In one week, vaccine mandates may force some healthcare workers out of their jobs. Some still don't want the COVID-19 shot, but several hospital systems require all employees to be vaccinated by November 1. "I think there's going to be somewhat of an exodus of people who are reluctant to get it," said Shad Marvasti, MD, associate professor and director of Public Health, Prevention and Health Promotion Curriculum at the College of Medicine – Phoenix.

Arizona accounted for about 10,000 out of 18,000 reported Valley fever cases in 2019, according to the latest statistics from the CDC. Coccidioidomycosis is frequently mistaken not only for cancer, but also for rheumatic conditions and bacterial infections, according to Valley fever specialist John Galgiani, MD, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona in Tucson. "Where Valley fever is common, it should very frequently be in the differential for masses that are thought to be cancer," Galgiani said in an interview.

During the summer of 2020, Arizona’s health authorities activated crisis standards of care, and hospitals began rationing medical supplies. The situation has improved, but the persistently high levels of cases and deaths following a long period of low community transmission are concerning, according to a recent report written by Joe K. Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and Patrick Wightman, PhD, MPP, a researcher at the Center for Population Science and Discovery.

Data from an ongoing research study at the University of Arizona Health Sciences show that first responders – including firefighters, law enforcement, correctional officers and emergency medical service providers – are at elevated risk of COVID-19 infection compared with other essential workers and frontline health care personnel.

AZ HEROES study finds first responders have higher incidence of COVID-19 infection, supporting need for increased vaccination and mitigation measures.

Faculty and staff from across UArizona Health Sciences are collaborating to develop new curriculum to enhance student training in end-of-life care.

The UArizona Sarver Heart Center recently welcomed four cardiologists: Michel Corban, MD, Craig Hoover, MD, and Saad Kubba, MD, joined the Division of Cardiology; and Robert L. Hooker, MD, joined the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. All are faculty members in the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson’s Department of Medicine, and all are seeing patients at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson.

Dan Derksen, MD, director of the UArizona Center for Rural Health, discusses the low vaccination rates in rural Arizona. Maiya Block, PhD, lead researcher for the UArizona Alliance for Vaccine Literacy, discusses the concerns people have about flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Faculty have expertise in interventional cardiology, structural heart disease, advanced heart disease, transplant cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery.

The Arizona Telemedicine Program celebrates its 25th year as telehealth is growing in demand around the country spurred by increased use tied to COVID-19.