
Commencement Profile: Nathan Goff


Goff identifies as a rural person. He enjoys small communities, so the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix's Certificate of Distinction (COD) in Rural Health was a great fit for him. He was able to complete his rotations in his hometown.
“It was an amazing experience to be able to serve my community in this way,” he said, adding that one of his most heart-warming memories was participating in the care of a woman who cared for him in the church nursery when he was an infant. “Taking a step back, I enjoyed observing on a daily basis how the physicians I worked with were deeply embedded in the fabric of the community.”
Goff rotated through psychiatry, internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics and emergency medicine in rural settings. Some of the sites included private practice clinics, a Veterans Affairs Hospital, as well as other community hospitals. The most consistent positive element for him was direct patient care and close working relationships with attending physicians. There are no residents in many of the rural settings, he said, which can greatly benefit a motivated medical student.

About the College
Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to advance its core missions in education, research, clinical care and service to communities across Arizona. The college’s strength lies in our collaborations and partnerships with clinical affiliates, community organizations and industry sponsors. With our primary affiliate, Banner Health, we are recognized as the premier academic medical center in Phoenix. As an anchor institution of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, the college is home to signature research programs in neurosciences, cardiopulmonary diseases, immunology, informatics and metabolism. These focus areas uniquely position us to drive biomedical research and bolster economic development in the region.
As an urban institution with strong roots in rural and tribal health, the college has graduated more than 1,000 physicians and matriculates 130 students each year. Greater than 60% of matriculating students are from Arizona and many continue training at our GME sponsored residency programs, ultimately pursuing local academic and community-based opportunities. While our traditional four-year program continues to thrive, we will launch our recently approved accelerated three-year medical student curriculum with exclusive focus on primary care. This program is designed to further enhance workforce retention needs across Arizona.
The college has embarked on our strategic plan for 2025 to 2030. Learn more.