We are the College of FIRSTS

We are the first allopathic medical school in Phoenix, the first medical school in Arizona to establish a regional branch campus, and the first allopathic medical school in the nation to establish a branch on Tribal land. These milestones reflect our commitment to innovation, access, partnership and meaningful impact across the state.

Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and prepares exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to advance its core mission of education, research, clinical care and service to communities throughout Arizona. Our strength is rooted in collaboration and strategic partnerships with multiple clinical affiliates, over 2500 physicians, community organizations and industry leaders. Through our primary clinical partners — Banner Health for adult medicine and Phoenix Children’s for pediatrics — we have established ourselves as Phoenix’s premier academic medical institution.

As an urban medical school with roots in rural and tribal health, the college has graduated more than 1,100 physicians and enrolls 155 highly accomplished medical students annually, 60% of whom are Arizona residents. Our educational offerings include MD, MD-MPH, MD-MS, MD-PhD, MS and PhD pathways. The traditional four-year MD program continues to excel, demonstrating strong residency match outcomes influenced by students’ chosen specialties, academic performance and the medical school’s educational reputation.

We are expanding access to medical education and strengthening Arizona’s physician workforce through an innovative, three-year medical education pathway offering full-tuition scholarships and an exclusive focus on primary care. This accelerated program is connected to new regional branches in Yuma, serving rural communities beginning in 2026, and Sacaton, serving Tribal communities beginning in 2027. These innovative pathways are specifically designed to address critical workforce needs and support the long-term retention of physicians in communities across Arizona.

As an anchor institution of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, the college is home to signature research programs in neuroscience, cardiopulmonary diseases, immunology, interdisciplinary oncology, informatics, metabolism and drug discovery. These areas of research excellence position us to advance biomedical discovery, improve health outcomes and contribute to the region’s economic development. Our research enterprise continues to gain national recognition, with National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding increasing 13-fold to $41 million in 2026. This achievement places the college among the top-performing institutions of medical schools established within the past 20 years.

Guided by the five pillars of our 2025–2030 Strategic Plan — Leading Medicine in Phoenix, Powered by Partnerships, Driving Discovery, Distinctly Arizona and Fueling our Future — the college is building on its remarkable foundation and advancing an ambitious plan for growth. Our vision is clear: to lead in medical education and biomedical research, strengthen Arizona’s health care workforce, and improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve.

Fredric Edward Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA Dean, U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix