Arizona Physician Podcast

Yoshie Umemura, MD, talks about clinical trials for Neuro-Oncology. Dr. Umemura is the Division Chief of Neuro-Oncology, the William R. and Joan R. Shapiro Chair in Neuro-Oncology Research, associate professor of neurology at Barrow Neurological Institute, and Chief Medical Officer at the Ivy Brain Tumor Center. She is board certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, as well as neuro-oncology by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties. Dr. Umemura’s expertise rests on the axis of brain tumors and cancers of the central nervous system, as well as the neurological complications from cancer. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the International Primary CNS Lymphoma Collaborative Group, and the Society for Neuro-Oncology. Dr. Umemura earned her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada. She completed her neurology residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire and her neuro-oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Shane Speirs, MD, MBA, President and Chief Medical Officer of HealthyU Clinics, discusses how the practice leverages big data to improve patient care. Dr. Speirs is a physician with experience in healthcare leadership, healthcare data modeling, predictive analytics, geriatric care management. He completed his Family Medicine Training with Abrazo Health, and went on to complete a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine through the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix. During his training, he also obtained an Executive MBA at W.P. Carey School of Business in Tempe, Arizona. Dr. Speirs is Board Certified in Family Medicine, and has an active Arizona Medical License. He plays an active role in the Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Geriatrics Society, as well as numerous volunteer experiences as a physician. Hosted and produced by John McElligott. Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of the Maricopa County Medical Society. Get involved with organized medicine.

Laurie B. Jones, MD, FAAP, IBCLC, FABM, Pediatrician at Agave Pediatrics, talks about the value of breast milk and challenges mothers overcome when breastfeeding their newborns. Dr. Jones is a speaker and educator for physicians and others in health care on the topics of nutrition, feeding, and breastfeeding medicine. She founded Dr. MILK, a physician mother breastfeeding support network. Dr. Jones received a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Biology from Georgia Tech and graduated from the Medical College of Georgia. She completed residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Hosted and produced by John McElligott. Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of the Maricopa County Medical Society. Get involved with organized medicine.

Ronald K. Jorgensen, MD, talks about Fall allergy season, why allergies have increased, and allergy testing and injections. Dr. Jorgensen is an owner-physician of the Arizona Asthma and Allergy Institute. He is board certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and by the American Board of Internal Medicine. After graduating from the University of Utah Medical School, Dr. Jorgensen completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Utah Medical Center. Following residency, he completed a fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of Maricopa County Medical Society. This episode was hosted and edited by John McElligott. This episode is sponsored by Care+Wear scrubs. Visit Care+Wear and use code "MCMS20" to save.

Ann Cheri Foxx, MD, D.ABA, shares her thoughts on what it takes to run a private medical practice. Dr. Foxx also talks about what skills or information would have been helpful at the start of her practice Nocio Interventional Pain Management. Dr. Foxx graduated from the South Carolina School of Medicine in Charleston, where she also completed an internship in general surgery before pursuing a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After years of practicing as an anesthesiologist in the peri-operative setting, she went on to complete a fellowship in interventional pain management with a strong concentration in multidisciplinary approaches at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of Maricopa County Medical Society. This episode was hosted and edited by John McElligott. This episode is sponsored by Care+Wear scrubs. Visit Care+Wear and use code "MCMS20" to save.

Alyx Porter Umphrey, MD, FAAN, and Greg Umphrey, MD, co-founders of non-profit ElevateMeD, talk about the cost of attending medical school, why greater racial and ethnic diversity of physicians matters to patient care, and what they're doing about it. ElevateMeD focuses on creating financial assistance for bright and talented medical students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. They want to attract students toward a career in medicine with the cost no longer being a detractor. ElevateMeD also connects scholars with mentors and organizations who share their mission and vision of diversity in medicine. Dr. Alyx Porter is a neurologist with a subspecialty certification in neuro-oncology. Dr. Greg Umphrey specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Connect with ElevateMeD online at https://www.elevatemed.org/. Arizona Physician Podcast is produced by the Maricopa County Medical Society. Hosted by John McElligott.

Thanes Vanig, MD, AAHIVS, talks with us about advances in the prevention and treatment of HIV. Chief Medical Officer of Spectrum Medical, Dr. Vanig opened his practice in 1998 after graduating Magna Cum Laude as a King’s Scholar from Mahidol University Medical School in Thailand, completing his Internal Medicine residency at Harvard Medical School, and receiving his Postdoctoral Fellowship in Infectious Diseases from Stanford University Medical School. Internationally recognized in HIV Medicine, he speaks, publishes, and advises regularly. Dr. Vanig serves on the City of Phoenix Fast Track Cities Initiative and is a leader for the Maricopa START (State of Arizona Rapid Treatment) Program, immediately linking newly diagnosed HIV patients to care. Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of Maricopa County Medical Society. Hosted by John McElligott.

Baharak Tabarsi, MD, talks about her journey as an immigrant from Iran and how that experience informs how she treats refugees, especially those from Afghanistan. Dr. Tabarsi received her medical degree from the Memorial University in Canada. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at McGill University with an additional year of training at the University of Vermont. She is Board-Certified in Family Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Tabarsi, a District Medical Group (DMG) physician, is available for consultations at Valleywise Health. Her clinical interests include academic medicine, social determinants of health and how they impact patient well-being, health care equity, and quality improvement in health care. She speaks English, Farsi, and Medical Spanish. Contact Dr. Tabarsi through Valleywise Health. Hosted and produced by John McElligott. Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of Maricopa County Medical Society. Join the growing network of physicians, residents, medical students, and organizations that want to improve healthcare in the valley.

Guy Reed, MD, MS, Dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, talks about plans to expand the residency positions in their partnership with Banner Health. We discuss why more slots are needed and the value added to patient care and local economies. We also discuss which residency programs, if funding is approved by CMS, could be added to the valley. Dean Reed is an internationally recognized and renowned cardiologist, physician-scientist, educator and health administrator. He received his bachelor’s degree in English literature and pre-medical studies from Columbia University, and he earned a master’s degree in mathematical statistics, as well as a medical degree from Stanford University. He completed residency and chief residency in medicine at Yale University. He did clinical and research fellowships in cardiovascular disease at Massachusetts General Hospital and biochemistry and molecular biology at Harvard Medical School. His NIH-funded research discoveries led to the development of novel therapeutics. Dr. Reed was a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and School of Public Health. He also served as Lemuel Diggs professor and chair of Medicine at the University of Tennessee, as well as the interim executive vice president for Methodist LeBonheur HealthCare system. Arizona Physician Podcast is brought to you by the Maricopa County Medical Society.

Claudia Gaefke, MD, speaks about the body's response to allergens, food allergies and intolerance, and testing. She also covers allergies specific to Arizona and treatment options. Dr. Gaefke completed her B.S. degree with a major in Physiology and minor in Psychology at the University of Arizona, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She obtained her M.D. degree from The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson and then completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Following her residency training, Dr. Gaefke completed her fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the University of South Florida. She practices at the Allergy and Asthma Clinic. Hosted and edited by John McElligott. The Arizona Physician Podcast is a production of Maricopa County Medical Society.