I am proud to highlight the accomplishments and vision of the Department of Family, Community, and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Our work reaffirms our commitment to excellence in medical education, research, community engagement, and access to care. Our medical education programs continue to prepare compassionate, skilled physicians.
The Family Medicine clerkship remains highly rated, thanks to our exceptional faculty who provide outstanding experiences across diverse Arizona practice settings. Our residency program at Banner—University Medical Center Phoenix is nationally recognized for its evidence-based training, preparing residents for full-spectrum care. We launched Arizona’s first Rural Training Program — the U of A Banner — University Medical Center Phoenix–Payson Residency—with its first 2/2/2 class starting in July 2024.
Our new community-based program, University of Arizona Banner Desert Family Medicine, received accreditation this year and will welcome its first 6/6/6 residency class in the summer of 2025. We have expanded opportunities for students and residents to engage with underserved communities through regular clerkships, longitudinal integrated clerkships, and service-learning programs. Our growing rural training opportunities provide immersive experiences, exposing our future workforce to diverse practice environments statewide. Committed to addressing health disparities, our department remains engaged in community health service programs and continues fostering an inclusive academic environment that promotes culturally competent care for all Arizonans.
Our department's research and scholarly initiatives focus on primary care and community health needs, aligning with faculty expertise. Key areas include social determinants of health, nutrition and food security, environmental and community health, the primary care workforce, and practice-based research. We remain committed to the quintuple aim: enhancing patient experience, improving population health, reducing costs, supporting care team well-being, and advancing health care access.
The challenges ahead, particularly Arizona’s critical primary care physician shortage, require innovation and dedication. Significant grant-funded initiatives are underway to address these needs, including the development of new primary care training tracks with an intentional focus on underserved populations. Expanding educational access, strengthening community partnerships, and investing in faculty wellness and development are central to our strategy.
Through these efforts, we aim to meet Arizona’s evolving health care demands. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated faculty, whose commitment makes this work possible. As we close this year, we celebrate our progress and acknowledge the work ahead. Thank you to our faculty, staff, students, and partners for your unwavering support and dedication to advancing family medicine, community health, and preventive medicine in Arizona.
Sharry Veres, MD, MHSM