Chair Appointed for Department of Medicine

The University of Arizona Health Sciences and the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix officially announce that distinguished physician and leader, Michael B. Fallon, MD, FACP, has been named the inaugural chair of the Department of Medicine in Phoenix.

Dr. Fallon is a gastroenterologist and hepatologist with vast academic medicine experience that includes 26 years of extensive patient care, education, leadership and clinical investigation in internal medicine. He previously served as the gastroenterology division director and vice chair for clinical research at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston.

He will join the UA on August 29. He also has been named executive director for clinical research and professor with tenure at the college.

“We are thrilled to have Michael Fallon join the University of Arizona Health Sciences and the College of Medicine – Phoenix in this key leadership position,” said Joe GN “Skip” Garcia, MD, UA senior vice president for health sciences. “Dr. Fallon brings to the UA the perfect combination of skills to advance the tripartite missions of clinical service, scientific discovery and medical education training of one of the most important departments in the college. He is an award-winning physician and researcher with an outstanding track record in program development, mentorship, administration and community partnership,” Dr. Garcia added.

Dr. Fallon will also serve as chief of medicine at Banner – University Medical Group Phoenix, and will join the executive leadership team overseeing the Center for Advanced Liver, Kidney and Pancreatic Disorders as part of Banner – University Medicine’s rapidly evolving Transplant and End Organ Management Institute in Phoenix. Moreover, in his role as chair of the Department of Medicine, he will provide executive leadership to many of the other 13 evolving multidisciplinary Banner – University Medicine Institutes in Phoenix. Dr. Fallon has extensive training in conditions of the digestive system and liver disease and is a national expert in diagnosing, treating and preventing disorders of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.

“I am very excited to welcome Dr. Fallon to the Banner Health family,” said Steve Narang, MD, chief executive officer for Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. “He is a world-class leader who will play a critical role in our efforts to position Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix among the nation’s very best academic medical centers. He also is excited to partner and collaborate with the outstanding physicians in the Phoenix community to help continue growing and differentiating the College of Medicine – Phoenix and its Department of Medicine. We are excited to have Dr. Fallon join our expert hepatology team and through his leadership improve our ability to meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients with complex liver and kidney diseases,” said Dr. Narang.

In support of Dr. Fallon’s recruitment and in anticipation of his expansion of the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix Department of Medicine, the UA Health Sciences has committed $40 million over the next five years to support the academic program development of the department that will be comprised of 10 divisions. In addition, the Banner – University Medicine Division and Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix have committed to the growth and success of a world-class Department of Medicine through programmatic, clinical and financial support of clinical faculty across 10 specialties.

“This is exactly the type of strategic program building and investment that the UA and Banner Health anticipated when we completed our academic affiliation agreement last year,” said Kenneth S. Ramos, MD, PhD, interim dean, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix. “This is an exciting milestone in the growth and development of the college and in our partnership with Banner Health to bring the very best of academic medicine and accomplished leaders like Dr. Fallon to Phoenix,” Dr. Ramos added.

Dr. Fallon has received numerous teaching awards and has held a number of leadership positions within the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease. He serves on the American Board of Internal Medicine Transplant Hepatology Test Committee and has served on the editorial board of many prominent journals in gastroenterology and hepatology. Currently, he is an associate editor of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

“I am deeply honored to be selected as the inaugural chair of the Department of Medicine for the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix. I am equally enthusiastic about the opportunity to build this important department at a very exciting time for the University of Arizona and Banner Health,” said Dr. Fallon. “One of the most rewarding aspects of academic medicine is the opportunity to contribute new knowledge and advance care. I have a passion for observing, understanding and contributing to clinical and translational investigation, and I look forward to working with the outstanding College of Medicine – Phoenix team in support of its growth and development,” Dr. Fallon added.

Dr. Fallon received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed his residency and chief residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut and his fellowship in digestive diseases at Yale University School of Medicine. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Federation for Clinical Research, the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease and the American Association of the Advancement of Science. Dr. Fallon’s research interests include the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of complications of cirrhosis and the mechanisms of pulmonary vascular alterations in chronic liver disease. Dr. Fallon will join the UA and Phoenix community with his wife, Julia, and sons, Sam (age 16) and Charlie (age 13).