Abrazo Health’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) program just celebrated its largest-ever graduating class of primary care and specialty physicians, including the first infectious disease and cardiology fellows.
A total of 33 residents and three fellows officially graduated from the program at a June 14 ceremony at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. The Class of 2025 includes 16 internal medicine residents, three general surgery residents, seven emergency medicine residents, seven family medicine residents, two cardiology fellows and one infectious disease fellow.
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“Abrazo Health’s GME program continues to attract, educate and mentor the next generation of primary care and specialty physicians,” said Brian Elisco, Abrazo Health Arizona Group CEO. “We take great pride in the contribution Abrazo Health has made – and continues to make – to help alleviate the shortage of trained physicians nationally, regionally and within our own community.”
Angela Franco, Abrazo Health’s Administrative Director of Graduate Medical Education, said the graduation of the first three fellows demonstrates the strength and quality of the overall GME program. “In order to offer fellowships, all core residency programs have to be in good standing and fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education,” she said. “It’s a testament to how our program has continued to expand and mature in recent years as we have added more residencies and fellowships.”
Jorge Rodriguez, MD, and Raj Shah, MD, are not only the first two cardiology fellows to graduate from the program, but they were also members of its first graduating class of internal medicine residents in 2022.
“It’s been great to see how the program has evolved and grown over the last six years,” said Dr. Shah. “As one of the first two cardiology fellows, it really feels like you are paving the path for the rest of the class. It has been amazing to be part of that journey.”
Dr. Rodriguez added, “Coming into a new program gave us a unique opportunity to help shape its structure, especially in cardiology. They really listened to us and valued our opinions. Thanks to my mentors and the dedicated faculty, I feel confident in my ability to practice independently.”
Omair Hasan, MD, chose to do his two-year infectious disease fellowship at Abrazo Health – after completing his internal medicine residency in California in 2011. He says a key benefit of the Abrazo GME program is that it gives residents and fellows an opportunity to see patients at various hospitals and facilities throughout the Valley. “Each hospital has a unique setting and a unique patient population,” he said. “Each campus gives you a different variety of experience each time you rotate through.”
All three physicians say they intend to continue practicing in the Phoenix area. Dr. Hasan has applied for privileges within the Abrazo system and will help train future infectious disease fellows. Drs. Rodriguez and Shah both plan to return to the area after they complete one-year sub-specialty fellowships in California and Texas, respectively.
