve a seat now for the UA Skin Cancer Institute’s annual Skin Cancer Prevention Friends (SPF) Luncheon, Friday, April 26, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Arizona Inn to celebrate our wonderful achievements in skin cancer research, education and outreach. Dr. Carolyn Heckman, from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, will give the keynote address on “Current Topics in Primary Prevention of Skin Cancer.” Arrive early for a research poster session from 10:30-11:30 a.m…
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Genetics, Genomics and Precision Medicine
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UA associate professor of medicine, nutritional sciences, Cancer Biology GIDP and Genetics GIDP, and director of genetic consultation at the UAHS Center for Applied Genetics and Genomic Medicine, and member, UA Cancer Center, UA Center on Aging, etc., Dr. Christina Laukaitis was recognized with the Mendel Medal by the Mendelianum at the Moravian Museum of Brno, Czech Republic, for her “contribution to the propagation of Gregor Mendel’s scientific legacy.” The 19th century friar is considered the father of genetics. The March 8 presentation in London celebrated Mendel Day, Women’s Day and the British Genetics Society's 100th anniversary…
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Dr. Lisa O’Neill, a UA assistant professor of medicine, UA Center on Aging research and education associate director, Arizona Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program director, and chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging, was one of two UA faculty speaking at the Fourth Annual Caregiver Day at the Capitol, March 21, in Phoenix. The other was Heather Carter, a state senator who also is associate director of the UA Center for Rural Health. Sponsored by the Arizona Caregiver Coalition and AARP Arizona, the event teaches attendees to advocate for family caregivers...
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Two new faculty members joined the UA Division of Geriatrics, General Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine and Banner – University Medicine in Tucson. Drs. Bulbul Cibei and Malvika Varma are general internal medicine clinician educators. They began their medical service in January and will work with residents and medical students at North Hills clinics, Banner – UMC Tucson and South hospitals...
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The latest edition of the UA Cancer Center Newsletter posted March 29 with a plethora of information for physicians, investigators and staff in the UA Division of Hematology and Oncology and beyond. The top story is on the center’s newly redesigned website. Other features cover expanded treatment options for GI cancer patients and combination immunotherapy to boost cancer immune response, featuring Drs. Andrew Kraft, Rachna Shroff and Jue Wang…
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Valley fever affects people, pets and livestock, notes Tucson Lifestyle in “Digging Up a Diagnosis,” a primer on the difficult-to-diagnose respiratory disease caused by fungal spores in arid Southwest soils. It underscores efforts by UA Valley Fever Center for Excellence researchers to train community physicians on new clinical practice protocols. Dr. John Galgiani also offers an update on vaccine development and other research; a briefing for the NIH, CDC and Congressional leaders; and the latest numbers to track the disease…
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Join the UA College of Medicine – Tucson for a debate April 23 at Centennial Hall between Drs. Andrew Weil and Irving Kron about conventional medicine and complementary therapies and healing practices shaping tomorrow's care. Can prevention and intervention co-exist in today's complex health care environment? They’re joined by panelists Drs. Roberta Brinton, Juanita Merchant, Joaquin Ruiz and Nancy Sweitzer for this public event…
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Dr. Frank C. "Chip" Brosius, III, former Nephrology Division chief at the University of Michigan and a UA nephrology professor since 2017, is now interim chief of the division here, a post recently vacated by Dr. Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, who served from 2015-19. He left this spring to become a professor of medicine and the co-director of the UNC Kidney Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill…
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Formerly acting in an interim role, Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, professor of medicine and director of the UA Health Sciences Center for Sleep & Circadian Sciences and Banner – University Medicine Center for Sleep Disorders, has been appointed as chief of the Division of Pulmonary Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, also known as PACCS…
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A blogpost written by UA sleep medicine expert Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy takes a hard look at how men can “Experience the Much-Needed Benefits of Sleep” for better health. It appears under the “Cardio” heading of at the website Talking About Men’s Health™, a top-10 blog site for men’s health. He notes “people who don’t get regular deep sleep are at greater risk of heart attacks and strokes” and other health issues…
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Free and open to the public, the Living Healthy With Arthritis lecture, “Escape from Inflammation Nation: Conquering the Inflammation Epidemic on the Path to Health and Resilience,” by Dr. Floyd “Ski” Chilton, April 3, in DuVal Auditorium, will discuss the revolutionary approaches he has developed to prevent, treat and reverse the effects of inflammation as well as to address unhealthy thoughts and behaviors…
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The UA Sarver Heart Center will conclude its 32nd annual Green Valley Lecture Series at 10 a.m., Thursday, April 18, with “Arthritis and Heart Disease: Is Inflammation the Common Culprit?” presented by Dr. C. Kent Kwoh, chief of the Division of Rheumatology and director of the UA Arthritis Center. The free lecture will be held at the Canoa Hills Social Center, 3660 S. Camino del Sol, Green Valley. No reservations necessary…
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Congratulations to all our excellent graduating medical students who matched into many of the top residency programs in the country, including ours, on March 15. We're happy that so many—nearly 20 percent—chose internal medicine for their specialty and nearly 40 percent picked primary care! Read more about it below.
