The University Of Arizona
Rheumatology Fellowship Program

The Rheumatology Fellowship at the University of Arizona is a two-year approved fellowship complying with the regulations for board eligibility. It utilizes the teaching facilities at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center/University Medical Center, which includes a 326 bed general hospital, Cancer Center, Heart Center, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy and the Southern Arizona V.A. Health Care Systems.

The Arizona Arthritis Center is located within The University Medical Center building. Funding is currently provided by the Arizona Arthritis Center for two fellows, one of whom rotates out each year providing one new position.

The fellowship program provides a widely varied, rheumatology experience with both inpatient and outpatient rotations, as well as ample opportunity for participation in clinical and basic research projects. Currently there are five full-time and two half-time faculty members in the Rheumatology Section at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center. These include: Jeffrey Lisse, M.D. professor of medicine, chief of the section of rheumatology, interim director for the Arizona Arthritis Center, and director of osteoporosis research. He also serves as the director of the Residency/Fellowship Program. Dr. Lisse joined the faculty in August 2000 from the University of Texas, Galveston, where he was Chief of Rheumatology and conducted several epidemiological studies into rheumatic diseases in minorities. He is currently conducting clinical osteoporosis research.

James Posever, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, joined the Section of Rheumatology in June 2001. Dr. Posever has participated in arthritis research at the University of Chicago, where he completed a research fellowship in cartilage biology in 1994, and immunology research at Stanford University, where he studied animal models of autoimmunity. He is currently involved in oral tolerance studies in rheumatoid arthritis.

Berchman Austin Vaz, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine, joined the faculty October 1, 2003. Dr. Vaz did his Internal Medicine residency training at Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, and his Rheumatology Fellowship training at New England Medical Center (Tufts), Boston. He was assistant professor of medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York from 2000-2003. He has been involved in basic science research in the past with numerous publications in the areas of cocaine effects on T cells and the macrophage biology and immunology of Lyme disease. More recently, at the University of Rochester, Dr. Vaz has been involved in clinical trials investigating biologic agents in rheumatoid arthritis and the seronegative spondyloarthropathies.

His areas of clinical interest include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, crystal disease (gout and pseudogout) and osteoporosis. He also has a clinical focus in osteoporosis.

Both Dr. Vaz and Dr. Lisse are certified by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry.

There is an additional faculty member at the Southern Arizona V.A. Health Care Systems. Barbara Bode, M.D., is a clinical assistant, and is also a part time faculty member at the VA Health Care System. Her clinical interests are systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma.

The Rheumatology Fellowship is oriented towards intensive training in patient care for all ages of patients with both common and unusual rheumatic diseases. The section faculty provide guidance to the fellow, which are involved in their own half-day continuity clinic, clinics with attending physicians, and have in-patient consultation work at the University Medical Center and at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. All fellows are expected to provide care each week in the Arizona Arthritis Center Clinical Research Unit where 10-15 clinical trials are ongoing. These trials, funded by industry and NIH, are coordinated by three research nurses. The fellows, under the guidance of the full time rheumatology faculty, learn about each study and attend investigator’s meetings on a regular basis. Each fellow establishes a research project in the first quarter of their fellowship and is mentored by faculty.

A variety of conferences are offered within the section and the Internal Medicine divisions. A weekly Rheumatology Grand Rounds offers presentations on a full range of related subjects as well as monthly Journal Club opportunities to discuss articles of interest, and a forum for fellows to present and discuss specific subjects.

A quarterly Rheumatology/Pathology conference offers experience with autopsy analysis and a weekly Radiology conference provides information with opportunity for discussion with experts in the field.

The section of Rheumatology has a close working relationship with the Department of Orthopedic surgery, with multidisciplinary clinics including allied health. Listing of the many other offerings in the division are available.

Correspondence should be addressed to:

Jeffrey Lisse, M.D.
Rheumatology Program Director
Chief, Section of Rheumatology

Arizona Health Sciences Center/Arizona Arthritis Center
P.O. # 245093
1501 N. Campbell Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85724