Phoenix Partnership to Strengthen UA Medical Education
An agreement has been formalized that lays the groundwork for a partnership among the UA College of Medicine-Phoenix, Maricopa Integrated Health System and District Medical Group that covers medical training as the school expands.

By Al Bravo, College of Medicine-Phoenix
June 30, 2011

PHOENIX – The Maricopa Integrated Health System, or MIHS, District Medical Group, or DMG, and the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix today announced their affiliation agreement that strengthens medical education for Arizona.

Under the affiliation, approved by the Arizona Board of Regents on June 16 and earlier by the boards of MIHS and DMG, UA medical students will get world-class experience from MIHS – which oversees the state's only public hospital and has been a training ground for thousands of doctors since the 1960s.

The agreement lays the groundwork for a partnership among the medical school, MIHS and DMG that covers medical training, including graduate medical education programs, as the school expands.

"This is truly a major step forward for the Maricopa Integrated Health System, District Medical Group and the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix," said Betsey Bayless, president and CEO of MIHS. "The UA is seeking clinical environments where patient care is personalized, team-based, technologically advanced and applied from clinical research. MIHS will be the place where that happens."

The three entities believe their missions align well – being committed to superior patient care and the best training to future physicians serving Arizona.

"We are thrilled to formalize our long-standing relationship with MIHS since we are executing our mission with superior training as MIHS has always embraced," said Dr. Stuart D. Flynn, dean of the College of Medicine-Phoenix. "We have had students and residents in the Maricopa system for four decades. Now, as we prepare to expand our class size the need for quality medical education also increases and MIHS is critical to that progression."

Beginning its fifth year of operation, the College of Medicine-Phoenix graduated its first class of medical students in May and will have 192 students on its downtown campus this fall. Plans to nearly double the class size are in place, pending approval from the medical school accrediting agency.

"This affiliation will enhance the medical school's reputation and its top-tier status," said Fred DuVal, chair-elect of the Arizona Board of Regents. "We will be able to attract even more high-quality medical students and residents to study and practice in Arizona. That helps us further address the physician shortage in our state and improve health care delivery in the community."

Under the agreement, MIHS and DMG designate the College of Medicine-Phoenix as their primary academic affiliate in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and College of Medicine-Phoenix designates MIHS as a primary academic medical center and DMG as a primary faculty practice plan.

"This affiliation will advance teaching and training of medical students and provide coordinated education and research for residency and fellowship programs," said Dr. Kote Chundu, president and chief executive of DMG. "The affiliation positions us to collaboratively train and retrain primary care providers and specialists in Arizona."

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Al Bravo

UA College of Medicine-Phoenix

602-827-2022

bravoal@email.arizona.edu