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 including 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 Section of Rheumatology provides support for two fellows each year. 

The fellowship has widely varied rheumatology experiences with both inpatient and outpatient rotations, as well as ample opportunity for both clinical and basic research projects during the fellowship. Currently there are four full-time faculty members in the Rheumatology Section at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center. 

The Rheumatology Fellowship offers a broad range of training experiences. The Fellowship is oriented toward intensive training in patient care, with both common and unusual rheumatic diseases for all ages of patients, in addition to basic and clinical research conducted in a classic translational fashion. The section faculty provides guidance. The fellows 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. Also, all fellows are expected to provide care each week in the Arizona Arthritis Center Clinical Research Unit where 10-15 clinical trials are on-going. Three research nurses coordinate these trials, which are funded by industry and the NIH. The fellows, under the guidance of the full time rheumatology faculty, learn about each study and are expected to attend investigatorís meetings on a regular basis. 

Flexibility is available within the fellowship, although there is significant clinical responsibility throughout the two years.

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.

The Arizona Arthritis Center thanks the generosity of the Arthritis Foundation for its Kirkwood Fellowship support. 

Correspondence should be addressed to:

Berchman A. Vaz, M.D.,PhD.

Rheumatology Program Director

Arizona Health Sciences Center/Section of Rheumatology

P.O. # 245093

1501 N. Campbell Ave

Tucson, AZ 85724

Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Arizona Arthritis Center

There are many unique and engaging research projects at the Arizona Arthritis Center that cover a broad range of interests, including molecular immunology, clinical trials and drug development. Each fellow establishes a basic or clinical research project and receives mentorship by faculty. Fellows are involved in the planning, conduct and coordination of studies and benefit from the expertise of established Principal Investigators. In addition, a series of lectures will explore and define approaches to an array of research foci and help Fellows develop a solid background of basic immunology.

A variety of conferences are offered within the College of Medicine and the Immunobiology department. A bi-monthly Journal Club offers the opportunity to discuss articles of interest, as well as a forum for fellows to present and discuss specific subjects. An annual Frontiers in Immunobiology and Immunopathogenesis Symposium, hosted and organized by the Immunobiology department, features invited lectures from experts in the field as well as offers the possibility of presenting research posters. 

The Arizona Arthritis Center is an international leader in pediatric rheumatology research as well as being at the head of the field in other areas of rheumatic and autoimmune disease research.  We are developing close relationships with key partners in the University of Arizona in order offer the best, multi-disciplinary experience possible to our research fellows.

Please contact +1 (520) 626-3618 for more information.

Faculty include: 

Salvatore Albani, MD, PhD, Director of the Arizona Arthritis Center,  Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the College of Medicine, and The Charles A.L. and Suzanne M. Stephens Research Fund in Rheumatology Chair

Jeffrey Lisse, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Section of Rheumatology, and Director of Osteoporosis Research 

Miranda K. Adelman, PhD, Research Assistant Professor

Barbara Bode, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Chief of Rheumatology

Paul H. Caldron, MD, Associate Research Scientist

Shelley Kasle, PhD, Research Assistant Professor

Eric A Peters, MD, Associate Research Scientist

Warren C. Rizzo, MD, Associate Research Scientist

Sujata Sarkar, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine

Michael Shishov, MD, MHP, Clinical Assistant Professor

John A. Szivek, PhD, Director of Orthopaedic Research, William and Sylvia Rubin Chair of Orthopaedic Research, Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

John R. P. Tesser, MD, Associate Research Scientist

Berchman Austin Vaz, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, serves as the Director of Residency/Fellowship Program