Innovations in Health | University of ��ý’s Health Impact

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Transforming Healthcare in ��ý – and Beyond

��ý established the state’s first pharmacy school in 1947, laying the foundation for innovations in health sciences education, pioneering research discoveries and transformative care. Wildcats have had a profound impact on the course of health history.

1967

��ý’s First Medical School

��ý College of Medicine – Tucson is established with a first class of 32 students, laying the foundation for a network of health sciences programs across the state.

1979

Revolutionized CPR & Cardiac Care

Doctors at the U of A Sarver Heart Center performed the first heart transplant in ��ý. Later, they pioneered continuous chest compression CPR (without breaths), doubling a person’s chance of survival after cardiac arrest and reshaping national guidelines.

1981

Health Access in Rural ��ý

Founded as the Rural Health Office, the Center for Rural Health leads statewide efforts to improve care in underserved areas by supporting hospitals, clinics, and conducting trainings that serve ��ý’s rural and border communities.

1985

Introducing Integrative Medicine

��ý becomes a national leader in whole-person health with the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, bridging the gap between conventional and healing-oriented medicine.

2015

A Partnership for Better Care

��ý partners with Banner Health on a 30-year academic affiliation agreement, expanding access to top-tier clinical training for students and cutting-edge care for patients throughout the state.

2024

A Vaccine for Valley Fever

��ý established the Valley Fever Center for Excellence in 1996. Today, researchers are advancing the world’s first human vaccine – building on decades of progress and a promising canine Valley fever vaccine candidate.

Curiosity With a Calling

At the University of ��ý, health research is designed to make a difference. From advancing non-opioid pain treatments to improving mental health outcomes and public health policy, our researchers are developing bold, data-driven solutions that are improving lives in ��ý and shaping the future of care worldwide.

Brain & Behavior

Treating Parkinson's

Psychologists Abhilasha Vishwanath and Stephen Cowen are exploring how low-dose ketamine may help by realigning brainactivity - offering new hope for patients with Parkinson's.

Understanding Grief

Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor is uncovering how , helping people understand the biology of loss and what healing really looks like.

Doctoral student Angel-Grace Charity Leslie and Dr. Roberta Brinton

Personalized Care, Informed by Experience

Proactive Alzheimer's Solutions

Dr. Roberta Brinton explores how hormonal changes and brain aging intersect - especially in women - to unlock .

Epilepsy Care

Doctoral student Angel-Grace Charity Leslie studies neuroinflammation in the brain to . As a Diné scholar and mentor, she also mentors Native students in neuroscience.

“People who struggled with basic sentences before treatment were writing meaningful, grammatically correct sentences after.”

— On breakthrough language disorder therapy

From Clinics to Classrooms – Impact That Starts Local

As ��ý’s land-grant university, the University of ��ý is committed to serving the state and its people. That means training health professionals who stay in ��ý, launching service-learning programs, and embedding research and clinical support in the communities that need them most.

Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

Through the (OD2A-S), the University of ��ý is leading statewide efforts to combat opioid misuse. Public health teams provide naloxone training and overdose prevention resources across ��ý, equipping communities with lifesaving tools and data-informed strategies.

Supporting Rural Hospitals Statewide

Through the , the University of ��ý works with critical access hospitals to improve quality of care, emergency services, and financial sustainability. This statewide effort helps ensure that lifesaving care remains available in rural and frontier communities.

Partnering with Tribal Nations

From mobile clinics to public health outreach, University of ��ý Health Sciences to improve health outcomes. These partnerships honor tribal sovereignty, prioritize culturally informed care, and help reduce disparities across Indigenous populations in the Southwest.

Young tech taking elder's blood pressure

Student Opportunities

Whether you’re called to clinical care, public health, research, or policy, the University of ��ý offers real-world experience at every step. Here’s how Wildcats turn passion into impact.

Academic Pathways Across Health Fields

Interdisciplinary learning prepares future professionals to think collaboratively and solve real-world challenges. With programs spanning medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and integrative medicine, students can explore every dimension of health.

Health student getting hands on experience

Hands-On Experience from Day One

Students gain experience beyond the classroom through clinical rotations, research assistantships, and simulation labs. From hospitals to health tech labs, opportunities are built into every stage of an ��ý education.

Preparing for a Health-Focused Career

Advising, mentorship, and professional development help students prepare for careers in health care, research, and beyond. From MCAT prep to alumni networking, the University of ��ý supports every step toward a successful, health-focused future.

Serving the Community

Student-run clinics, mobile health units, and outreach programs offer care to those who need it most. Whether volunteering with migrant health services or assisting at free clinics, Wildcats make a difference while they learn.

"We’re targeting cognitive symptoms to prevent further degeneration from occurring. By going down the protective route, we can hopefully prevent cognitive decline from continuing."

— On treating cognitive decline or dementia in Parkinson’s disease

Four Colleges. Endless Health Pathways.

From molecular science to mental health, the University of ��ý’s four health-focused colleges are preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders.

College of Medicine - Tucson & Phoenix

��ý’s two separately accredited Colleges of Medicine inspire and train exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care. With cutting-edge simulation labs, clinical partnerships and a focus on excellence, students learn to advancing the health and wellness of communities in ��ý and beyond.

Person holding a fake organ another person points while another laughs

Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

Dedicated to health equity, prevention, and community well-being, this college trains future leaders in public health and healthcare. Starting July 1, it will also house the new School of Health Professions and Global Medicine, expanding interdisciplinary education and career pathways across the health sciences.

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