Alumni News

Meet a MedCat: Sandra Vazquez Salas

Sandra Vazquez Salas is currently completing her fourth year as a medical student here at COM-T. She will be graduating in May with distinctions in Community Service, Rural Health, and Medical Spanish. After graduation, Sandra will be heading to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for a residency in Pathology. She chose this specialty after seeing the...


Meet a MedCat: Karen Ibarra

Karen Ibarra is a self-described “Wildcat at heart.” She is from San Luis, AZ and moved to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona. She earned a Bachelor's of Science in Public Health and then completed the College of Medicine – Tucson (COM-T) Pre-Medical Admissions Pathway (P-MAP) Program, which led her to COM-T. Karen loves being a part of...


Aspiring Physicians Celebrate Match Day, Residency Results

TUCSON, Ariz. – On Friday, March 19, 117 medical students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (COM-T) learned where they will first practice the science and art of medicine as they begin the next phase of their professional journey.    “We are extremely proud of our Class of 2021,” says Michael Abecassis, MD, MBA, dean of...


Remembering Paul Johnson, PhD– One of UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson's Founding Faculty

Paul C. Johnson, PhD, passed away at the age of 93 on February 21, 2021. A Founding Faculty member in the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Dr. Johnson was Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Department of Physiology at COM-T. Dr. Johnson was trained in Physics and Physiology at the University of Michigan, and received his PhD...


College of Medicine – Tucson Welcomes Alumnus as Neurosurgery Chair

Justin S. Cetas, MD, PhD, has been named the new chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, effective July 1. Dr. Cetas currently serves as chief of neurosurgery at the VA Portland Health Care System and as associate professor, residency program director and vice-chair for education in the...


Media Advisory: Spring Speaker Series To Focus on Mental Health During COVID-19 Pandemic

What: Spring Mental Health Speaker Series Where: Online via Zoom webinars. Register at OLLI.arizona.edu/page/mental-health When: 1 p.m. (MST) on March 3, March 17 and April 7 TUCSON, Ariz. — The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing stress has had a profound impact on mental health. Reseach by Mental Health America shows that “the number of...


UArizona Health Sciences Excels in Latest Blue Ridge Rankings on NIH Funding

TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona Health Sciences increased its National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to $139,881,044 and moved up in several categories in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, released Feb. 8. Most notably, the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson and the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix...


Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, FAAFP has been appointed Co-Director of the Global and Border Health Program.

Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, FAAFP has been appointed Co-Director of the Global and Border Health Program.  She will co-direct the program with Dr. Jerry Koleski ensuring that the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson remains a destination of choice for medical students, residents and faculty interested in Global and Border Health.    Dr....


Remembering Philip E. Dew, MD – One of UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson's Founding Faculty

Philip E Dew, MD, a member of the Founding Faculty at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, died peacefully in Tucson on February 2, 2021. Born October 12, 1925, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, he was the son of Paul and Madge Dew. He received B.S. and M.D. degrees from Western Reserve (now Case Western) University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he...


Arizona Economic Burden of Valley Fever Totals $736 Million

TUCSON, Ariz. — A University of Arizona Health Sciences study has estimated total lifetime costs at $736 million for the 10,359 valley fever patients diagnosed in Arizona in 2019, underscoring the economic burden the disease places on the state and its residents. The prevalence of valley fever, formally known as coccidioidomycosis or cocci, has...


People and Programs on the Move at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. — Among recent new hires, honors and awards at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson are the following news items: Department of Medicine Chair Recognized by Rotary Club Monica Kraft, MD, has been given the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary International for her contributions to precision medicine as both...


Dr. Keith Joiner, MD MPH, named Director for Scholarly Project

Dr. Keith Joiner, MD MPH, has accepted the position of Director for Scholarly Project Program.  This program, which will be mandatory for College of Medicine – Tucson medical students starting with the Class of 2025, is designed to allow each student to pursue a customized hypothesis-driven question as they complete their medical school curriculum...


New OB-GYN Chair Appointed by UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. — Chaur-Dong Hsu, MD, MPH, a renowned figure in the field of maternal-fetal health, has been appointed the new chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, effective March 15. “Dr. Hsu offers a broad portfolio of research and clinical experience to share with faculty...


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