Violet Perez Siwik, MD

Dr. Siwik is a native of Tucson. During her time as an academician at the U of A, Dr. Siwik has been involved in both undergraduate and graduate medical education, clinical care, service, research and administration. On the graduate medical education level, she has taught on maternal child service and precepted in the family medicine center. She has also provided care for her patient panel in the Department of Family and Community Medicine for over 25 years. As a mentor for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson Societies Program (2010-2014), she taught the essential clinical skills, modeling and professionalism, and she advised her students longitudinally throughout their medical education. Since 2023, she has continued to provide coverage for student groups when society mentors are absent.

Dr. Siwik has served as the director of the Family and Community Medicine clerkship that included ensuring third-year students matched to either a rural, Indian Health Services or urban clinical site in Arizona. She taught the weekly sessions, updated the educational content and provided the student performance assessment in the clerkship.

In terms of research, she has demonstrated clinical innovation in the area of children with elevated BMIs and adults with Type 2 diabetes. She has presented her clinical results at national conferences and has been the co-investigator on grants in these areas. Since April 2024, she has been the principal investigator for the Helpers Program for Behavioral Health, which trains staff in behavioral health agencies across Arizona to proactively support clients in their tobacco cessation efforts.

As interim associate dean, assistant dean and house dean of student affairs (2014-2023), Dr. Siwik provided career advising and oversaw the office of admissions, financial aid, student development and student well-being. She continues to volunteer at the Shubitz Clinic, a student-led program for those who are underserved and uninsured in our community. She is also one of the Gold Humanism Honor Society student chapter advisors and served as the diversity champion, which is now the community, engagement and participation liaison, for the department.

She continues to address students’ wellness and interests in teaching undergrad students in the Bachelor of Science in Medicine and Premedical Admissions Program. She serves as the director of the family medicine interest group, the healing arts elective and peer support courses as part of her passion to provide medical student support and her interest in student wellness.

She is the instructor for the clinical health educator of the UA RISE Health and Wellness Center, teaching clients on organ systems and how nutrition, physical activity and substance use impact their health.