University of Arizona president Robert Shelton announced July 1 a significant restructuring of UA's health-sciences units, including creation of a new position, the vice president for health affairs. The new vice president will oversee several health-related colleges and manage relations with university-affiliated hospitals and a university physicians group.

Along with the restructuring plan, Dr. Shelton announced that the current College of Medicine dean, Keith Joiner, will be stepping down July 15 to return to the faculty. Upon Dr. Joiner's departure, Steve Goldschmid, now head of the department of medicine, will serve as interim dean of the college.

Dr. Joiner, who has served as dean of the College of Medicine since 2004, holds professorships in medicine, public health, cell biology, and anatomy. He has been at the helm as the college expanded from its base in Tucson to establish a new campus in Phoenix. The first class of 24 students at the Phoenix campus (where UA operates in partnership with Arizona State University) began their studies last August. Plans call for rapid growth of the campus, reaching an entering class of 150 students within five years.

"With the Phoenix campus now established and important structural changes completed at our Tucson campus, it is a perfect time for new leadership in the college and for me to return to my professional interests as a physician scientist," Dr. Joiner said. Those interests include directing the Health Research Alliance Arizona, a statewide consortium for clinical and translational research.

Dr. Shelton expressed gratitude for Dr. Joiner's work and willingness to make difficult decisions during his tenure. "He has made important improvements to the college and to advancing health care in our community," Dr. Shelton said.

Executive vice president and provost Meredith Hay has initiated a search to fill the new vice-president position; once that position is filled, searches will begin for new deans for both the Tucson and Phoenix campuses of the College of Medicine.

The vice president for health affairs will oversee the College of Medicine at both Tucson and Phoenix; the colleges of Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health; the Arizona Cancer Center; and all agreements with University Medical Center, the University Physicians Healthcare and University Physicians Hospital at Kino.

"Our health sciences enterprise is an extraordinarily complicated and sophisticated effort," Dr. Shelton said. "The changes we are making will allow the university to improve the quality and efficiency of what we offer in teaching, research, and patient care, and make us a better university."

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For more information:

"Dean of UA College of Medicine steps down in restructuring," Tucson Citizen, 07/01/2008

UA news release, 07/01/2008